Feel pressured to get Covid vaccine... 13 weeks

[gonewithtthewind]

So I'm 13 weeks 1 day. I've had two covid jabs before I was pregnant, I am NOT an anti vaxx person at all. I've had nearly every vaccine offered to me. I will be having my whooping cough vaccine at 16 weeks.

I was offered my booster covid jab at 12 weeks but refused as I just feel a bit uneasy getting the covid jab while pregnant, I know how silly that may sound but it just scares me. I was fine with my first covid jab but very I'll with my second jab which is why I never got the booster in the end. Ever since I feel like I've been pressured by the midwife to get the booster jab, despite me refusing. I've just said I would think about it. I don't really know what to do? Pros/cons? Did you have it when pregnant?

I don't want to be bashed for not getting the booster, I do believe covid is still around. I wear a mask everywhere I go and have done since the beginning. I just hate the pressure and hate feeling like I'm putting my baby at risk because that's absolutely not what I want but at the same time I'm scared of the risk of the covid jab while pregnant and what affect that will have on my baby. I will get the booster once I've given birth if I decide against it when pregnant; I just feel so unsure.

Why did you only have the first two vaccines this year?

If you don't want the vaccination then don't feel pressured to.
Remember NO is a full sentence.
I was strongly recommended to get the covid vaccinations by my midwife because of omicron and I declined (I happily had whooping cough and flu jabs and DD (4months old) has had all her childhood vaccinations to date) - I was happy to take my chances.

I've either not had covid or have been asymptomatic since the start of the pandemic. I haven't had any of the covid vaccinations and tested 3 times a week until DD was born .

I had agoraphobia so didn't leave the house, I didn't for about 2 years. Covid made me worse but I managed to get myself out of it late last year so only got round to it this year when I was feeling less anxious and more up to it. (I've always been anxious about getting it) so as much as I wanted to get it last year I just wasn't able to

I think this is what I'll do. I might just get it after my 20 weeks scan, I think I'll feel less anxious knowing I'm further along

I had both covid jabs during pregnancy and the booster about 4 weeks after giving birth while breastfeeding. Everything was fine - no side effects, no problems. Baby is absolutely perfect. Just to reassure you if you do want to go for it!

I'm very much pro choice with all things pregnancy related as whatever the issue (vaccines/tests/scans/ etc) ultimately you have to live with the consequences good or bad.

For what it's worth (which is not much!) I had all the covid vaccines during either IVF treatment or my pregnancy and my daughter doesn't have any issues. I did a huge amount of research though and was terrified of my baby getting covid (but not worried about myself getting it) so wanted her to have as much protection as possible and as she can't have the jab the only way I could give her anything was to have the jabs myself.

I lost my baby at 14.5 weeks due to me getting a bad flu in 2017. I would urge everyone to take every vaccine they can, including covid. It is safe to get the vaccine and far better than getting a bout of bad covid (in our house we had 2 Mild, one medium and one bad with symptoms, it is hit and miss) I won't go into detail right now about my loss but it was traumatic and I will carry that night with me forever. Please get the vaccine.

I'm so so sorry for your loss. I think I'm going to get the jab at my 20 week scan, I know that may be a little later but I feel like I'll be less anxious as I'm further along. I dunno!

I had my second jab at 7 weeks pregnant and my booster at 28 weeks pregnant. In the end I gave birth with covid and didn't have any symptoms. Obviously I can't say it was because of the jab but I can't say it wasn't having the jab.

The vaccine is for the original variant. Not any of the current ones. Just say no.
It's not antivax.

I had mine as soon as they changed advice for pregnant women when I was 13 weeks, second jab at 21 weeks. Booster 8 weeks postnatally when breastfeeding. Now have a perfectly healthy 9 month old.

We finally all got covid in March this year and it was not great but not awful. I felt better that baby hopefully had some antibodies. She actually had it milder than us adults. Recent strain seems anecdotally a bit worse than the one we had.

