Breastfeeding and the vaccine

[Sls668]

I’m currently debating whether or not to get the vaccine whilst EBFing my 14 week old. I’m not so worried about the short term effects, more the ‘unknown!’
Have other Mums had the jab? I also have asthma which is well managed but is making me lean towards getting it

In still feeding my 16 month old and plan to until 2 so I'll be deferring my vaccine I think until I've stopped. I'm very pro Vax but at the same time if there isn't much evidence yet on using it with children then I'll wait a bit.

I have had the pfeizer jab and bf my daughter (14 months). There was nothing that I read that indicated that it would be harmful to her, but if I was so unwell that I couldn't feed her, I can't imagine how upset she'd be. So for our situation the benefit outweighed the unknown

Both (az and Pfizer) have been approved for bf mums. I’m bf my nearly 3yo son and will have it as soon as I can.
I read the other day in America they found that a newborn had antibodies as their mum took the vaccine when she was pregnant.

I’m still bf my 9 month old. I won’t be offered the vaccine for quite a few months as I’m young and healthy. I will have it when I’m offered it

Following this thread with interest. I'm allowed my vaccine at any time due to being a nurse (currently on mat leave). I'm ebf my 10 week old and just have no idea what to do for the best. I change my mind almost hourly. I have read soooo many things about it, almost all of it saying it's personal choice. I think my fear has arisen from it initially being said that breastfeeders shouldn't have it, but now they have obviously changed this advice. I'm annoyed at the government for not putting a little more thought into an initial blanket ban for breastfeeders. I am massively pro vaccine but, like you, it's the fear of the unknown down the line. If I wasn't breast feeding I would have it in a second.

What would you do if you got cv? Would you still breastfeed? If so, what's the problem?

I honestly wonder what people think the vaccine is going to do to you that the virus won't.

I’m EBF my 9 month old and had the vaccine in Jan. I think it’s better for her to have the antibodies through my milk, but I did spend quite a bit of time reading the advice and weighing up pros and cons. I will be returning to work from mat leave soon and work in a patient facing health care role, so I believe for us the benefits are clear.

I think a lot of people get spooked by the initial caveats on any new vaccine or medication.
They are not usually tested on pregnant women, breastfeeding women, or children, in the first round of clinical trials. So the manufacturers cover themselves by not applying for a licence for those groups.
This is very different to saying they are actually contraindicated or dangerous in those groups!
There is no evidence of risk, and no reason to think there would be.
If you compare the risk of getting Covid while pregnant, when your immune system is partially suppressed to stop you rejecting the fetus, to the risk of having the vaccine, and potentially protecting both of you, it should be a simple decision. Ditto with breast feeding. The tiny volume of vaccine contains nothing that would be harmful if excreted in breast milk.

@Porcupineintherough

What would you do if you got cv? Would you still breastfeed? If so, what's the problem?

I honestly wonder what people think the vaccine is going to do to you that the virus won't.

I would still bf yes, I'm not at all worried about the virus. My worry about the vaccine purely comes from my ds having multiple allergies and thinking a lot of his issues are there is something a.bit off with how system lets substances through to the milke which shouldn't really be there, so I'm hesitant. But I've been told to feed to 2 and I probably won't be offered the vaccine before then anyway.

I had Pfizer jab in Jan and still breastfeeding my 13 month old. I was initially hesitant as I'm sure when it first came out it wasn't advised. I finally decided it's the best way to protect me and others so just went for it.

I am bf my 10 month old. I work for an NHS hospital and was offered the vaccine initially however staff have to fill out a questionnaire first and it turns out my trust is not vaccinating anyone that is pregnant or breastfeeding so I will have to wait until I finish bf.

I do however think I might have had covid about 13 months ago when I was pregnant so wonder if me and the baby and the rest of our family who were all very ill at the time, already have antibodies.

@chikitiki why won't your trust allow breastfeeders the vaccine?? It's hearing things like that that make me nervous about having it, why would a trust not allow it when the government and RCOG are saying health care workers should have it? Such mixed messages.