Being Requested to Get Whooping Cough Vaccine to Hold Infant

[eeyoreandtink]

I'm not anti vaccine, not even close but I'd be turned off by the post. It sounds like some passive aggressive (or maybe just outright aggressive) family squabbling and I'd just want to avoid it all.
The parents obviously get to decide the rules for who holds their baby. It just sounds like there is some using fb to publicize family drama and I personally try to avoid that at all cost.
I'm not a baby person though. I probably wouldn't want to hold the baby anyways.
Also, i don't like people dictating what I should do so that would turn me off. It's one thing to discuss it with people who you are close to and would be visiting a newborn but it make an announcement on fb like it's some type of royal proclamation? Yeah no thanks.
Are they going to be checking your records at the door? All I can think of is the dog groomer and having your pets vaccination records on file

I was under the impression that the new mom didn't know MIL didn't vaccinate until after she made the post. I don't see how it could be to attract drama if she didn't know? I wouldn't have a problem with being asked. I got the shot when my nephew was born. Turns out he had respiratory issues at birth and was higher risk so it s a good thing we all did. My sister didn't "check records" but she did ask people if they had the vaccine when the came to visit, and asked that they didn't hold the baby if they didn't have it until he was 3 months or so old and his 8 week shots had time to kick in. I think that is reasonable.

 

[sunshinehighway]

I was under the impression that the new mom didn't know MIL didn't vaccinate until after she made the post. I don't see how it could be to attract drama if she didn't know? I wouldn't have a problem with being asked. I got the shot when my nephew was born. Turns out he had respiratory issues at birth and was higher risk so it s a good thing we all did. My sister didn't "check records" but she did ask people if they had the vaccine when the came to visit, and asked that they didn't hold the baby if they didn't have it until he was 3 months or so old and his 8 week shots had time to kick in. I think that is reasonable.

I thought it was the op who didn't know the dil was an anti vaccine person, not the baby''s mother.
I never said it was an unreasonable request. I don't think it is. I just would be turned off by the way she requested in a fb post.

 

[PollyannaMom]

Reasonable to ask, though I also wouldn't look down on someone who declined and just chose not to hold the baby.

I've had the vaccine, so I'd be good. There's a pretty widespread campaign for it here.

 

[eeyoreandtink]

I thought it was the op who didn't know the dil was an anti vaccine person, not the baby''s mother.
I never said it was an unreasonable request. I don't think it is. I just would be turned off by the way she requested in a fb post.

The person making the OP is the great grandmother of the baby, grandmother to the baby's father.
the DIL in the OP is father's mother, who didn't vaccinate her own children, apparently with the exception of the baby's father. It seems to me that the baby's mother didn't know this until she made the FB post. I don't think a FB post about it is inappropriate. In this day and age, its probably the best way to get the word out to everyone.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

The person making the OP is the great grandmother of the baby, grandmother to the baby's father.
the DIL in the OP is father's mother, who didn't vaccinate her own children, apparently with the exception of the baby's father. It seems to me that the baby's mother didn't know this until she made the FB post. I don't think a FB post about it is inappropriate. In this day and age, its probably the best way to get the word out to everyone.

I think the DIL is the father's step mother and she didn't vaccinate her own children. The OP's step grandchildren. The OP didn't know her DIL didn't vaccinate her teenage DD's.

I don't have FB so I felt this strongly about something I would text everyone. Even in a group text but I wouldn't think social media is the way to go. Because for ME if you are coming to visit me and my baby I speak to you regularly and have your number.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I would say it is a reasonable request. Comply or wait, your choice.

Guess what was going around my dd's college this semester? MUMPS

Whooping cough was going around many times in older dd's schools, primary through college at different points.

I keep current with my vaccines. Not a big deal. In fact it makes good sense to do it.

 

[Allison]

the DIL in the OP is father's mother, who didn't vaccinate her own children, apparently with the exception of the baby's father.

No

I think the DIL is the father's step mother and she didn't vaccinate her own children.

Yes

 

[VandVsmama]

Our grandson and his wife are expecting their first child in September, this will be our first great-grandchild. His wife has posted on Facebook that she wants everyone who plans to hold the baby to get a whooping cough vaccine.

