https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Tue, 07 Apr 2026 23:25:36 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/asking-friends-to-get-vaccinated-before-coming-to-see-the-baby/page/2#post-780050 Tue, 14 May 2013 09:16:21 +0000 ShootingStar 780050@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I talked to my OB office about this because LO will be born during during flu season. They told me that anyone who has a lot of contact with baby should get it, but for casual visitors it wasn't necessary. I was also concerned because my mom has a sensitivity to eggs and I'm not sure she's going to be able to get it, and she'll be coming to stay with us for a little while. The nurse said then to just have her wash her hands a lot and practice good hygiene around the baby, and of course not come near if she's sick.</p> <p>I will definitely not be asking friends to get either vaccine. I really like @TurtleDoves: suggestion to swaddle the baby and then replace the blanket after the person is done holding them. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/asking-friends-to-get-vaccinated-before-coming-to-see-the-baby/page/2#post-780021 Tue, 14 May 2013 09:06:32 +0000 JerricaBenton 780021@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It was flu season when LO was born. My parents and brother (and DH of course) all got Whooping cough vaccine and flu shot but I wouldn't have asked friends. I only had one close friend visit when she was very young though. I would rather just wait on visitors than ask friends to be vaccinated. Unless it's a sister-like best friend who will be around all the time - it's just too much to ask IMO. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/asking-friends-to-get-vaccinated-before-coming-to-see-the-baby/page/2#post-779720 Tue, 14 May 2013 07:18:13 +0000 petunia354 779720@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My LO was born 6 weeks early right in the middle of flu season and although the NICU nurses/doctors struck the fear of god in us about not bringing him out in public, they never suggested that we ask people to get vaccinated. My mom watches him everyday and we didn't ask her to get vaccinated. Should we have? Yeah, probably, but we would never ask friends to do it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/asking-friends-to-get-vaccinated-before-coming-to-see-the-baby/page/2#post-779657 Tue, 14 May 2013 06:11:11 +0000 evenstar982 779657@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Just a thought, as obviously things are different here in the UK, but here expecting mothers are offered the Whooping Cough vaccine at 28-38 weeks and this gives the baby immunity - at least until they are old enough to get the vaccine themselves which I think is at around 2 months old...<br /> Can you opt to get a vaccine yourself before LO arrives and pass on your immunity if you're worried? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/asking-friends-to-get-vaccinated-before-coming-to-see-the-baby/page/2#post-779654 Tue, 14 May 2013 06:04:08 +0000 Suzimo 779654@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>we have friends who asked everyone to get tdap as well as flu shot before seeing there baby. I had both of those recently so it wasn't a problem, but many friends didn't see their baby for a while bc of this and many thought it was a bit over the top. I think i would just ask my parents who will be around a lot. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/asking-friends-to-get-vaccinated-before-coming-to-see-the-baby/page/2#post-779640 Tue, 14 May 2013 05:06:27 +0000 Pink Champagne 779640@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It was not cold and flu seasons when LO was born (August). We did not ask anyone other than the grandparents to make sure their tdap shot was up to date. I think it's super extreme to make your friends do the same.<br /> But, I was that mom who handed her newborn around to whoever wanted to hold him, and didn't care if people had washed their hands or not. My kiddo got maybe one cold his first three months of life, but boo hoo, that's born to happen- cant keep them in a bubble. However, had he been born in the middle of winter I might have been more insistent. Flu germs are no joke, and there's much more of that icky stuff floating around in the middle of winter. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/asking-friends-to-get-vaccinated-before-coming-to-see-the-baby/page/2#post-779610 Tue, 14 May 2013 01:50:25 +0000 lemondrop 779610@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@brownie: Same- if anyone wanted to visit the baby early on, it was flu shot and TDAP or they had to wait 6-8 weeks. We had a January baby, so we were very careful with potential illness. </p> <p>My SIL had preemie twins the year before, so anyone that mattered had no problem with it since they had done it the year before too. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/asking-friends-to-get-vaccinated-before-coming-to-see-the-baby/page/2#post-779602 Tue, 14 May 2013 01:19:15 +0000 HLK208 779602@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We asked all family to get the tdap because I almost died from whooping cough as an infant and I didn't want to put my LO's at risk. I didn't ask friends though. Most of them didn't visit often until they were 3 months old and I wasn't AS worried. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/asking-friends-to-get-vaccinated-before-coming-to-see-the-baby/page/2#post-779575 Mon, 13 May 2013 23:44:32 +0000 LittleFox 779575@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I only had visits from vaccinated people during the first several weeks. I mentioned it to my friends and most were already up to date anyway. Our baby was born in the winter, in a bad flu season, and there have been some whooping couvh cases here, so we were careful. I also know someone whose baby caught it from an adult who was not yet showing signs while at a family function, which made me want to be extra cautious after hearing how rough that was. