To vax or not to? To formula or bf?

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Hi all,

I recently gave birth about a week ago. I did not get the vaccine whilst pregnant out of choice as I was very concerned with it being so new and affecting the baby.

Now I’m in the same predicament. Should I vaccinate whilst bf? I know ppl are doing it but it just didn’t sit right with me that it’s a new vaccine and long term effects are not known. Should I vaccinate and formula feed instead?

Other kids have school in Sep so worried they will deffo bring covid home.

Did any of you vaccinate while bf? Any side effects?

Do you know anyone that’s had adverse effects on baby because of it?

Or any friends in the US that vaccinated while bf, have baby’s developed normally/reached milestones since the US were ahead of us.

I’m so confused, thinking of getting vaxxed 4 weeks pp.

Thank you all

I did, but with an older toddler; SIL with a small baby. We both took a bit longer than usual to get over a cold he brought home from nursery after the first jab. No other issues. SIL and I had AZ but know many others who had Pfizer while breastfeeding too.

You're going to find the Breastfeeding network essential, not just for this, but because no drugs are routinely tested in breastfeeding women and doctors / dentists have fairly low awareness of what's ok or not. I've linked to the covid vaccine page: www.breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk/coronavirus/.

As to formula feed, you should use formula if it makes you feel more comfortable and is what you want to do. Breastfeeding is a calm and bonding activity, where you can give your baby fluids, food, antibodies and a feeling of love. It's tiring physically, but it's very good for you and the baby. When you're ready to stop because it's inconvenient or stressing you out as an activity, that's the time to stop. You absolutely should not stop breastfeeding for a vaccine though, and if you need any other drugs then challenge doctors to come up with something you CAN have.

Personally I won't be getting the jab until I've stopped bf. That was the initial guidance and then they changed tack but it has simply not been long enough to know how it will effect them years down the line. No data does not automatically equal safety. So I'm not willing to take that risk. I've also heard a percentage of women reported milk flow issues for a few weeks after the jab and about 7% reported their babies being a bit under the weather. It has also affected some women's menstrual cycles. I don't know of any other jab that does that so that sets off alarm bells for me and I would never forgive myself if it negatively affected my baby in the future.

I had my second vaccine today. I’m 32 weeks pregnant. Two different medical professionals at the vaccination centre told me that the new evidence shows that covid antibodies pass through breastmilk and protect the baby, giving them protection for between 3 - 6 months after you stop breastfeeding. (Or if you don’t breastfeed but are vaccinated during pregnancy, they last 3-6 months from birth). They both also said that there’s every chance they will last longer than that but the concrete evidence they have at the moment is 3-6 months, as time goes on they’ll obviously have more data.

For breastfeedings long term benefits for the developing immune system alone (which are well documented) it would be worth Breastfeeding. And vaccinating too. If you are concerned about the risks you can get really good information from trusted sources such as Association of Breastfeeding Mothers or the Leche League. There is the added benefit that if you are vaccinated you pass on immunity through your milk to your baby. It’s win win. The known long term risks of covid are also significant.

I had my vaccine when my DS was two weeks old and I'm breastfeeding.

I read about it before I made me decision and I'm very comfortable with it. I wouldn't want to get Covid with a little one to look after (and my two older ones) either.

As a previous poster mentioned, the immune benefits of breastfeeding seem particularly important at the moment. My other two keep catching colds and so far my baby has been largely uneffected.

Only you can decide but all the studies I’ve seen show it’s safe and you pass on antibodies to baby via breast milk. It’s for this reason I hugely regret stopping breastfeeding as I wish I was able to provide some protection to my toddler now I’m vaccinated.

Breastfed and also had the vaccine when baby was one week old. No issues whatsoever with supply and baby was fine,

Thank you so much everyone. I’m slightly more reassured but still confused.
I really hate putting things in my body that could potentially mess me up. Eg, I’ve heard the vaccines causing issues with periods also, and I feel like in the post partum phase when our hormones are all over the place- how will it affect our periods coming back etc. Also with it being so new and unknown (the mRNA hasn’t been used before) so maybe can affect baby? I have older kids that smother the baby in kisses and once they start school there’s no way to prevent us all getting covid.

I really hate this unknown

I’ve had both doses whilst bf. First jab I got the achy arm and felt rough, 7 month old dd was fine. Second jab 12 weeks later she definitely had a few side effects, virtually the same as when she got the men jab at 8 weeks.
I wish they’d mentioned she could get side effects and I would have given her some calpol sooner. I still would have had the jab as she has had croup, and a couple of chest infections and she only narrowly avoided hospital with one chest infection.

