To ask my family to have the flu jab this year?

[BakedPotatoBeansCheeseColeslaw]

This is a genuine AIBU because i’m not sure and I see some crazy “rules” around new babies and postpartum bubbles these days. I also don’t want to be one of those people who act like they’re the first person in the world to have a baby.

Anyway…

I’m currently pregnant and due right before Christmas. The most likely situation is that I will have a very fresh baby for Christmas this year and I know well meaning family will want to come and visit and meet baby. We also would like to celebrate Christmas although obviously not sure what that will look like yet.

Would it be reasonable to ask that anyone who wants to meet baby over Christmas has the flu jab this year?

No.

Get the flu jab yourself during pregnancy and it’ll protect baby when they’re born. YABU to expect every visitor to have it, just ask that they don’t visit if they’re feeling unwell.

I don’t think you should really ask that, I wouldn’t, but it’s your baby. I guess be prepared that people might just opt not to come?
I don’t have the flu jab, it makes me feel truly awful after so I make that choice.

Bonkers. I have nothing further to add!

Will you be offering to pay?

You can ask, but some of them might not be eligible on the NHS. For healthy people it’s 65 years and over.

This must be a wind up.

This is peak PFB.

Breast feed your baby and they will benefit from your immunity.

If I was them I just wouldn’t bother visiting you or the baby if you demanded to have a flu jab. How crazy.

To he clear I wasn’t planning on being militant about it, it was just thinking it might be considerate and not a big ask in the scheme of things

I encourage my family to have the flu jab and have it myself every year, regardless of a new baby. If you can get it free, or can afford to pay for it, it seems like an eminently sensible and very easy thing to do.

It’s only like £15 - no one in my family would blink at that money

Please don’t assume it is a matter of choice whether you bf or not.

I assumed that - until I had DS and even the most militant bf senior mw gave up trying to get him to feed.

You don't have bodily autonomy over others. Just ask people not to visit if they are unwell - it's a system that has worked for centuries and before vaccinations. Also how would it work - they could say they had and actually not done so, so a stupid, fallible system anyway.

If you were asking me to pay for something that I don’t want, I definitely wouldn’t visit you and your baby!!!

I dont think you can ask this of people.

How would you have taken this request if you were going to visit a friend or family member?

Get the vaccine yourself & politely ask visitors to stay away if unwell.

Seems like a reasonable request to me, given the season in which you expect to deliver. It's peak people mingling and peak flu season around Christmas.

Not a chance id have a jab because someone wanted me too.
I wish I didnt have the covid jab.
I am entitled to the flu jab but each year when the surgery ring I tell them no I dont want it.
Theres asking someone to take their shoes off but another to ask them to have a medical procedure.
Your child will go to school and pick up everything going cold, flu, d&v , headlice
YABU

No. Don't. It's none of your business.

What on earth is wrong with the flu jab? Surprised people feel so strongly against it.

To get back to the thread - you wouldn’t need to tell DH and me as we have it every year as we think it’s sensible.

I suppose it depends on your family - are they likely to see it as a useful reminder if they meant to book one and just forgot? Or are they anti vaxxers?

It was £21.95 Boots last year. And you can't decide if other people have to spend it or not. It's really not up to you.

You could phrase it this way - baby will be born in peak flu season so if you want to be well enough to see baby why not get the flu vaccine?

Well my parents and ILs get it every year anyway along with the Covid jab.

My brothers are sensible people who get vaccinated as appropriate - I think they might have had it some years when they remember.