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I'm so glad LO was old enough for the flu shot when that season rolled around, because I would've had this exact same problem. And...I just realized I will have that problem next year. Crap.

This could be a big problem for us when the holidays come, because MIL will think I'm overbearing/overreacting and my anti-vax and aunt cousins (with kids of their own) will want to start a freaking debate over it. How the heck am I going to get through the holidays...

So yeah, sorry I don't have any helpful advice, but I'm following this thread hoping others will!

Hmm... My LO was a May baby, so we didn't have much flu risk. We don't require people to have vaccines to visit. Like pp said, it is such a personal decision and there are many reasons why people opt out. Also, our pediatrician advised against LO getting the flu vaccine for the past two winters. As a SAHM, it's pretty easy to keep her away from sick folks - and I find people are generally extra cautious around kids anyway.

Personally, I think requesting a flu shot of every visitor to baby is a little over the top. You obviously call the shots - so whatever you say goes - not criticizing you personally - just think it's unnecessary.

Making sure visitors wash their hands - yes, making sure no sick visitors, yes. Even asking for shots for those in extended contact - babysitters, grandparents etc.

EDIT: I had a December baby, and asked that grandparents get TDap but didn't require flu shots.

I requested family to get tdap bc it's been an epidemic here in ca (had a January baby last year) but we never get the flu shot ourselves and didn't get it for LO. I think that hand washing and keeping baby away from sick people is more helpful. You can't control everyone babies/kids are in contact with so instead I try to go with common sense.

ETA: i would not have barred family from seeing LO without vaccines though. It was a request and immediate family obliged us.

I requested people who would see her a lot get one-grandparents mostly. No flack, though. The dr said it was important and my LO was in the special care nursery for a week with breathing problems so I didn't want others near her

I asked they get vaccinated and they freaked out. It was important to me. My doctor also said to make them wash their hands as that is equally important. I made them wash as soon as they walked in! Hey, it is your lo, I think these are reasonable requests.

We're having a May baby so I am a bit less concerned about the flu, but my doc did say that anyone who would spend any real amount of time with the baby should have the TDAP vaccine. I didn't really make it a question, I just told all our parents that they need to get it at least 2 weeks before they see her, so to be safe get it 1 mo before she is due. The only push-back I got at all was my mom wondered allowed if my dad would be allowed to get it because he has some other health problems. In that case I told her to have him check with his doc and if it is not safe for him then obviously we'll make an exception-- but otherwise everyone needs to get it if they want to be staying in my home with a newborn.

I think requesting that family get the flu shot is incredibly overbearing. If the flu is as widespread as it was this year, and if you take your baby anywhere, it's likely to come in contact with the flu bug at some point. Everyone seemed to get it this year -- including folks who got the flu shot! My DS, DH and I didn't get the flu shot and, while a lot of our family did get the flu, we haven't been sick once this winter.

I think if you have a tiny baby in the wintertime, the best protection is trying to keep your baby out of large crowds as much as possible and requiring folks who want to hold him/her to wash their hands.

I think it's completely reasonable to ask anyone who will spend a significant amount of time with the baby to get the flu shot and tdap. Flu and whooping cough can be extremely dangerous for babies and young children. I asked both sets of grandparents to get both shots and provided them with an article that explained the importance of it. Personally, I will not forbid them from visiting the baby if they don't get them, but I think it's selfish if they don't at least consider it for the sake of the baby.

I think its fine to ask people to get the flu shot/Tdap. But, you must also take into consideration when people are not allowed to get these shots for their own health reasons. The biggest thing is to make sure that no one is sick when they are visiting your child and have everyone wash their hands frequently.

We insisted on Tdap and Flu Shot for anyone who stayed in our house, but otherwise... we were just really intense about making sure everyone thoroughly washed their hands before holding her.

@OldEnglandMama: Do you know why the Tdap isn't approved for use in the UK? Just curious.

I asked that grandparents and my sister (who was visiting for DD's birth) get the TDAP. There was pushback from my in-laws, so DH talked to them about why it was important to us and offered to put them in touch with our pediatrician (who backs up such requests). We didn't push it about the flu vaccine, but we kept some surgical masks on hand for people who came over with colds/sniffles in the first couple of weeks.