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Baby Hints & Tips

Whooping Cough and unvaccinated family members

whooping cough and unvaccinated familyHubby and I decided a while back to ask all family members to have the whooping cough vaccine before bub was born and they still think that its all just a joke and that whopping cough doesn’t exist anymore and that since they had the shot as a kid they are immune for life. Dr has told us that it should be redone every 5yrs.. Does anyone know any links I can send to them to help them see my point of view of why it is so important to protect my baby? Would it be wrong of us to ask that no one sees him within his first 6 weeks of life if they have not been immunized? Share your experience

  •  I had the whooping cough vaccination when my daughter was born. I had never had whooping cough before then but have since having the vaccine I have had it 3 times in 3 years!   Jasmine
  •  My doctor said it was only precautionary for the aunties or grandparents that were going to be around the baby regularly. I’m guessing your a first time mum which I can understand you stressing, but it really isn’t the biggest deal.    Amy
  •  It’s pricey around $100.  Janice
  •  I was told by doctor only you as parents need it. I was thinking grandparents as well but doctor said unless they see baby ALL the time it was OK.  Cherie
  •  Ask the nurses to say something to them when they come in and visit if they do. They will do at the hospital for mum and dad but not sure for anyone else. Leonie
  •  certainly have to get boosters, my daughter was vaccinated before she started school yet she bought it home last year (grade 8 ) and myself and DH caught it of her, I was pregnant at the time, luckily it never affected me much, only really knew I had it as we all had to be tested…….makes you wonder how many people there are walking around unaware they even have it.    Lisa
  •  I had a sister in law who got the vaccination and it gave her whooping cough her bub was in intensive care so there are pros and cons I wouldn’t be forcing people to do it as some vaccines can have bad side effects.  Kimberly
  •   We asked all close family members to get the whooping cough vaccine and they did it only costs around $40 and it gave is piece of mind.   Liela
  •  6 wks I just had a hand sanitizer and they had to pop it on if they wanted a nurse she’s 3 mths now and didn’t really get sick at all.   Kylie’
  •  It is recommended that both parents & grandparents have the booster..i had it done when my new baby was 2 weeks old..cost about $34…try not to worry and just ask family & friends to please not visit if they have any sort of cough…Sally
  •  I can’t stand when people don’t respect your wishes :,( you’re only trying to do what’s best for bubs. I had similar with smokers, asking that they don’t pick bubs up unless they have changed/ washed hands/ used aquim etc.. My daughter is now 19 months old and the only person I don’t have to remind is my mum. I think what Leonie has said about getting the nurses to mention it is a good idea. Best of luck.   Candice
  •  i know quite a few people who haven’t let anyone near their child other then very close family members until the 6 week shot. its up to you guys as parents. i personally didnt mind. but everyone we asked to get the shot did so.   Chantelle
  •  Use YouTube!! That’s what I had to do with certain members of the family… I showed them a video of babies having an attack and just said I refuse to let this happen to our baby… Give them two choices.. Vaccine or no contact.. And stick by it!! Good luck Hun it sucks when you have issues like that!! Xxx    Melissa
  •  Whooping cough went through our town last year, it was horrid as my daughter has respiratory issues and kids were at school with it. We were so lucky not ti get it as were all exposed through relatives. It is good you care that much to protect your little one. I had whooping cough a couple of times as a child and it was not fun at all. I applaud you for wanting to protect your baby like that.   Sherie
  •  Oh and only cost us $40 each I say your baby your choice.   Mel
  •  When I had my last baby I got the whooping cough vaccine and it didn’t cost me anything because I was a parent, my parents also got the vaccine because they are carers. It’s ur baby and if ppl, especially family can’t value ur child’s health then they shouldn’t be allowed to see bub.    Nicole
  •  Your baby its your decision don’t let anyone pressure you into anything your not comfortable with I completely understand.   Kala
  •  When I had our son (17months ago) the father & grandparents of this injection for free in Qld and I got the injection 3 days after his birth. Your choice, but ask them to google how serious it can be for a little one, let them know it can & do kill babies in Australia in today’s society!    Melanie
  •  Your baby, your decision! I was given it and hubby was given it free too.. If you feel strongly about it then they should accept that!    Tamara
  •  Each state government has health advice relating to whooping cough. If they come into regular contact with children then I would excluded them if they are un-vax.    Grace
  •   If you don’t want anyone visiting for the first 6 weeks, does that mean you won’t leave the house for that time? Because there are plenty of people out there with germies! Also, you may end up needing/wanting the help from friends and family But of the decision is entirely up to you and hubby as it is your precious little morsel you want to protect I hope I don’t sound rude at all cause it’s not meant to, just being devil’s advocate perhaps… Nevertheless, enjoy your little one!!!!!!    Bek
  •  It’s totally up to you and people should respect what you want. We are first time parents and had grandparents get the shot as they were staying with us and had a lot of contact with our dd. if people were just visiting for a meet, we didn’t mind but if they were sick, we then rather they stayed away. This was our choice. People usually will stay away from bub if they are sick anyway. You do what’s right for you because you won’t need any extra stress at this special time. Good luck.    Lynette
  •  Definitely get a booster shot and if they won’t don’t let them come near bubby as its very dangerous is someone has whopping cough and bubby contracts it….Alexa
  •  If they can’t respect your decision then I think thats more than fair! I have told all our immediate family they need to have it done & they have.   Chavaun
  •  Tell them if they don’t have it they don’t see baby. Maybe give them more information as to what whooping cough can do and how there have been outbreaks recently.   Angela
