...to be worried about swine flu?

[Mouette]

I live in London and have a 3-month old baby. I have started to get worried about swine flu, not for me, for him. They're not planning to vaccinate children under 3 years old... I'm now wondering whether I should still take him to mother and baby groups, etc. Am I being paranoid? What do other parents think?

Personally I wouldn't take him to mother and baby groups. They always catch things there.

We have a swine flu topic now...

they're not planning to vaccinate under 3s??

I don't think so... I read in the paper that under-3's would be excluded, as children between 4 and 11 are considered most at risk... Not much help when you have a small baby...

Yes you are being paranoid.

But as a new mother it's parr for the course.

Actually as an old mother it's parr for the course too .

Basically you have children, you worry about stuff. Media goes all-out with misinformation and scare-mongering, you worry about stuff.

There is nothing anyone can say that'll stop you worrying though.

I would say that avoiding anywhere is pretty pointless when the virus is in the greater population. I live in London, it's everywhere here - in my children's school, in the place I work, in most of my friend's workplaces - you have to develop a thick skin and remember that people die from Flu every year and you've never been thrown into a panic before have you?

Mouette, I don't think your being paranoid at all. London is a place where people live close together and if you have to get on public transport etc it would possibly be easy to get it. I feel the same way as you do (ds 5 weeks old).

Imagine how you would feel if you didn't take sensible precautions and he became ill. However, I am sure if we are sensible the likelihood of getting it will be quite remote.

this should be in swine flu topic....... Which I have HIDDEN!!!!!! It's paranoia , don't need it!!

In all politeness, they think this particular swine flu epidemic is going to go on for two or three years.

So your DS and you are going to have a pretty dull time of it, if you stay in.

I don't think you are BU, it's natural for any mum to worry, especially when they're so small. However, the way things are going I would imagine it's going to be pretty difficult (or impossible) to avoid all risk of catching it.

If it makes you feel any better my DD2 (aged 20months) has had it and recovered very quickly, I now have it and am really struggling, even washing up is exhausting. I think she recovered better because she rested wheras us mums have to carry on to a certain extent.

Hope you manage to avoid it.

Thanks to all for answering. I think I will stock up on alcohol wipes and wait to see how things develop. The group has stopped now until September, so I will see then what the situation is. I will also talk to my GP, he will know if there have been a lot of cases locally. It's true I can't protect him from everything for ever... But he is so little, and I had so much trouble having him.