Thoughts on flu shot?

chickybuns

I actually hadn't though about this until Miles's appointment today. She asked if I wanted to give it to him and I am unsure. I haven't done much research. Generally I'm kind of against those shots, I never get them. Just wanting other mommma's thoughts and opinions.

RBXChas

Granted I come from a family with three doctors, two of whom are pediatricians, but I always get it, and my kids always do. To me, especially for the little ones who are more likely to end up hospitalized (or worse) than healthy adults due to the flu, the benefits far outweigh the risks. Yes, it won't necessarily protect you against all strains of the flu, nor does it protect against the stomach bug (aka the "stomach flu" which is not really the flu). A lot of people I know will say, I only got the flu shot once, and I got sick afterwards. It's important to note that it starts being effective two or three weeks past the shot, so it's still possible to get the flu strain you just got vaccinated for. It's highly unlikely that the shot itself will make you sick. The shot is also not an excuse to stop taking other precautions against getting sick.

Like I said, I've gotten the shot for years but haven't had the flu since, well, I can't remember. My husband neglected to get it last year and got the flu. He was knocked out for a solid week! Both our son and I thankfully did not get it, and I'm not sure whether or not to attribute that to the shot. Once my husband got better he got the shot. It could all be pure luck, though.

Frankly I know my father, brother, and BIL (the doctors) would not intentionally put us in harm's way and want us to be as healthy as possible, and they have always recommended getting it.

That's just my two cents, and I don't judge those who choose not to get it.

blink1021

I used to be against the flu shot thought it was a waste of time and money. Then last year I went to my ob appt and the nurse and doctor talked to me about getting one while pregnant. I never thought of it and it said that the flu shot would protect the baby up until she was 6 months old. Since she was born in Dec and flu season just beginning I went ahead and did it for her benefit. It made me feel a little off for a few days but I never got sick on it. Flu shot cannot give anyone the flu but if you are exposed to the flu before the shot takes it full effect than your out of luck. The flu on babies can have terrifying results when Jordan goes to her next appointment I will be getting it for her. I would rather be safe. This is coming from the same person who has never had her older child get the flu vaccine and I had my first flu vaccine ever in my life last year, but I did not get the flu and would do it again. Was definitely worth a few days of discomfort. I would also have my older child done as well I just never really thought of it before.
I would talk to my doctor and get all the facts and the risks.

Pepper2185

We aren't getting flu shots.

I did get it when I was pregnant, Max was born in October and my doctor said it would be a good idea for him to have immunity via me when he was teeny tiny.

This year we are going au naturale, we tend to be a healthy bunch, so we'll see how it goes.

daytolive

Not a fan,but I wont go into why i'm not. I have never had a flu shot and I have never had the flu. Almost everyone I know whose children or family have had the flu shot, have had the flu. Coincidence? I don't know.

I'm kinda anti western medicine (in most cases),i'm all about natural preventative. I will never give my kids the flu shot. That's just my opinion, but you have to go with what your mama instincts tell you. They know best

redheadmommy

We never used to get the flu shot prior kids. I think a healthy adult should able to fight off the flu in case you get it. Albeit I never had the flu in my life.
However small kids especially babies immune systems are much weaker. My kids born in november and december, and I got the flu shot when I was pg with them, so they have the immunity for the first 6 months of their life.
My personal family rule is , if there is a kid under 2 yrs old in the family, everybody has to have the shot.

The flu mist is the best type of immunization, safest and most effective for kids between 2 and 7 yr old, so after age 2, the kids get the flue mist, and adult do not have to have the shot anymore.

I probably will stop with the flu mist once they turn 6 or 7.

Nobody ever had the flu in our family before we started to get immunize , and nobody got it after either. I got strep throat 2 yrs ago, but that is irrelevant as that is a bacterial infection. Plus it was pre flu season and I didn't get the shot yet that year.

cassie_623

I got my 7 month old the flu shot last week. He had no bad effects. Not even a fever like with his other immunizations. I pretty much had the "rather be safe than sorry" mindset.

MeepleMuppet

We get them now. I never thought about it until pregnancy and since I had other health issues, the docs wanted to do everything they could to maintain the pregnancy. Sounded like serious business so I relented. I'm usually good for the flu about once a season so I figured "why not?" it'll be a good test. I didn't get the flu that year. That following spring I gave birth to my daughter, 7 weeks early, and even though she was solidly out of the NICU and very healthy that fall, the docs at the hospital called to make sure we were all going to get the shots again. I figured they worked their tails off to keep momma and baby healthy, I wasn't going to question this one thing when we had already been through so much. It's been three years and no one in our family has gotten the flu. Like I said, flu was just a part of winter for me so this has actually been really nice.