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/asking-friends-to-get-vaccinated-before-coming-to-see-the-baby#post-779542 Mon, 13 May 2013 22:42:53 +0000 brownie 779542@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I did and my friends did. It's a 6 week wait if they don't get it before they can see the baby. But then again no one was invited to come for the first 4 weeks while we got settled. My mom came at 4 weeks and yes we made her get the vaccination. All of my friends had been vaccinated for thier kids so that wasn't an issue.</p> <p>My friend whose baby was born 9 months before mine did make everyone get vaccinated or not see the baby. I hate shots and chose not to get vaccinated. I didn't see the baby for 6 weeks and at that time, it was still a baby. I'm sorry but whooping cough is a big deal. Many adults don't even know they have it but it can kill a new born. If my friends don't want to be friends with me for that then I would need to reconsider our friendship anyway. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/asking-friends-to-get-vaccinated-before-coming-to-see-the-baby#post-779521 Mon, 13 May 2013 22:24:51 +0000 Weagle 779521@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm in the over the top camp as well. Family is one thing, friends that won't be around constantly is another. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/asking-friends-to-get-vaccinated-before-coming-to-see-the-baby#post-779398 Mon, 13 May 2013 21:14:37 +0000 mrsmenow 779398@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I am in the over the top camp. I have no problem asking those not feeling well to stay away or to ask people to was their hands, but asking somone to get a vaccine is too much. We did the blanket trick like a PP said too. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/asking-friends-to-get-vaccinated-before-coming-to-see-the-baby#post-779349 Mon, 13 May 2013 20:57:25 +0000 blackbird 779349@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Our doc said anyone who will have lots of contact with her should get vaccinated. So, not friends </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/asking-friends-to-get-vaccinated-before-coming-to-see-the-baby#post-779220 Mon, 13 May 2013 20:14:22 +0000 wheres_c 779220@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We asked our parents, and limited contact with friends until he got his first round of vaccinations. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/asking-friends-to-get-vaccinated-before-coming-to-see-the-baby#post-779109 Mon, 13 May 2013 19:35:22 +0000 Andrea 779109@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm in the it's over the top camp. I just had a winter baby and I kept her at home a lot. I felt like that was the way to go versus having lots of people around her and being worried if they were sick or vaccinated. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/asking-friends-to-get-vaccinated-before-coming-to-see-the-baby#post-779083 Mon, 13 May 2013 19:28:01 +0000 Maysprout 779083@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm a bit more worried about this now that we'll be having a late fall baby instead of late spring. I'd def ask our families to get the flu/tdap shot and probably be more protective of who holds LO for the first 6 weeks. I was super laid back last time (though I did ask people to wash their hands the first couple weeks) but all the winter nasties worry me. </p> <p>I think adults sometimes forget that their immune system can fight off nasties and only result in a small cough/tickle but it can still be spread and babies may not have the same capacity to fight off the nasty. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/asking-friends-to-get-vaccinated-before-coming-to-see-the-baby#post-779054 Mon, 13 May 2013 19:05:26 +0000 edelweiss 779054@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>i asked my parents to get the flu vaccine (LO was born this past winter during the flu outbreak), and also asked whether they got the TDAP vaccine (they had). i didn't think to ask friends or other visitors. most of them were considerate and washed their hands before holding LO.</p> <p>but if whooping cough had been a concern in my area, i might have felt more comfortable asking people to get the vaccine. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/asking-friends-to-get-vaccinated-before-coming-to-see-the-baby#post-779045 Mon, 13 May 2013 18:56:33 +0000 junebugmama 779045@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think that a request like this is over the top and would have long term effects on my friendship with the people who requested it </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/asking-friends-to-get-vaccinated-before-coming-to-see-the-baby#post-779037 Mon, 13 May 2013 18:49:54 +0000 Foodnerd81 779037@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>If I lived in an area where there had been an outbreak, I might ask, or just not have many people over in the first few weeks. But I haven't heard of any cases near me, so I wouldn't personally ask friends to. I'm not planning to ask our moms who will stay with us either, but I would if the midwife recommends it. DH and I will get it though. </p> <p>I think if you are uncomfortable asking people to get it, could you just tell people that your doctor told you not to have people over until X weeks unless they have the vaccine-- that way you aren't outright asking them to get one, but they can always volunteer? You won't have that many visitors in the first few weeks, but maybe that's not a bad thing. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/asking-friends-to-get-vaccinated-before-coming-to-see-the-baby#post-779036 Mon, 13 May 2013 18:49:39 +0000 ladyfingers 779036@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We didn't ask anybody to do this. We did get vaccinated ourselves.