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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Whooping cough jab?

24 replies

Lydia161290 · 09/05/2013 20:27

Getting this on Tuesday. I'm 29 weeks. Just wondering about the side affects and if it's safe for the baby?

OP posts:

cupcake78 · 09/05/2013 20:30

I had a sore arm for about 4 days and a slight temp 24 hrs after having it. Personally for me the risks to baby getting whooping cough were far higher than the side effects.

scarecrow22 · 09/05/2013 20:33

I can't remember all the details but when I did my extensive MN research on this (recently as DS is just 4 weeks old and was 2 weeks early) I was very reassured. I think the vaccine is inactive - ie you are not given a dose of whooping cough (I think). Search the threads as some medical people explained it very well, especially when set against the risk to LO.
I had slightly ached arm that day, but no other side effects.
Good luck with jab and with the rest of your pregnancy.

Bunnychan · 09/05/2013 21:39

Haha when I was having mine, I read a post on here about it making someone feel emotional for a few days then low and behold I was an emotional wreck for a few days after too. Over than that and feeling liked I had been punched in the arm, I didn't x

Saku · 10/05/2013 15:37

I also had at 30th week .. but it seems of no use.. as i did some research on internet.. they say this jab effectiveness lasts in 3 months.. then again you need a booster shot .. and yeh.. your body loses its own immune system and you depend on this jab every 3 month .. so i am not going t have this jab again..
and what this whooping cough is just a silly cough.. which remedy is easily available in homeopathy and Ayurved medicines (dont call them medicines also they are sugar type liquid) and cures the cough easily then why to have this sick full injection all the time..

lockie1983 · 10/05/2013 15:48

Saku - you are advised to have this jab in a small window in the pregnancy to build up baby's immunity. The baby will have another jab a few weeks after birth (I think) which will cover them, but the one you have is to immunise them until then. You will not need to keep having the jab.

Whooping cough is actually a really serious illness for a small baby. It can cause further complications, make breathing difficult and can result in death.

OP I did a bit of research before having mine and decided that the risks for baby were enough to make me want to have the jab. It is not a live vaccine and should be fine for you and baby.

I didn't even really get an achy arm with mine and I'm normally a total baby with jabs

InsomniaczK8 · 10/05/2013 15:53

Saku - Whooping cough is not "just a silly cough"!! My aunt ( a fit and healthy adult) had whopping cough and she was ill for 3 months which is why it is sometimes called the "100 day cough". The coughing fits are so violent that she broke ribs, burst blood vessels in her eyes and had nose bleeds and vomiting. It is very dangerous for babies and can cause death. I'm all for personal choice when it comes to immunisation but maybe you should do some research first?!

The jab causes you to develop antibodies which you will pass to your baby which will give him/her protection until he/she is old enough to have the first jab at 8 weeks old.

InsomniaczK8 · 10/05/2013 15:55

PS I had mine on Weds and I feel a bit peaky and my arm feels like its been repeatidly punched!! Worth it though IMO

yellowsnownoteatwillyou · 10/05/2013 15:55

Had mine yesterday and my arm is still a bit sore, feels like somebody punched it. An have been a little emotional today.

As said above its not a live vaccine so after doing research I decided to go for it.

alienbanana · 10/05/2013 15:58

If anybody has a link to the thread with the medical info in it I'd be very grateful. Due to have the jab in a few weeks.

I'm on my phone and can't easily search.

Thanks

Cookethenook · 10/05/2013 16:02

Saku - as Lockie said, whooping cough can be very serious for babies.

'There is no evidence to suggest homeopathic vaccinations can protect against contagious diseases. We recommend people seek out the conventional treatments'- The British Homeopathic Association and Faculty of Homeopathy

That is a direct quote from the leading organisations that promote homeopathy in the UK. Please get your child properly vaccinated.

