Vaccine / breastfeeding - any experts?

[namechange5575]

I'm a frontline NHS worker, likely to be offered the vaccine soon. I'm also (fairly casually) breastfeeding my 2.5 year old, mostly just at bedtime. You aren't supposed to have the vaccine if you are breastfeeding, but I can stop breastfeeding for a while - a few days, a week or so. Or at least I'd like to know how long I'd have to stop for, to inform a decision. Knowledge is power. Any knowledgeable experts around? Or where I can find the right person to ask? Thanks :)

I dont think anyone will know. The reason its nor advised while breastfeeding is because they havent researched it (v. difficult to do so ethically) so there won't be any research into how long it remains in milk (if it does at all).
At 2.5 stopping for a week might be the end of feeding anyway, it was with my toddler

Gov advice around pregnancy suggests three months needed after a dose. Possibly suggesting three months is the safe zone, so not entirely possibly to stop and restart breastfeeding.
Also states not to take at all when breastfeeding

There's just no evidence OP 🤷‍♀️ I'm in a similar position to you - my colleagues have all been vaccinated this week but DS seemingly has no plans to relinquish the boob anytime soon.

No, I know they will have to say it's not safe at all because it hasn't been researched. But I was wondering if anyone knew anything about whether it's a live vaccine (don't think it is?), whether other similar vaccines are ok (I had the flu vaccine a month ago), whether similar vaccines get into breast milk, effect if a 2.5 year old gets a tiny dose, half life in breast milk etc. Educated guesses very welcome.

@namechange5575

No, I know they will have to say it's not safe at all because it hasn't been researched. But I was wondering if anyone knew anything about whether it's a live vaccine (don't think it is?), whether other similar vaccines are ok (I had the flu vaccine a month ago), whether similar vaccines get into breast milk, effect if a 2.5 year old gets a tiny dose, half life in breast milk etc. Educated guesses very welcome.

It's not a live modified vaccine. It's part of the mRNA of the viral surface protein

I'd do your own risk assessment. If you got COVID and were extremely unwell it would be detrimental to your children not being able to take care of them properly. Or worse.
If I were you, I'd congratulate myself on how amazingly well you've with breastfeeding your child, but make every effort to stop it now, so you could get the vaccine.
It's not a live deactivated vaccine. The actual products of the vaccine disappear from your body within 47 hours. But as said above, there's no research yet on vaccines and breast feeding. No reason to think it isn't safe, but to be sure I'd stop breast feeding

This may help your decision making:
www.infantrisk.com/covid-19-vaccine-pregnancy-and-breastfeeding

Personally I'd call Pfizer and speak to their medics. Or get your gp to. It's all about benefits out waying the risk.

The infant risk link good and also some helpful chat for you here www.mumsnet.com/Talk/coronavirus/4108780-any-breastfeeding-healthcare-professionals

That link looks positive also in this position but with a 17 month old feeding loads still.

Some information in the green book under pregnancy and breastfeeding

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachmentdata/file/943663/Greenbookkchapter14aav3.pdf

Although ultimately says it's not recommended during breastfeeding.

There is some generic information on vaccines and breastfeeding on the breastfeeding network but it doesn't look like it's been updated with any advice for this vaccine yet (I didn't look in detail though)

www.breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk/vaccinations/

If you contact Dr Wendy Jones at BN she may be able to provide some advice on your specific questions.

I won't be having the vaccine as I'm breastfeding my six month-old and will be until she self-weans.

Breastfeeding network has been updated some information about it. Can’t find any tho

@Nicknamegoeshere

I won't be having the vaccine as I'm breastfeding my six month-old and will be until she self-weans.

Are you willing to wait 2-3 years for it ? As it can happen that they don’t self wean til 3 years or so. My nearly 3yo boy is more boob monster now than at the beginning of rhe year

@EasterIssland Yes, I won't stop breastfeeding. I fed both of my other children until they self-weaned at around 3

[quote Nicknamegoeshere]@EasterIssland Yes, I won't stop breastfeeding. I fed both of my other children until they self-weaned at around 3 [/quote]
That’s good ! I don’t want to be restrained if not taken the vaccine but neither to be asked to wean him

This poses such an ethical dilemma for us HCPs who are breastfeeding. But I won’t be prematurely / forcing my child to stop breastfeeding because of my job.

@ChocChip01 I hear you. I'm a primary school teacher.

I think its a live vaccine whereas now and for the last few years the flu jab has been a dead vaccine.

I looked at this tonight. I thought that because it is a new type of vaccine, they have nothing to compare it to so just don't know. I won't be having it whist breastfeeding and definitely wouldn't wean baby just to have a vaccine, however old.

@EasterIssland

Breastfeeding network has been updated some information about it. Can’t find any tho

Ah yes - here it is, last updated this month

www.breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk/coronavirus/

I would get it if I was in your position and I’m a microbiology lecturer. My reasoning would be if I get covid then I’ll probably pass it onto my nursing child and they’ll end up full of viral mRNA anyway during infection. We won’t be able to say there’s been no observed effects for a while yet until enough pregnant/ nursing women are vaccinated. It does seem to be currently happening in healthcare workers in the US so hopefully have more data soon.

Also anyone who has had to work with RNA before knows you only have to look at it funnily and it degrades on you. I don’t see it surviving even slightly once it passes through a digestive tract.

@Zippy1510 thank you for that I was hoping for someone with the relevant background to comment you’ve convinced me.

Thank you everyone for replying, and especially @Zippy1510 - that is exactly what I was looking for. (Haven't been able to look up all the links yet). So the only risk would be that my toddler could theoretically get coronavirus - not that it would permanently mess with their immune system in some way? Or some other developmental issue I'm not aware of? I think I'm coming down with it, and I've got a 4 and 7 year old who've both had exposure at school last week, so I'm not concerned about her getting it via me having a vaccine. I would feel safer for the clients I work with (over 65s service) if I could have it.