What would you think if this was requested of you?

I plan to discuss it with my doctor at my next diabetic checkup in June, but just wondered what others here thought.

My daughter-in-law is refusing to do it, and really went off on our grandson's wife on Facebook for even making the request. It was through that post that I found out my daughter-in-law is 100% against vaccinations, and did not have her daughters (18 and 15) vaccinated at all. That is a whole other discussion though. But she did bring up the fact that our grandson's wife is still smoking, while pregnant. To me, if she was all that concerned about her baby's health she would have quit smoking when they first started trying to get pregnant.

If this was requested of me?

I'd respect the baby's parents and go get a whooping cough vaccine. Actually, I'd probably consult with my doctor first and check to confirm whether or not I need a whooping cough booster shot. And if I did need a booster shot, then you bet your bottom dollar I would go and get that vaccine.

If you want to be around the baby then it's something you will have to do. Otherwise, you don't see the baby. You won't get to even be in the same room as the baby. The child's parents get to make the decisions on this one...not the baby's anti-vaccine grandmother.

 

[WDWBarb]

If it happened in the middle of the night, how do you know it was a vaccine reaction and not a reaction to something else she might have come into contact with that day? My child has had similar nighttime episodes in reaction to environmental allergens, some of which we never identified. Thankfully she never actually stopped breathing, but it was nonetheless scary and in no way linked to vaccines. They happened in her school aged years between vaccine cycles.

There is some indication that it make be linked to a family history of unidentified autoimmune problems. My MIL has had multiple autoimmune problems that they cannot pin down to a single disease or syndrome, but started with similar random allergic episodes. It sounds very similar to what you guys are dealing with.

She had received the vaccine earlier that day. I didn't decide it was a reaction to the vaccine, the ER doctors and her pediatrician did. They didn't continue with the Pertussis vaccine but did continue all others. And as far as her auto-immune response to actually getting Pertussis at 13 and then immediately suffering from an auto-immune disease, this also came from the doctors (she has many). First it was one AI disease and then others manifested. They say her serious illness (Pertussis) caused her body to start this crazy auto-immune response.

The entire point of my post was that Pertussis is VERY serious and everyone should be vaccinated. I would ask today, if I had a newborn and with ALL the cases that exist in my community, that anyone coming in contact with my un-vaccinated newborn be vaccinated themselves. I took it myself last year.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I will have to add that my older dd is not vaccinated for Pertussis too. She had a reaction as a baby to the first set of shots. She was born gravely ill and then had a congenital heart defect on top of that.

So, there are legit reasons why someone may not be able to get the shot. She is up to date with her other shots and even has hepatitis and typhoid vacs. as an added bonus.

 

[Katie Dawn]

Anyone who is around children under the age of 2 should stay up-to-date on their pertussis vaccine. If you've had a tetanus shot in the last 10 years you most likely got the pertussis at the same time. The problem is almost all adults have had pertussis at some point - for us it just seems like a bad cold. As you can see from the video it is a whole different story for itty bittys. My uncle died as a young child from whooping cough.

Announcing it on Facebook isn't the best eay to go about it, but the request itself is a good one.

 

[mom2rtk]

I will have to add that my older dd is not vaccinated for Pertussis too. She had a reaction as a baby to the first set of shots. She was born gravely ill and then had a congenital heart defect on top of that.

So, there are legit reasons why someone may not be able to get the shot. She is up to date with her other shots and even has hepatitis and typhoid vacs. as an added bonus.

Kids like this are the reason everyone else should be vaccinated. Herd immunity should be protecting people like her, not the anti-vax people who just take advantage of the benefits of everyone else doing their due diligence and vaccinating their kids.

 

[sasywtch]

When one of my grandchildren was born, I had a doctor's appointment and was telling the dr and nurse about my new grandchild. When the doctor was done, the nurse came in and asked me if I wanted a whooping cough shot. I said no. The nurse said, wouldn't you feel terrible if the new grandchild got whooping cough? Out went the arm, in went the needle : )

 

[mummabear]

I would consider it and talk to my dr- but about the other thing- it is TOTALLY DISGUSTING that she would smoke during pregnancy potentially injuring that child for life!! I personally think anyone that smokes during pregnancy should be brought up on some type of charges!

