flu and whooping cough vacine

[Mummywithlove]

im 35 weeks preg and i was offered a flu jab and the whooping cough jab and i didnt have them done, my 2 other kids have been flued up with runny noses and coughing and now ive got it, i cant stop coughing, should i be worried about my unborn child, as i aint had the jab? x

Well it's a bit late to be worrying now. My understanding with the flu jab is that it's to protect you more than the baby but I think the whooping cough one is more for the baby. Is it too late to go and get them done?

Are you sure they have flu rather than colds? Fly is fairly rare at the moment. The flu jab won't protect against colds.

Unless they're in bed for at least a week with fever on top of the runny noses etc it's unlikely your kids have flu. I didn't have the jabs either and my little one is fine, now 9 months

It's given to stop you being pregnant and getting the flu (a bad combo for you), so it just means you'll feel bad when you may not have had to. But they don't vaccinate for all the different strains of flu just the most common for that year.

So don't worry about it.

I didn't have the flu jab but I did have the whooping cough ha. as that one is for the babies benefit.

mind you I've had about 2/3 colds in my life and have never got the flu so was happy my immune system was ok to not have the flu jab.

Flu jab is for you - as pregnancy and flu aren't fun especially if you have complications. I never have my flu jab despite having asthma but this time I did so I wasn't poorly and heavily pregnant.

As for the whooping cough, it's not something you "catch" it's to protect your baby in the weeks that they are too young to have their own vaccinations... (and also includes vaccination for polio, diptheria and tetanus) so if you refused it I'm guessing you had a particular reason??

i didnt refuse it, the day i had the jab appointment i had an appointment with a consultant and i couldnt cancel my consultant appointment so i cancel the jab and they said they wud get in touch with me but i havent heard a thing, yes it was a cold my kids had sorry, not the flu,, but could having a cold harm baby in anyway? i keep thinking to myself 'if i cough any harder i'll end up in labour' could that poss happen? thanks for the replies x

mummy I think you'd have to go some to cough your way into labour, a cold shouldn't have any effect on the foetus, just make sure you stay hydrated.

I had the flu jab at 36wks as I was advised it protects against stomach flu & bronchitis as well.

I had the Whooping Cough on the basis I was told it's been "doing the circuit" again.

If your kids had flu you would know about it! Flu is more aching muscles, high fever, sore throat, extreme fatigue etc than just cold symptoms.

I'm having my vaccinations tomorrow and i'm a bit wobbly about it. I've got older dc and was never offered vaccinations with them so i'm a bit nervous of being fascinated whilst pregnant.

Purplefeathers if you're at a worried about the vaccinations, ask the nurse to go through the risks etc before you have them. That way, you will feel more like you have made an informed decision, and not just done as you're told! I'm very pro vaccine, but understand people's worries and it is absolutely your prerogative to decide against them. Speak to the nurse and I'm sure she will put your mind at rest

Or he!

Thanks, I'll do that (and I think it is a she!)

I'm pro vaccine too usually, it's just because I've never been vaccinated during pregnancy before that i'm feeling a bit wobbly about it.

MummywithLove

I've just looked and you can have the whooping cough vaccine up until 38 weeks, so just nip in your docs and get jabbed if you still want it :)

I didn't book mine, I was in the docs for something else and sat in the waiting room, nurse said "oooh you haven't had your jabs yet, and practically jabbed me in both arms while having a chat lol!

I went in because I've torn a muscle in my neck, and I came away with an injection in each arm (Which have swollen up) so now I have two hurty arms and a hurty neck - sadists the lot of em! ;)

I believe it takes a while for the antibodies to reach the foetus. So surely at 38 weeks it's only useful if your baby is born like 40-42 weeks? However it's definitely not too late for the OP.

I'm not a medical professional, no idea! :) just had a look and the NHS says

"Pregnant women can safely help protect their babies by getting vaccinated – ideally when they are 28-32 weeks pregnant, although they may be given the vaccine up to 38 weeks of pregnancy. "

You can have the whooping cough jab up to 38 weeks, and there is some evidence that the flu jab also protects the baby after birth, so I wonder if you requested it they might give you that too. If you want to read about why these jabs are recommended, and the safety studies that have been done on them, here are some leaflets
www.medicinesinpregnancy.org/Medicine--pregnancy/Flu-vaccine/

www.medicinesinpregnancy.org/Medicine--pregnancy/whooping-cough-vaccine/

Having a cold won't have any ill effect on baby - I had a horrendous cold just after I got my bfp -went into my chest, took a month to clear - only downside is all I could take was paracetamol!