scared tiny baby will catch measles/swine flu etc at nursery?

[SevernTrentWater]

I'm afraid of sending my 3 month old to nursery, not much choice, it's either now or at 6 months and in terms of my fears i dont think that makes a diference,
I'm worried about her getting sick at nursery, i mean really sick, catching something life threatening etc, like measels, or swine flu (or any kind of flu) or mumps -basically anything bad at the best of times but definitly not something i want a little baby with an immature immune system to get, i have to give up breastfeeding to work too as i'm not allowed breaks to go pump, amd i live in an area where a lot of people don't get their kids vaccinated properly leaving the vulnerable at risk. My gp said there is no such thing as a measeles vacine for babies under 1. Also, theres a swine flu epidemic around here at the moment.

What am i going to do?! Am i overreacting? Or does anyone else have these fears...or worse, has it happened to you?

aww it is so normal

You're not allowed breaks to pump? This is not legal, surely.

If you have had measles yourself [not the jab] your baby should have antibodies from you for the first 6 months. Same for mumps. There may well be a form that people fill in at the nursery stating vaccinations done, so you could ask nursery staff is most children are vaccinated.

Swine Flu - everyone is in the same boat. It is a worry.

I recall you have a legal right to take breaks to use a pump if you are b/feeding. If you post a question in employment/legal, you may get a definite answer.

No you are not over reActing at all- I worry and my dd older than yours. What is nurseries policy on sick kids?surely if they won't let them come in that may lessen the risk somewhat. Also can you talk to key worker about your concerns. The only thing about waiting til six months is that your lo will have had all her initial jabs be that much older and had more bf.

And I think your employer is obliged to provide somewhere suitable for you to pump so if that really is what is making you stop bf that néed not be an issue.

If it's possible to wait until your baby is 6 months old, then surely that's going to be better, and not just because of the chance of them getting infections etc. From the swine flu point of view, if you wait until your dc is 6 months then they in theory could have the vaccine.

Apart from that, I completely sympathise with you, and think that it's really normasl to feel this worried. Having said that my ds is 6 months now, and has just started his 5th cold, all of which have probably been brought in to the home by dds who0 are at nursery/school, and really I'm hoping that it will have been good for his immune system.

Good luck, and I'm sure your dc will be fine. Don't worry too much.

Think it's the Sex Discrimination Act that requires them to give you breaks to pump if bf, somewhere to do it (not the toilets) and also somewhere to store the milk ie a fridge. Look under maternity rights which apply until your baby is 6 months and then I think it is covered by something else (also covers bf in public places). BF will give your babies immune system the best chance of fighting even minor illnesses caught at nursery. HSE provide advice for employers so if you want to do this contact them if your employer won't do what they're supposed to.

Message withdrawn

OK. I know this is really hard, especially the teeny tiny babies, but really, they are supposed to get sick, and the human body is adapted to cope with it...

By getting ill, the body develops its immune system and countless thousands and millions of well-nourished warm loved babies have been getting ill and getting better because they can and do.

At some point - 3 months, 6 months, 2 years, 5 years - they have to face the bugs that are out there and there is some evidence apparently that getting them early has a protective effect on other things.

I know it seems like swine flu and measles etc are awful and it is true that they can be but it is also true that most people, including small babies that get these things, get better from them. And no doubt are better placed to deal with the next bug that comes along.

But remember that the vast majority of babies who get viral illnesses don't suffer unduly and we also live in a country (assuming you are in the UK) with one of the best healthcare systems in the world in terms of access to support and expertise. So please, worry (because you will anyway), but not excessively!