Oh and my periods returned between jabs exactly four weeks apart and the first was lighter than the second which was exactly how it was after my first. But not much, including the pill, alters my cycle

I've had mine while breastfeeding. I didn't get any side effects at all. Guess I'm lucky. I'm hoping that my milk has some of the immunity for covid now. I got it about 4 months ago now and nothing has changed so far. I see it like the flu vaccine. I get that every year too.

Also no change to periods at all.

I’ve had mine while breastfeeding a toddler. First dose only so far. No visible impact on him, he’s continued to develop exactly in line with how he was before. That was in May. No side effects for me beyond really bad fatigue later that day. No effect on periods or anything like that (though I know a lot of other women have noticed this, I’m not minimising). I had Pfizer.

I must admit, I would have been more hesitant with a younger baby

Thank you all. Yes I think my main hesitancy is that my baby is a newborn. But I just feel like there’s a deadline before September and older kids are at school mixing etc. I would have happily waited until until baby was at least weaning and less reliant on my milk. But just concerned I’ll catch covid from my kids

My baby is 11 weeks old and I’ve put it off to now as I’m worried about long term effects on him. However we had a scare the other day that my partner had it and it wasn’t fun so this has made me think I should have it now…
Such a tough decision. Was thinking I’d stop breastfeeding and have the vaccine when he is 6 months but I don’t know whether to wait now or not

There's nothing in the vaccine really to get through to milk - it's not like a drug, it stimulates an immune response & then is gone. The antibodies you make will protect your baby.

I've just had my second dose whilst bf my toddler, I wasn't concerned at all. They don't even bother asking if you are bf when they vaccinate now, I asked why and they said they have so much data from bf women at this point that there is no concern.

But also, the health benefits of bf your baby Vs formula feeding are huge.

I have a (just turned) one year old and had AZ in March and June. No adverse effects in the baby and I was very happy to think she might get some immunity through the milk (although in truth I don't worry much about covid and our small children anyway).

It's a big of a weight off to know that DH and I are now fully vaccinated and children don't tend to be badly affected.

I had mine while breastfeeding and I’m on a large fb group - peer support for doctors who are breastfeeding - and for what it’s worth a huge majority of doctors I know online and in real life chose to have the jabs and continue breastfeeding once evidence started coming through from America in January and the rules changed.
The general consensus was that hundreds of thousands of women have fed while having the vaccines and there’s been no evidence of harm to supply or to baby, also there’s no plausible biological mechanism for this to happen.
Also plenty of breastfeeding women did catch covid, and that’s really tricky if you’re breastfeeding and for lots of women did cause them to stop feeding earlier than they would like. Some were hospitalised / just too poorly to continue, and some were trying to keep more distance from baby to reduce infecting viral load especially with newborns, but the drop in skin to skin can cause supply issues.
I’m still breastfeeding DD2 and TTC so waiting until I’m not pregnant / breastfeeding wasn’t an option! However if you only plan on breastfeeding for a few weeks then maybe you wait if you’re worried - especially if you’re able to protect yourself a bit while on mat leave.
Good luck whatever you decide.

Also my periods only came back at 24 months but I think that’s the breastfeeding which seems to mess up periods loads more than any vaccine can

Defo planning to get vaccinated once this baby is born. Pfizer passes antibodies through the milk to the baby and there are no reported ill effects. I don't see why there would be to be honest.

I got my first when 36 weeks pregnant and will be having my second while bf-ing him. Have absolutely zero concerns about it. The only reason I haven’t had it already (he’s three weeks old now) is that I’m nervous about being unwell with two small kids to care for and keep hearing that the second dose of Moderna can knock you off your feet but then I guess I’d rather have that than end up with Covid and two kids to care for!

Have the jab.
BF if you can and want to.
Talk to someone about your anxieties.

The advice I saw - possibly from RCOG? Maybe it was their Belgian equivalent - was that although at the time they didn't have data on breastfeeding and the vaccine, there was no plausible medical way for the vaccine or its components to pass into breastmilk. That reassured me, as did the change in guidance later on, presumably when they had collected data (although no one asked me if I was breastfeeding) - they wouldn't say something was safe if they had any doubts. (See, for example, 90% of leaflets in medicines...) I've had both doses now, the second a week ago. I've had some mild side effects, but nothing I could see in the kids. I'm hoping they will be able to share my antibodies now!

You’re so right. Thank you