That said you have had quite recent jabs, I would check with midwife she isn't assuming that you are due a booster?

As above are you sure you're even due another yet? Wasn't it 6 months between 2nd and booster? It's obviously entirely your choice but if you don't want it you'll need to be more firm rather than say you'll think about it.

I had my booster when pregnant at about 16 weeks I think, absolutely no side effects. I ended up getting covid at 28 weeks and had a pretty rough time with it, so much so that I needed a CT scan to check for blood clots. It took me a month to recover, I dread to think what would have happened without the booster.

I've had Pfizer all three times with no side effects. I haven't read about pregnant women experiencing problems with their babies after boosters, but I have read about unvaccinated women and babies facing significant issues when they catch covid (not sure if they were fully unvaccinated). My consultant explained that my baby's immune system would also benefit from the booster.

I would have been so happy to
have been offered another booster later in pregnancy as it’s an opportunity to pass some antibodies onto your baby (like with the whooping cough vaccine). I had my booster at 8 weeks pregnant and all was fine but it was too early for her to benefit.

I had my jabs in Jan last year and March, then the booster at the start of December 2022 and got pregnant 2 weeks later.

36 weeks now and baby is fine and healthy

I've also had covid twice, once when I was 14 weeks pregnant and once at 31 weeks, both times it was milder than a cold for me which I'm putting down to the vaccines, as I usually catch everything going in pregnancy!

I think it's a good idea for you to get it after your 20 week scan if that eases your mind a bit. The booster is usually a different vaccine than your initial jabs to give broader protection so I wouldn't expect you to be as ill after it!

*december 21 not 22

Hi OP. I'm currently 34 weeks and I luckily had all my vaccines before I was pregnant, however I absolutely would not have had any during pregnancy and can understand your concern.

Just to say I have had all vaccines and boosters and I caught covid while 23 weeks pregnant and I was really poorly so I'm not sure how effective they really are anyway.

I have covid now, I feel absolutely hideous. I caught it from dh, who caught it at work. He’s been ill for 6 days and feels as though he’s getting worse. I’ve just spent the night sitting up as my chest was too bad to lay down. You never know how your body will react to covid. We are early 40s with no health conditions. We had delta from the kids’ school in 2021, it was really bad for us. I was wiped out for 2 weeks. I’ve had 3 jabs and had bad reactions to all of them. Like temp and unable to move for 24h.

I would get the jab - pregnancy is suppressing your immune system. Your second jab must have been ages ago(?)

It’s really not ok for your midwife to hassle you about this. Don’t feel pressured by her. I’m pregnant and unvaccinated, when my midwife asked me she just said it is recommended and to check the RCOG website for more information. You can also request a different midwife if you find her difficult, it’s best for your care that it’s someone who builds a good relationship with you.

I had my booster at 10 weeks. Side effects were much less compared with my 2nd dose. Baby is 6 weeks old and absolutely perfect.

A friend had her baby af 24 weeks due to COVID. You cannot underestimate the impact that will have on both their lived. If you catch COVID during pregnancy the risk of premature labour is 11%. Although I do not know the statistics for vaccinated vs. unvaccinated I would urge you to trust the medical advice on this one.

Is there a reason why you feel differently about covid
vacc than the whooping cough one? It is a midwifes job to recommend evidence based medicine and the evidence and rcog are in favour of this one. Obviously if you are adamant that is your decision and that should be respected.

I would get the vaccine then personally.

But your midwife shouldn't be pressuring you. Asking you each time if you've thought about it fine, but pressuring isn't good.

If you had your first and second jabs in April and May this year I'd imagine you're still pretty well covered. Your plan of getting the booster after your 20-week scan sounds like a good one.

Congratulations on your pregnancy and I hope you're getting some support with your agoraphobia

I too had 2 vaccines before becoming pregnant and declined the booster when pregnant but nobody ever tried to pressure me (well my dad did but no health professionals did!). So if you aren't comfortable with having the booster then it's entirely up to you