</p> <p>Unless it's close family, I would rather put people off a few weeks than ask them to get a vaccination. In other words, if people express an interest in seeing the newborn, just saying, "That would be great, we can't wait for you to meet him/her! The doctor did recommend that we limit his/her exposure for the first few weeks just because of some outbreaks in the area, but let's set up a meet and greet date for xxx date."</p> <p>Or you could just leave out the doctor part and say great, how about you come over xxx date (that's a few weeks away or whatever you're comfortable with).</p> <p>Because honestly unless it was like such a close friend that we had known each other our whole lives and were like siblings, if somebody asked me to get a shot before seeing their kid, I'd just beg off and go see them at a later date. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/asking-friends-to-get-vaccinated-before-coming-to-see-the-baby#post-779026 Mon, 13 May 2013 18:46:23 +0000 kjpugs 779026@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@yourekindapretty: I was thinking the same thing, as my doctor said that anyone visiting us (we're out of state from family/friends) should have flu/whooping cough vaccine. (I assume that's tdap vaccine?) FYI per my talk with my doctor, whooping cough vaccine is good for 10 years, but needs to be given 6 weeks or more in advance to be effective.</p> <p>We won't tell friends but we will tell the parents and siblings who are visiting. Some of them I don't trust to not hold baby if they feel a little sick- they'll be spending $ to fly down here, and you know how it is when you have paid $ to travel somewhere, you try to pretend to yourself you aren't getting sick. If they refused to though I would probably just limit their holding the baby and be EXTRA careful about hand washing, keeping baby swaddled. I don't think of it as much as a "vaccinate or don't come," it's more just an extra level of security. I do NOT think it's ridiculous to ask anyone that though. Perhaps ridiculous to barr people who aren't visibly sick and won't get vaccinated, but not at ALL ridiculous to request it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/asking-friends-to-get-vaccinated-before-coming-to-see-the-baby#post-778942 Mon, 13 May 2013 18:09:38 +0000 marionberry 778942@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I hadn't thought about personal preference toward not vaccinating. That's a good thing to consider. With my family though, that wouldn't be an issue. I simply work in a hospital, in an area of the country with a huge amount of pertussis and knew a baby that died from pertussis. I just would never want that to happen to my child. But you're right, in that we can limit contact and just be super vigilant with hand washing for friends and only ask family to vaccinate. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/asking-friends-to-get-vaccinated-before-coming-to-see-the-baby#post-778940 Mon, 13 May 2013 18:09:08 +0000 Smurfette 778940@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Nope and I wouldn't. Maybe parents but that would be it. Little much to me. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/asking-friends-to-get-vaccinated-before-coming-to-see-the-baby#post-778935 Mon, 13 May 2013 18:05:27 +0000 MamaMoose 778935@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We asked for anyone who was going to stay with us. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/asking-friends-to-get-vaccinated-before-coming-to-see-the-baby#post-778924 Mon, 13 May 2013 17:59:05 +0000 lioneyes 778924@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>flu shot/tdap totally for parents/people who will have extended contact with the baby, esp. in winter. wouldn't ask friends to do it (but wouldn't let them hold my newborn if they were sick). i did make a point to get the tdap this winter bc my bff was pregnant and i figured why not if i was going to be around her baby. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/asking-friends-to-get-vaccinated-before-coming-to-see-the-baby#post-778911 Mon, 13 May 2013 17:47:23 +0000 Mrs. Jacks 778911@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We did a lot of baby wearing, especially if someone was a smoker or we didn't want them to touch our babies for some reason. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/asking-friends-to-get-vaccinated-before-coming-to-see-the-baby#post-778884 Mon, 13 May 2013 17:26:43 +0000 MrsF 778884@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My parents and my sister were vaccinated (flu and tdap since it was flu season). It was in the middle of the pertussis outbreak and LO was late preterm so a little more vulnerable. My parents and sis spent lots of time here, but it wouldn't have occurred to me to ask friends. I certainly had no problem asking people to wash their hands. People were also really good about staying away if they weren't feeling 100%. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/asking-friends-to-get-vaccinated-before-coming-to-see-the-baby#post-778883 Mon, 13 May 2013 17:26:40 +0000 Charm54 778883@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>There's a whooping cough outbreak in our province at the moment so DH and I will be automatically vaccinated. We've asked our immediate family (who will be over daily and have lots of contact with the baby) and they have no problems with it. I would never ask friends or people who will only have casual contact with the baby though, that seems a bit much. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/asking-friends-to-get-vaccinated-before-coming-to-see-the-baby#post-778880 Mon, 13 May 2013 17:25:04 +0000 hilsy85 778880@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Train: same here! I didn't ask our friends to get any vaccinations--we only asked that if anyone were at all sick that they not come to visit. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/asking-friends-to-get-vaccinated-before-coming-to-see-the-baby#post-778878 Mon, 13 May 2013 17:23:06 +0000 autumnlove 778878@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I only asked close family. I would never ask my friends to do this. </p>