MMR jab for me???!!

[sparkymummy]

When I was pregnant with DS my blood test said I wasn't immune to Rubella. I was told at the time I would be given a rubella jab in hospital when he was born but never got it. They have now told me I have to have the MMR jab. Has anyone else had it? Is there no way I can get just Rubella one on the NHS, and as I'm breastfeeding would it not affect DS?

I didn't have the blood test when I was pg so when I was discharged they told me I "had" to have the vaccine soon. This is IN CASE I first contract rubella, and then come in contact with a pregnant woman that I might infect. I doubted the likelihood of that happening, but then dh piped up, "in that case shouldn't I have it too?" Nurse nearly fainted - apparently it has never occurred to them that blokes might also contract rubella and meet a pregnant woman. Which makes me double . I'm all for vaccinations, but this one seems to me not to be the most crucial - just something they take the opportunity to get us (women) to have. Just a thought.

The nurse who told you to get it immediatiately phdlife may have just got confused. All women should have the rubella vaccine because of the damage the virus can do to an unborn child, so you should have been advised to have it in case you got pg again. However now all people are having the rubella vaccine in the hope of reducing the risk of an unvaccinated pregnant mother coming into contact with the virus so yes, it would be sensible for your DH to have an MMR.

Sparkymummy - sorry should have answered you first - your thread! If I were you I would call the breastfeeding network helpline for advice on the safety of the vaccine while breastfeeding. But apart from that, the MMR is a good idea for adults too - the more people that are vaccinated the lower the liklihood of an epidemic. I had an MMR as and adult (my health records hae been lost so I've had to have most things again to prove I've had them) - it doesn't hurt, just a small one!

Thanks both of you. I spoke to a breastfeeding person (can't remember where they were from!) and they said it would be fine but I wondered whether any one had managed the single vaccine really as I have had measles and mumps in childhood anyway.