Jenny_Rose77

I got mine and dragged my husband (who isn't opposed to the shot, just kind of lazy about getting it) to get his. Baby got the his first shot a few weeks ago, and he's getting the booster soon. I never got a flu shot before being pregnant, and can't say that I have any memories of having the flu ever in my life (in general *knocking vigorously on wood* I don't get sick all that often). However, my philosophy is better to be safe than sorry with anything related to my son.

FitMama2013

Our son (9 months) got his last Friday. To be honest, he's been sick ever since (runny nose/coughing), which could be a coincidence. However, I'll take a snotty nose any day over my baby having the flu...

RBXChas

Our son (9 months) got his last Friday. To be honest, he's been sick ever since (runny nose/coughing), which could be a coincidence. However, I'll take a snotty nose any day over my baby having the flu...

I was just reading an article the other day from Harvard, and now I can't find it It talks about how it's impossible to get the flu from the flu shot because it is not a live virus, and it explains further why it takes 2-3 weeks for your body to generate enough antibodies to fight off the flu. Any sickness in the interim (cold, flu, whatever) you'd have gotten anyway.

I'd take the worst cold twice over instead of the flu! My husband, who is not at all a big complainer when he's sick (which is rare), was absolutely miserable. He was out of the office for a week, and even after that he was still exhausted for a week or two. I was pregnant and had to care for our toddler 100% plus keep both of us away from him (which is hard to explain to a not yet 2yo). It was awful, and I wasn't even sick!

Hopefully your little guy will start feeling better soon so that you can get some sleep!

Riot_Summers

I know there are a lot of people out there who are against vaccines. This is just my personal opinion. I work in a school as a teacher and the assistant director. I teach Pre-K II's (kids who are about to graduate to kindergarten). Every year when the flu hits I see the younger ones get it and they are SO sick. I've seen kids hospitalized from it, and miss a couple weeks to recuperate. So IMO the flu shot is worth it. I get one every year and never get the flu, and my husband got one this year too to help protect our newborn daughter from getting it as she is too little to vaccinate just yet.

redheadmommy

I really want to take my baby to get a flu shot, but she has been sick with a cold for a long time. It started almost a month ago with a mild cold no biggie. I have been told not to get the shot while the baby has a cold, so I decided to wait. After a week , it became seriously coughing , and I took her to the dr and she had throat infection and the lung started to make noises. We got antibiotics , which cleared up thing after 10 days almost completely. Since it was not entirely over I decided to wait a few more days, and now the runny nose worsened again and the mucus is green.
She never been sick until she started daycare 2 months ago, but since then she constantly has something. She also weaned herself off from breastfeeding almost completely, now we are down to 1-2 feedings a day and I almost have to force her to accept it. Since she barely getting any immunity from my milk , and she is in daycare exposed to tons of aggressive germ. I am very anxious about this . I really need her to get vaccinated before she gets the flu from the daycare, but I can not because she constantly has a cold.
What should I do? Just take her to get the shot even if she is in the middle of the cold? Or just hope that there will be a colf free period before it is too late?

kcasey155

IMO if she hasn't got a temperature or a hacking cough I would go get the shot or if she's only got a runny nose and an occasional cough I'd go get the shot. Flu is soooo much worse than a cold.

Jenny_Rose77

I really want to take my baby to get a flu shot, but she has been sick with a cold for a long time. It started almost a month ago with a mild cold no biggie. I have been told not to get the shot while the baby has a cold, so I decided to wait. After a week , it became seriously coughing , and I took her to the dr and she had throat infection and the lung started to make noises. We got antibiotics , which cleared up thing after 10 days almost completely. Since it was not entirely over I decided to wait a few more days, and now the runny nose worsened again and the mucus is green.
She never been sick until she started daycare 2 months ago, but since then she constantly has something. She also weaned herself off from breastfeeding almost completely, now we are down to 1-2 feedings a day and I almost have to force her to accept it. Since she barely getting any immunity from my milk , and she is in daycare exposed to tons of aggressive germ. I am very anxious about this . I really need her to get vaccinated before she gets the flu from the daycare, but I can not because she constantly has a cold.
What should I do? Just take her to get the shot even if she is in the middle of the cold? Or just hope that there will be a colf free period before it is too late?

I would be freaking out too! Haha, but I am a total germaphobe. My husband was diagnosed with strep-throat & bronchitis this week, and I practically banished him. (Well, not really, but I made him wear a face mask and wash his hands every 5 minutes. And I wore a mask when I was near him.) Anyway, I would want him to get that shot especially if he was in daycare. I would ask the doctor about it, and if s/he felt it was fine, I would go for it. Like KCasey said, flu is so much worse than a cold.

RBXChas

At this time of year, I'd want my child to get the shot even if he had a cold or sinus infection. I think it's a big deal if they have something worse, but sometimes if you keep waiting, you'll never get a chance!