Offered Swine Flu Vaccine and Breastfeeding

[FuntoLearn]

Hi,

I have received a letter today from my GP offering me the Swine Flu Vaccine. I have a nine week old baby and I am breast feeding.

I am happy to have the vaccine but cannot find anything about the risks associated with breastfeeding and the swine flu vaccine on the internet of via the nhs website. Please correct me if I'm wrong

Has anyone come accross this, or had the vaccine during breastfeeding?

Also would it be better to pump and dump milk once vaccinated.

My vaccine is booked in for Tuesday next week so am keen to get some responses.... !

Thanks

there's a thread on this further down somewhere, which might help you. i had it a couple of weeks ago, bf my 10wk DD. was told no need to pumpand dump so i continued to feed as normal. luckily, i had no side effects.
there is something on the David Salisbury webchat about it, if that helps?

sorry, thread may be in the breastfeeding section.

It is not a live virus in the vaccine so cannot be passed onto the baby. Do not worry. The good news is providing you develop antibodies these will pass in your milk (you cannot develop the illness from the antibodies) so your baby should get some protection as well without being exposed.

Thanks for your comments.

Has anyone seen any info about breastfeeding and vaccine on DoH or NHS?

Would appeciate any links if poss?

No. There is none. You are not allowed to participate in medical trials if you are breastfeeding. So there will be no study data. There isn't data on the regular flu jabs and breastfeeding for the same reason. So really it's a matter of personal choice. Having had swine flu I'd say - get the jab - you will not be able to care for your child for at least five days (at all) and there is the risk of your child catching it and dying. For me that makes it a no brainer.