Covid Vaccine- 28 weeks

[Fawn68]

Hi! Starting to feel a bit anxious with Covid infection rates on the rise again. 28 weeks now and have no vaccinations yet, as I was going to wait until after baby was born. However new information has come out and our trust are encouraging pregnant mothers to now get vaccinated. I'm really unsure what to do, I am pro vaccine but just wanted to wait until after. But scared now of catching Covid and getting extremely ill and affecting the baby. Has anyone else had the vaccine at this stage? And what are your thoughts.

I had my second dose at 28wks and, other than a sore arm and a bit of tiredness, I was fine. For me, I'd rather deal with the side effects of the vaccine than risk catching covid in my third trimester. I feel much less anxious now, especially with cases rising in my area.

The RCOG is a good place to start your research.

I had Pfizer at 14 and 20 weeks and was fine. I'm now 25 weeks.

There are Facebook groups with lots of American women who were vaccinated and are now having healthy babies.

I'd take the vaccine over covid any day especially in the third trimester. There have been reports of still births and early babies if it crosses the placenta x

Thank you! Yes the consultant gave me the rcog information yesterday. I will also have a look on the Facebook groups, before I make my final decision. My head is melted

Yes I would get protection from the vaccine as soon as you can, covid isn't going away any time soon and you really don't want to catch it in your first trimester or when you've got a newborn and need to keep yourself well to look after them.
Also important to make sure birth partner is vaccinated to reduce the chances of them not being able to accompany you during your labour if they caught covid.
It takes 2-3 weeks for your first jab to give you any immunity at all, then the protection keeps building after that so you still need to be careful in the time being. Keep safe and well

I booked and cancelled mine about 6 times before I did it! It is a hard decision but now there are over 130,000 American pregnant women who’ve had it with no bad effects x

I had my first dose last week at 19 weeks and am booked in for my second. My baby is due in December and I want to be fully vaccinated when I go into hospital as we're likely to be experiencing high case levels in December. I found it a hard decision but I think the risk to me and baby of getting covid in late pregnancy is greater than the risk from the vaccine. I had Pfizer and apart from a sore arm for a couple of days have had no side effects

Thank you all so much for all your advice! Really appreciate it, I think I am swaying on the decision to get booked next week. Partner has been double jabbed for a few months now.

There’s a lot of data out there. I’d read through that. Google the Stella Creasy MP pregnant then screwed video. Look at the studies on the women who have been vaccinated in the US, where they were made vulnerable and bumped up the vaccination list. Look at RCOG. It’s a tough decision but once I decided I wanted the jab I made peace with my decision and wanted to get vaccinated as quickly as possible. I spent a lot of time working out how I could have my two jabs as close together as possible and got it down from 12 weeks between doses to 8.

I had my first jab at 12 weeks and second at 21 weeks (last week). I have had a localised reaction at the injection site both times (small amount of inflammation, redness, itchiness and a small raised area around the injection site - I have similar reactions to bug bites). Even with that reaction at site, I’m still relieved that I’ve had the vaccine and for me, whilst it’s uncertain what the future brings, this is by far the least risky choice.

@InTheNightWeWillWish thank you! I will have a look at this. Midwife said it will be the Pfizer and there will be 6 weeks between doses so I will be double jabbed before full term.

Glad a lot of ones have also found the decision tough!

Third trimester covid is really scary. I'd get it done ASAP. If you're double jabbed by full term, it's likely baby will be born with some antibodies from you too.

Had my first at 29 weeks and second at 31 weeks and I’m now 37 weeks. Was a really tough decision but I’m so glad I did it especially with all of the evidence in relation to covid making pregnant people so I’ll.
There are no double jabbed pregnant people in hospital, mainly unvaccinated and a few with one jab.

Hope you manage to come to a decision you feel comfortable with x

Thank you! My mind is doing overtime, but I know I need to do what's best!

I wavered too OP but ended up having my first Pfizer dose at 24w (now coming up to 27w) and I felt a bit rough the day after, but fine since and baby has been happily wriggling and kicking away as normal the whole time

I watched the Stella Creasy video suggested by PP and ultimately decided that the known risk of COVID in the third trimester had to take precedence for me over the potential unknown risk of potential future side effects of the vaccine (although from what I've read, there aren't any biological explanations for how such side effects could come about anyway, as well as all of the encouraging data from the US).

It's a personal decision of course, do what you feel is best.

I had my first at 21 or so weeks and baby has been fine ever since. I’ve been scanned every 3 weeks with no reported problems.

I am consultant lead and she’s mentioned how important having the jab is at every single appointment even though I’ve already had it!

I think that's what makes it such a hard decision is that it's only us mothers that can decide. I'm thinking of going to the walk in clinic on Saturday for it, I will speak to my own gp tomorrow and that way I will have had 3 professional opinions. Wish Covid would just do one 😔

Good idea OP and great if you can get a jab sooner at a walk in centre.

I'm double jabbed and feel so much less worried about covid. Had the pfizer jab and just a slightly sore arm. Thought very carefully about it, but feel very confident in its safety - I'm a biologist who has worked in drug discovery research and with RNA for 20 years. If this was a new drug, ie a new chemical I'd be wary, but this is RNA vaccine and some ingredients with plenty of understanding of their safety. Your body will use the RNA to make protein and then your immune system will respond to it. And what is wonderful is that your baby will likely get some protective antibodies.

I was at the hospital earlier this week and the midwife told me she had hardly come across many vaccinated pregnant women and that they had currently so many women sick with covid at the moment. She said it eas very different to the earlier waves.
So i feel very glad i have had it, and even not seriously ill with it, it would be rubbish to have around birth or have long covid and a new born.

I wish you all the best with your pregnancy and think you are doing the right thing seriously considering having it and reaching out and talking to people.

@Katy4321 this is great information and very reassuring information. As it will be the Pfizer I have decided to attend the walk in clinic tomorrow for my first jab, I am still so nervous and anxious "just incase". But I am hoping all will be safe and I won't have serious side effects and that baby will be ok also!

I'm 38 weeks and had my first jab last week after getting worried about the rising cases. Like you I was going to hold off until post birth but on balance felt it was better safe than sorry. As I'm sure you know, there is no evidence it can cause any issue to your pregnancy or your baby, but there is evidence Covid could cause complications if you catch it whilst pregnant, especially in the third trimester. I fully understand your dilemma - I had been struggling with it since April as most of my head was saying 'just get on with it' but there was a tiny bit of caution which held me back!

In terms of having it, I felt absolutely fine after. Just a slight headache and a dead arm the next day! I'm glad I've had it now. Good luck for tomorrow 👍

I waited until 14 weeks to get my first and wish I had gotten it sooner. The sooner you do it the sooner you’ll be fully vaccinated.

I’m 17 weeks and double vaccinated. Absolutely no side effects other than mildly achey arm.

I'm in the same boat @Fawn68, I'm 27 weeks and have been avoiding having it. I had 3 miscarriages before this so I'm so wary. I'm still torn! I have a midwife appointment next week so will chat to her about it. It's just so hard to know what to do for the best isn't it 😩 x

@lockdownbabyx almost same situation as me, I had 2 miscarriages before pregnant this time. But I do believe at this stage things should be ok in that sense. I have a call with my doctor this morning so I will let you know what she says also!

So I got my first vaccine this morning! 🤞🏼 everything will be ok.

@fawn68 hope you feel OK after, and just if anything a sore arm which is what everyone I know who had pfizer. Glad you felt comfortable enough to have it and i think about the lovely protective antibodies I'm sharing with my baby :)