Talk to me about flu shots

PandPMeant2B · December 2013

I've never gotten one. Every person I know who got one last year ended up getting sick and out of work for 2-3 days. Every. Single. Person. The doctor I met with last week (I haven't picked an OB yet because I just moved here and the practice everyone recommended requires that you meet with all the doctors at least once, so I will meet them all during my first five appointments and then choose) said it's highly recommended for pregnant women. He said it's a personal decision, but he was starting to get a little pushy, which I didn't like. I'm not anti-vaccines/modern medicine, but I'm not the type of person to pop a pill every time something hurts; it's usually a last resort for me. If I wasn't pregnant I wouldn't think twice about not getting one, but the thought of definitely ending up in the hospital and risking death if I do get the flu (doc's words, not mine) got me to think twice.

I know this is a personal decision, so I'm not asking you to tell me what to do, but I'd love to hear everyone's thoughts. TIA!

ETA: DH is against it, but will support whatever decision I make. I work for a healthcare company and have heard some pretty interesting reasons not to get one, but being pregnant might be a game-changer.

Whippet8 · December 2013

I saw it as protecting myself from getting the flu and also protecting my baby. I've never gotten sick from it, so I wasn't worried. Plus, my doctor seemed concerned enough that I should get it.

alexisanna44 · December 2013

I figured it's the least I can do for the baby. A newborn can't get the flu shot until they're at least 6 months old. Any immunity has to be passed from you. That's why I choose to get the flu shot while pregnant.

sushilover0214 · December 2013

I never got the flu shot before but did receive it this year. Our immune systems go down significantly and we are at a much higher risk with the flu because of the associated fever. That's the scary part. I did get a cold but not the flu. The cold sucked and I kept on checking my temp because I was so scared. Luckily no fever. I can't imagine how I would feel with the flu!

greenbeanqueen · December 2013

I know a lot of people swear that they got sick from the flu shot, but the flu shot comes from a dead virus, so there is no way to get the flu from the flu shot. Most of the time, people who get sick after having a flu shot were going to get sick anyways, they probably were already carrying the sickness, but it had not manifested yet. That being said, I got my flu shot, and generally get it each year. I have never gotten sick from it, and have never gotten the flu. DH got the flu shot this year, and did not get sick from it but has never gotten it before and has never gotten the flu. The big risk for me was knowing that my baby is being born in the middle of flu season and wouldn't be protected unless I got the flu shot before she is born.

sparklingdiamond · December 2013

I get the flu shot every year and have had no issues with it. So I got one again this year especially since I am pregnant. I probably would've gotten one even if I hadn't gotten them in the past because I want to protect my baby. DH was one who always swears the flu shot made him sick. He even got one this year and was just fine from it.

fallbrideoct05 · December 2013

@greenbeanqueen is correct.... I think I just fell in love with you. I get very annoyed when people say ' I got the flu from the flu shot... Never again'. Umm no you didn't. It's a personal decision to get one or not get one. I work in a hospital so am required to get one each year - pregnant or not. I Never had a flu shot before becoming a nurse but have never had more than a sore arm at the injection site.

monkey1018 · December 2013

I didn't want to get it because I ALWAYS get sick. Well my dr. told me that it is more protection for the baby than me. I got it and was sick for 2 days but not as bad as if I had gotten the flu.

waterfall213 · December 2013

I had never gotten the flu shot before getting pregnant, but I did get one while pregnant. Having a fever while pregnant can be deadly for the baby, that was all I needed to hear.

LittleLady77 · December 2013

I had never got the flu shot before being pregnant and like you was very hesitant. I did a ton of research on it and ultimately decided it was best to get one this year. The big thing that finally swayed my choice was talking to my aunt, a nurse. She basically told me story after story about pregnant women dying or losing their babies from the flu. With a weakened immune system it happens. I got the shot and was talking to another mom I know about it, she told me she had a miscarriage right after a bad flu.

wiggyslilsis · December 2013

There are many risks that come with getting the flu while pregnant.

A friend of mine was not able to meet her daughter after birth because she was sick with the flu. I believe it was the reason she had to have her at 35 weeks. She got terribly dehydrated from vomiting and diarrhea all day and her body and the baby went into distress.

Even before my friend had this happen, I got the flu shot for the protection after birth for my daughter and because I was pregnant during flu season. Now DD and I get it every year because I want to keep her safe and because I can't take care of her if I am sick with the flu.

smbenevides1989 · December 2013

When I was pregnant, my doctor pressured me into getting the flu, and for my personal reasons I did not get one. I have never gotten one before, and decided I did not want one during my pregnancy. I did get a cold at one point, but never gotten the flu. Lexi was born in January. I was also pregnant with her during the Swine Flu epidemic.

I was working as a bank teller at that time and a customer had come up to my window. I asked him how was he feeling, because I could see he looked frail. Come to find out, he had just come home from the hospital the day before because of the H1N1. Needless to say, I disinfected my desk and work area, along with the money just to make sure.