I think it is TOTALLY DISGUSTING for anyone to smoke.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Kids like this are the reason everyone else should be vaccinated. Herd immunity should be protecting people like her, not the anti-vax people who just take advantage of the benefits of everyone else doing their due diligence and vaccinating their kids.

Thanks.

I asked if she should get it, esp. when she was older. No doctor wanted to accept the risk of giving her the shot, even when it was going around her dorm.

When we lived in Texas, I had to get a note from her doctor to prove to the school she was unable to get the Pertussis vaccine.

 

[MIGrandma]

In response to those who think the mother-to-be was wrong to ask on Facebook for people to get their whooping cough vaccination, I really see no problem with doing it that way. Both she and her husband (our grandson) have two sets of parents as both of their parents are divorced and remarried. They have siblings, step-siblings, various aunts and uncles and cousins, grandparents, step-grandparents, friends, etc. etc. etc.

Are they supposed to personally contact each and every person to ask them to get their vaccination if they want to hold the baby?

I think doing it on Facebook was perfectly fine. Now for the step-mother-in-law to go off on the mother-to-be about not getting the vaccination (she is the one who did not vaccinate her own daughters) and smoking while pregnant, THAT shouldn't have happened. That drama should have been kept personal. But to just ask people to vaccinate, I don't see any problem in doing it on Facebook.

 

[Bianca and Bernard]

Kids like this are the reason everyone else should be vaccinated. Herd immunity should be protecting people like her, not the anti-vax people who just take advantage of the benefits of everyone else doing their due diligence and vaccinating their kids.

LOL, I just had this image of pertussis going around..
"Hey, Bob, don't infect Lydia. She's got a low immune system because of a transplant. Go over there to Frank, and jump on in. His mom was a crazy anti-vaxxer."


Y'all hear there is a measles outbreak in Minnesota? Unvaccinated refuges. 46 out of the 48 known cases are children under 10.
In 2014, 2 years olds were at a 90% vaccination rate there. With the refuges, it's 40%.

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/wh...-nearly-30-years/ar-BBAWDFG?OCID=ansmsnnews11

 

[mi*vida*loca]

In response to those who think the mother-to-be was wrong to ask on Facebook for people to get their whooping cough vaccination, I really see no problem with doing it that way. Both she and her husband (our grandson) have two sets of parents as both of their parents are divorced and remarried. They have siblings, step-siblings, various aunts and uncles and cousins, grandparents, step-grandparents, friends, etc. etc. etc.

Are they supposed to personally contact each and every person to ask them to get their vaccination if they want to hold the baby?

I think doing it on Facebook was perfectly fine. Now for the step-mother-in-law to go off on the mother-to-be about not getting the vaccination (she is the one who did not vaccinate her own daughters) and smoking while pregnant, THAT shouldn't have happened. That drama should have been kept personal. But to just ask people to vaccinate, I don't see any problem in doing it on Facebook.

For me yes just because I don't want a bunch of people coming over. lol I feel like doing it on FB is an open invitation to everyone on my friends list to come visit. I would probably send a group text with 10-15 people (yes a group text but still not 100+ FB friends) and leave it at that. I personally don't like tons of people visiting me on a regular basis let alone after I've given birth.

I do agree that SMIL should've contacted DIL separately about all the extras.

 

[Disney Doll]

I'd stay out of the fight between the mother in law and daughter in law.

Smart to speak to your MD. If it doesn't cause an issue for your own health I'd probably do it. Can't be too careful with a newborn.

 

[tvguy]

Her child, perfectly within her right.
From a practical standpoint, given that the Whooping Cough vaccine has pretty much been required for 70 years, someone would have to make an effort (or their parents did) not to get it.
My wife is always horrified when co-workers come in with their new born's and pass them around among all the sniffling, coughing, congested co-workers. She won't hold someone's baby if she is sick, and she always washes her hands beforehand.