Anyway lydia i had a very achey arm for a few days. Other than that i was fine. As others have said, it's inactive, so poses no risk to the baby.

lockie1983 · 10/05/2013 16:04

XP with InsomniaczK8 who I totally agree with.

alienbanana try this www.nhs.uk/Conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/Pages/whooping-cough-vaccination-pregnant.aspx

lockie1983 · 10/05/2013 16:05

epic link fail

alienbanana · 10/05/2013 16:18

Thanks lockie :)

I did see the nhs link already, I just like MN discussions on this sort of thing and thought it sounded interesting

MyNameIsLola · 10/05/2013 16:30

I had mine last week and, with the exception of my arm aching for a few days, was absolutely fine.

It's not a live vaccine and is completely safe for pregnant women. OTOH, whooping cough can be very dangerous for babies and it's no picnic for older children either as I had it when I was around 5/6 years and I was very poorly for weeks.

The advantages of having the injection far outweigh any risks to your baby.

lockie1983 · 10/05/2013 16:33

Ahhh now I get it pregnancy brain

How about these can't do links

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/pregnancy/1625636-14wks-pregnant-should-I-have-flu-and-whooping-cough-vaccines

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/pregnancy/1577664-Anyone-choosing-NOT-to-have-the-whooping-cough-jab?pg=1

ChunkyPickle · 10/05/2013 16:54

I'm planning to have mine, and also see if I can persuade the doctor to do DP - I know they do the pregnant mother at just the right time to pass the immunity onto the baby for a bit, but I watch some american TV and adverts and over there they encourage the whole family to get a booster so as to reduce the chances of the baby even encountering it.

Whooping cough is nasty for babies (a killer), and no walk in the park for adults or older children (you imagine coughing until you're sick for 6 months!)

RubyrooUK · 10/05/2013 17:12

As the survivor of whooping cough as a baby, which almost killed me, I had the jab when pregnant with DS2 recently.

I did have very strong Braxton Hicks-esque pains for a few days afterwards but that may have been unrelated. I didn't have BH in my first pregnancy so it was a bit unexpected at the time.

Either way, I was fine, DS2 is now here and was born completely healthy. And at eight weeks old, he already has a cold caught from DS1 and is pretty miserable about that. I can't imagine how awful whooping cough would be.

shelley72 · 10/05/2013 17:17

I had this on weds too. Arm still v sore and I more grumpy but apart from that no other effects. 10 babies died from wc in our area last year so not a difficult decision for me - especially as this one will have the jab at 8 weeks anyway..

Jojobump1986 · 10/05/2013 17:32

Does anyone know what the latest time to have the jab would be? I'm 36+3 weeks & not expecting to have the baby particularly early. Is it still worth asking about the jab? I find it odd that noone's mentioned it to me! Would it be the GP or MW who organises it?

shelley72 · 10/05/2013 17:48

I organised it myself jojobump through the sister at the gp. Midwife forgot to mention it (and flu jab over winter) but I had heard about it though mn and newspapers.

RoxyLady · 10/05/2013 18:50

Saku - babies have died from whooping cough. Pls take it seriously.

Had mine today! Arm hurts a bit but just feels like a bruise. I didnt think twice about getting it done.

Original poster

Lydia161290 · 10/05/2013 18:51

Thanks everyone for your answers. I will without a doubt be getting it. Just don't want to get something that might harm my baby, but seeing as it doesn't then.

Jojo my midwife told me to book it myself. You can get it between 28-38 weeks of pregnancy!

OP posts:

quertas · 11/05/2013 13:34

I had it last week. Slightly sore arm for a day or so but no worse than having a bad bruise on it. I've seen kids with whooping cough and you'd think every breath was going to be their last from the sound. The parents look like they've aged a 100 years in a day hearing it. Horrible horrible illness to have

Snowflakepie · 11/05/2013 13:43

I had mine at 32 weeks. Really sore arm for about 4 days but nothing compared to the horror of whooping cough. My brother had this as a baby and my mum said it was horrendous, while he recovered he has always had colds etc go to his chest and it almost always results in antibiotics and a nasty recovery even as an adult. May not have been due to the whooping cough but it can have long lasting effects.

Personally I looked at the possible risks of the vaccine vs the risks of the illness. To me it was a no-brainer. Each to their own, but when I would move heaven and earth to protect my children I just couldn't NOT have the vaccine. If anything happened to them I would never forgive myself.

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