Question about vaccines- not an anti-vaccination post at all

[noname83]

I gave my parents, DH, and my ILs a heads up that we'll want everyone to make sure their vaccines are up to date before the baby is born. I know pertussis is the main one (as part of Tdap) to look for, but are there any others I should specify I want them to have? I did some research from the CDC website, and aside from flu if it's winter and Tdap I didn't see anything specific. I just want to make sure I'm not missing anything.

I am planning on asking my MW at my next appointment, and will ask them to check with their doctors to make sure they're up to date on vaccines in general, but our families want some sort of list of specific vaccines beforehand to inquire with their doctors about.

Edited- I took out the part about physicals, I don't really care about that specifically.

[herbavein]

AFAIK, pertussis, and now measles, are the biggies. Plus flu for the winter.

[Widget123]

Asking family members to get physicals to check up on the status of their vaccines is not the kind of thing I would do, although I completely understand where you are coming from. If you are going to do this, TDAP, MMR, and the flu are the ones I would be most concerned about.

[billyhorrible]

Since we've got summer babies mine are all good since they all had to be vaccinated when my first was born and it's not flu season.

When he was born everyone got TDAP and the flu vaccine. Measles isn't as big of a concern since both our mothers work in health care and had to get MMRs and our siblings went to public schools which required the vaccine.


Something else I'm putting out there because it was a big concern of mine - Herpes. It can be fatal to infants. It's not an issue in my family, but both my inlaws have Herpes Simplex 1, so we had a rule that if they had any cold sores they couldn't so much as hold the baby. Not vaccine related, but definitely along the same lines.

[noname83]

Mar 2, 2015 14:52:56 GMT -5 Widget123 said:

Asking family members to get physicals to check up on the status of their vaccines is not the kind of thing I would do, although I completely understand where you are coming from. If you are going to do this, TDAP, MMR, and the flu are the ones I would be most concerned about.

I'll rephrase - it's not so much that I want them all to get physicals as much as make sure they're up to date on their vaccines. I don't care about the physical per se. However, if you take my mom who hasn't been to the doctor in years, I think she'll have to get a physical along with that. 

[noname83]

Mar 2, 2015 14:50:40 GMT -5 @demanda88 said:

Mar 2, 2015 14:45:13 GMT -5 herbavein said:

AFAIK, pertussis, and now measles, are the biggies. Plus flu for the winter.

I feel dumb..but what's AFAIK?

I think it means "as far as I know" but I also had to google :-)

[noname83]

@kej0004, I thought the exact same thing.... hence the googling :-)

[megd893]

Mar 2, 2015 15:04:18 GMT -5 billyhorrible said:

Since we've got summer babies mine are all good since they all had to be vaccinated when my first was born and it's not flu season.

When he was born everyone got TDAP and the flu vaccine. Measles isn't as big of a concern since both our mothers work in health care and had to get MMRs and our siblings went to public schools which required the vaccine.


Something else I'm putting out there because it was a big concern of mine - Herpes. It can be fatal to infants. It's not an issue in my family, but both my inlaws have Herpes Simplex 1, so we had a rule that if they had any cold sores they couldn't so much as hold the baby. Not vaccine related, but definitely along the same lines.

Lurking on here reading.  SO glad I did.  I had no idea about this.  My Dad and I both get cold sores.  Good to know. Wow.

[ThePalindromicOne]

Flu won't be in season when they are newborns but the season starts in September and as far my interpretation of the CDC vaccination schedule, they don't recommend flu vaccine in infants until 6 months, so you'll likely need them all to do flu when the season rolls around so I would prepare them for that.

Does anyone know if pediatricians do flu shots earlier than 6 months? I'd really hate to send my kiddo to daycare in September unvaccinated where they unfortunately don't have a vaccination policy for the kids and staff

[herbavein]

Mar 2, 2015 14:50:40 GMT -5 @demanda88 said:

Mar 2, 2015 14:45:13 GMT -5 herbavein said:

AFAIK, pertussis, and now measles, are the biggies. Plus flu for the winter.

I feel dumb..but what's AFAIK?

Sorry - acronym for "as far as I know" - not some terrible disease

[dmoney]

Mar 2, 2015 15:05:25 GMT -5 @demanda88 said:

Mar 2, 2015 15:04:18 GMT -5 billyhorrible said:

Since we've got summer babies mine are all good since they all had to be vaccinated when my first was born and it's not flu season.

When he was born everyone got TDAP and the flu vaccine. Measles isn't as big of a concern since both our mothers work in health care and had to get MMRs and our siblings went to public schools which required the vaccine.


Something else I'm putting out there because it was a big concern of mine - Herpes. It can be fatal to infants. It's not an issue in my family, but both my inlaws have Herpes Simplex 1, so we had a rule that if they had any cold sores they couldn't so much as hold the baby. Not vaccine related, but definitely along the same lines.

That's a really, really good point. My IL's and my husband all have cold sores- this is definitely something that I need to remember.

I dont think that there is a vaccine for Herpes Simplex 1...but I have it, have my whole life...I wouldnt limit them holding the baby if they have a cold sore but I would say dont kiss the baby and wash your hands before you hold him/her.   My mom, brother, husband and I all get them...No one would be able to hold the baby which is when most of us break out.  But thats just me.

[maplebaby]

My family doc checked the whole family for Measles titers. I had 2 doses of the vaccine and I am immune, same with my DS who is 12.  Both of my parents had measles as kids (both born in 1949) and came back immune. 

DH only had one does of the vaccine as a kid (one does was the norm for people born before 1989), and he came back NOT immune, so he got the MMR booster. 

[tiffbot]

Mar 2, 2015 17:10:51 GMT -5 ThePalindromicOne said:

Does anyone know if pediatricians do flu shots earlier than 6 months? I'd really hate to send my kiddo to daycare in September unvaccinated where they unfortunately don't have a vaccination policy for the kids and staff

DS was born in July and I couldn't get him vaccinated for the flu until Jan and Feb. I'm in Canada so I have no idea if the doses are different, but they said with the first flu vaccination ever you need to get 2 shots so that's why he had one in each month.