to delay having covid vaccine?

[tiredisnottheword]

Background - I had covid in April and have detected antibodies (confirmed with test).
I have a 4 month old who is EBF.
I work for the NHS (patient facing role). I have always said I will get the vaccine before I return to work in June (before it became compulsory..which I don’t agree with, but that’s another thread). It just now means I will be getting it a couple of months earlier than planned.

My reasons for delaying are

1. I don’t want to feel ill from the side affects just now whilst I am already sleep deprived and looking after 2 children
2. I don’t want to risk any reduction in my milk supply. I want to wait until dd is well established and has begun weaning so that if it does happen, it is easier to manage.

So why does my MIL (I know..) make a point of bringing it up every time I see her, and making passive-aggressive comments about me not having it?

AIBU?

I also wouldn’t take the risk.

Never before would people advice you to have something that ‘may’ effect your milk - and no one knows the consequence yet as it hasn’t been out long enough - and call you selfish just for delaying it.

Personally I’d put my child before myself and also delay it.

*potentially

I waited until I finished breastfeeding- to each their own

Out of curiosity, where did you get the information that it might effect your milk supply? Did your midwife say it? Just out of interest.

@Tilltheend99 thank you, I do agree.

I think though some people like dp are always looking for a ‘conspiracy’...

I am CEV and vaccine probably hasn’t worked for me. He could have had vaccine months before he was eligible because of that but still didn’t have it.

I am finding it hard to feel sympathetic under these circumstances

For what it's worth- I'm also an NHS employee in a patient facing role. I had my first two vaccines while pregnant last year and recently had my booster with a 4 month old and a 3 year old at home. I felt no side effects to any of the vaccines at all and my milk supply hasn't changed in the slightest. I'd be curious out of interest as to why you believe a vaccine would affect milk supply? I wouldn't delay getting it. (Obviously from my choices to date!)

Personally I’d put my child before myself and also delay it.

Making difficult decisions in the best interests of your child is a pretty big part of being a parent. I guess it's up to each and every one of us to device how to balance the hypothetical risk of decreased milk supply against the very real risk of contracting an illness that has killed more than 5 million people worldwide.

I had my first jab when my baby was 6 days old. My milk supply was unaffected and I didn’t have any side effects (although was 6 days post c section with a cluster feeding baby so potentially too tired to notice any). Then had my second jab when baby was 10 weeks, bit of a headache but otherwise fine.

Tbh, if I'd already had covid then I would probably wait until my child started weaning too. I wouldn't let mil or anyone else pressure me into doing anything that I am not comfortable with. Ignore her comments or reduce contact until you've had your first jab x

YABU. There is no evidence and no theoretical reason for it to affect your supply. I had both my first two doses whilst breastfeeding.

Saw this re naturally acquired immunity vs vaccine immunity:

In comparing the two types of immunity, scientists said research shows vaccination provides a “higher, more robust, and more consistent level of immunity to protect people from COVID-19 than infection alone.”

www.washingtonpost.com/health/2021/11/01/what-works-better-vaccines-or-natural-immunity/

@tiredisnottheword

Yes I am implying wait for Novavax, should only be a couple of months away.

YANBU - it's a free world and I don't think that anyone should be bullied into having it. You survived it once, still have antibodies and whatever anyone says, we don't know the long term side effects. If I were very young (e.g. under 25) and there were no clear benefits for me then I wouldn't have got it....some say I'm not very socially responsible, but I don't believe that many people put the greater good above themselves or their family.

As it happens I'm 38, and felt on balance that the benefits outweighed the odds for me and my family (parents) so I got it. Would I get my young children vaccinated? Probably not as no benefits for them in doing so.

Just to add I'm not anti vax at all, it's clearly reduced the death rate and personally I'm glad I had it. But the benefits over costs for the young are yet to be proven....

Yanbu. I had covid at Christmas, I had it mildly (felt unwell for about four days), and questioned whether I should get the jab.... I did get jabbed, but only because I'd get no sympathy or help from DH if I was off work with covid, and at the time of getting jabbed my family would have needed to self isolate with me. I didn't want to get the blame for kids missing school.

It's your choice OP. If it's not right for you it's not right. It's not up to anyone in this thread what's right for your body.

I personally wouldn't want to work in a hospital setting in a patient-facing role unprotected in winter, when there are higher rates of covid around and more covid-infected patients entering the hospital.

I had some horrible side effects after my second jab. Had it in Oct and I'm still having problems. YANBU to delay having it. I'm really wishing I'd never had the second jab.

@Hothammock

Just to add that I've been double jabbed and like many people I've still contracted covid and been really ill as have other family members so I have no time for people who use the question of vaccination for virtue signalling or as an opportunity to judge others. Natural immunity is probably better anyway.

It isn't. There's been recent research saying that it fades more quickly than vaccination immunity. And 20% of people who are infected have no antibodies at all just a couple of weeks later.

Optimum protection is gained by having caught Covid and then getting two MRNA vaccines. So OP stands to have absolutely gold standard protection if she goes out and gets herself vaccinated.

@FreshFreesias

YANBU. Don’t listen to the Covid Cultists.

What an ignorant and uneducated comment.

Do what you want but at least have the manners to elaborate on your juvenile put downs with some science backed research.

We have just had a lady sent from our ITU out for ECMO. Had to have an emergency caesarean section to save her and her baby's life.

Don't tell me I'm in a cult.

Immunity tapers off hence why so many nhs workers have had their 3rd booster currently.

Iv had all 3 vaccinations with no side effects

If anything the vaccine will allow antibodies the pass through breast milk and protect your baby,

I'm also exclusively breastfeeding a nearly 4 month old and had my booster covid jab a few weeks ago. The only side affect was my arm aching for a day which was hardly the end of the world! Milk wasn't affected in the slightest.

I also had my first two jabs while pregnant.

Recently myself and my daughter were exposed to COVID at a baby group and several of the mums as well as one of the babies are currently unwell.

Both myself and my DD are fine and tested negative.

I believe it is likely she gained some protection through me being jabbed while pregnant or while feeding her and I'm very grateful for that.

I know we all want what's best for our kids but leaving yourself and you LO at risk of an illness that can have long term effects (many of which are still being discovered) is far more risky than having a vaccination.

Thanks for the responses everyone.
I am on maternity leave so in no contact with patients currently - I should have made that more clear in my OP. I will absolutely be getting it before I return to work as I think this is the right thing to do.
I guess it is just a case of weighing it up. I appreciate the poster saying which would I regret more, so I will have a good think today!