PandPMeant2B · December 2013

Thanks for your insight, ladies. You all make good points and I am leaning towards getting the vaccine. Unfortunately, the internet is full of articles that can support either side of the argument, so it's hard to know who to believe. Some say it's perfectly safe and will protect the baby, while others say the vaccine is full of chemicals that the CDC warns pregnant women to stay away from and can cause more harm to the baby. There's no denying getting the flu during pregnancy is dangerous, but the shot is only 62% effective this year and only protects against three strains of the flu.

I feel like this is the first of many "big decisions" I have to make that will affect my LO and I'm trying to make the most educated one I can. It feels like there are risks either way, so I just have to weigh them. Thanks again for your insight and opinions!

LuckyAngel07 · December 2013

I get the flu shot every year now that I'm working in the city and take public transportation every day. You never know who's walking around with the virus without symptoms yet, or who's sick and trying to go to work anyway (morons!)

The one year since working at my job that I didn't get the flu shot (they administer it here, and I was away the day they gave it and didn't get myself over to a pharmacy to get one instead), I had cold after cold after cold (no flu, though, thank god!). The years I have gotten the flu shot, I haven't been sick AT ALL. Seriously, not really even a cold. The reason being that the killed flu virus basically helps "alert" your immune system and gets it working harder. Your immune system is better primed to not only fight off any flu virus you encounter, but I've found it helps me fight off other cold viruses since it's been primed.

I've never once gotten sick after getting the flu shot. And if you do get sick, you were already going to get sick. The shot is a killed version of the virus; it is literally incapable of infecting you with the flu. The nasal immunization, though, is a live attenuated version of the virus, which is NOT allowed for pregnant women or those with otherwise compromised immune systems.

ljraff29 · December 2013

I'd never had a flu shot before this year. When I saw my doctor back in October, I talked about TTC. He highly suggested it and I know it's better for me and the baby to be protected from it. I didn't want to risk it when something so simple can help protect from it. Had I not been hoping to get pregnant, I probably wouldn't have gotten one. Now that I am though, I'm glad my doctor pressed me a little bit to get the flu shot when I did. For the record, I'm an asthmatic and didn't get sick from the flu shot, not even a cold.

It is a personal decision though, so make sure you're comfortable with your choice.

KatieKim0815 · December 2013

It CAN give some people flu like symptoms for a few days until it takes effect. My MIL is going through that now. DH and I had the shot a month ago and had mild symptoms for two days. Not only am I pregnnt and the doc suggested it but I have an auto immune disease (and the drugs I am on for it compromise my immune system further) so my doctor said it's a must. No regrets

I will also say that a year ago this week our whole family got the flu. I was in the hospital giving birth and DH started to feel ill and he had a bad flu for two weeks and the whole family got it. REALLY hindered the help we had post partum. We both said we never wanted to do that again. LOL.

JLyn821 · December 2013

Prior to this year and being pg, I'd never received a flu shot and wasn't ever concerned with getting one. My OB recommended it for the same reasons PPs have said. It's a way to protect the baby once they're born. That was all I needed to hear. The only effects I got from it was a couple days of the sniffles.

Uptowngirl2009 · December 2013

I always get the flu shot. My mom is a nurse so I always got it. Well, I have only ever had the flu I think once in my life. This year I got a reaction and I was sick for about a week but since then I've been feeling great! Oh, I did get the swine flu a few years ago too...that really sucked.

amccul20 · December 2013

I plan on going and getting the flu shot I just haven't done it yet. Did you girls that got the shot ask your H to get one too?

LittleLady77 · December 2013

amccul20 said:

I plan on going and getting the flu shot I just haven't done it yet. Did you girls that got the shot ask your H to get one too?

Forced (not asked).

amccul20 · December 2013

LittleLady77 said:

amccul20 said:

I plan on going and getting the flu shot I just haven't done it yet. Did you girls that got the shot ask your H to get one too?

Forced (not asked).

gotcha! I think I'll do the same with my H

theteno · December 2013

At first the pharmacy told me they couldn't give me one if I was going to become pg in the next 3 months. Then my OB, who is new to me, asked me to have one and I was worried so I said no. Then my allergist, who i've seen for years, told me i really needed to have one because if i got the flu i could miscarry. he had a flu shot that was "preservative free" which is safer. he said the pharmacies have run out of that one by now which is why they probably didn't want to give me the other one. This was my first flu shot ever, too. I normally don't get one. But I was lucky (knock on wood) and have had no symptoms except a little red spot on my arm for 2 days. Now I'm happy I got it.

sushilover0214 · December 2013

My DH has gotten it plus the immediate people that will be around my babies when they're born. I've been lucky that they have been so understanding.

Talk to me about flu shots

Re: Talk to me about flu shots

Choose Another Board

Search Boards