  •  It’s free through the vaccine clinics for grandparents and any relatives who have frequent contact.   Zoe
  •  We asked grandparents also to get a booster. It is entirely up to you about visitors. Having seen babies sick with whooping cough – stand your ground if that is what you would like.   Manda
  •  I had hand sanitiser with me first weeks and everyone had to put it on if they wanted to touch. No kids were allowed near him for weeks. Hubby & I got the whooping cough & flu vaccines. Always asked ppl if they were sick when they wanted to visit. Vaccines are at 8 weeks. It is stressful but just be cautious.   Judy
  •  Also if you get the vaccination yourself and breastfeed you will pass on some immunity to bub.   Lisa
  •  Omg I had the same reaction from family! Why do they have to be so difficult? I just put my foot down and said you dont get it done you don’t see the baby ! And how would you feel if the baby hot sick because of you and ended up in hospital? Just because you wouldn’t get a simple shot!!! That did the trick.   Zsuzsika
  •  I had same problem it’s like an epidemic of whooping cough and mumps here in WA!! I told my family no shots no visits till bub had first injections at first they thought I was joking! My husband backed me and they all got their booster shots, stand your ground!!!   Toni
  •  Totally on your side! I don’t have any links for you but we wouldn’t let anyone hold bubs until they had their shot.   Debbie
  •  If you google ” whooping cough epidemic Australia” there’s quite a few good links that show the reality, that we are in the midst of an epidemic and that it very much does exist!   Bethany
  •  Totally reasonable to ask them. And if they don’t then they don’t see the baby right away. Get the doc to print something out to give the fam, that what I did with mine.   Emma
  •  They only do mothers now for free.   Kylie
  •  There is a really good documentary on sbs at the moment it’s called jabbed. It is all about vaccinations there is a little baby that got whooping cough at 6 weeks old.   Cass
  •  The vaccine only costs $30i absolutely agree. if people don’t want to have the vacc they dont hold your baby simple the ones who care will do it and the ones who can’t afford it shouldn’t mind waiting it’s your bubba n you are just doing ur best to look after them. The baby is not fully covered until 6 months vacc . of course the more vaccs they have in between the safer they are but drs wont clear them till final 6 month vacc. After the 6week one I have introduced her to people but as long as they aren’t coughing their heads off in her face u should be fine I just introduced them from afar. My parents my partners parents and me n my partner had it done. It’s still your choice but is it worth the risk. i think if u google it there will be plenty of links but just explain to them this is a new thing that only started around nov dec last year to be important. Good luck.   Bec
  •  I had my son last year & both my partner & I pretty much got made to get it done before we left the hospital. I’ll admit I didn’t want a needle or anything but I’m glad I got it done. I had whopping cough bad when I was little & defiantly would never want my son going through everything I did.   Margaret
  •  Yep very reasonable. Not only is it healthier for bub but also the lull in traffic helps mum recover from birth as natural or surgical, giving birth isn’t a walk in the park! Also helps bub adjust. You could have a get together bbq for friends and family to meet bub once they have had their needles.   Courteney
  •  We enforced whooping cough. Which my little man now has! It is your choice. Just be aware they can still get it.   Natalie
  •  I think you may need to relax a little. Doctors can make things sound really bad. If you want to keep baby in for the first 6 weeks then I suppose it makes sense.   Belinda
  •  I asked my parents if they were willing and they totally were. I still think it should be everyone’s own decision and I wouldn’t have held it against them if they chose not to.    Deirdre
  •  I had the same issue, we didn’t know how important it was until bubs was here. I didn’t let anyone who hadn’t been vaccinated come over as soon as I found out, but on the other side of it I was house bound too, which in my opinion was better than my baby getting extremely sick from a virus.. It was only for a few weeks.. Half of our family were more than happy and half had a big issue with it, tough- your baby your rules, and their safety is more important than anybody else’s feelings.. Good luck- u will get info sent to you, but you need it sooner, ask your maternal health nurse I got some good pamphlets there. Stay strong- you are making the right choice! Xxx    Cherelle
  •   No definitely not wrong to not let people see your child for the first weeks if they aren’t going to do what you ask in regards to the baby’s health.    Jemimah
  •  My local doctor did the vaccine free for my husband and I, both sets of grandparents and aunties and uncles.   Charlotte
  •  Perhaps if they had witnessed or experienced the illness or worse still the loss of an infant to whooping cough they would feel differently. The problem is that adults might just have a bit of a lingering cough & not be terribly ill. Unless you get tested every cough you have you will never know. But it is possible that a cough in an adult could be whooping cough. If family don’t understand the risks then it’s probably best to avoid visits with anyone with a sniffle or cough. I’ve seen the worst whooping cough can do.    Nix
  •  Also be aware that to be fully immune a baby needs to have all 3 shots at 2,4 and 6 months.   Bethanie
  •  My whole family got the whooping cough needle just before my son was born including my nan this was 16months ago and she caught whooping cough a couple of months ago. . Even though you get immunized you can still get it. . . If they want to be silly and not get immunized though tell them they won’t be seeing your child until they have it. . Better to be safe than sorry. I’ve had whooping cough, it lasts for months and it’s terrible.   Kailah
  •  I kept my son at home for the first six week hardly went out until then because the doc said it would be best to do so. I had some visitors come around but not everyone was aloud. My family all had their vaccines just after I had him because my mum and little sister contracted it, during that period I didn’t allow them near him.    Nerrissa
  •  My baby is 2 weeks old & its amazing how many strangers think its ok to come over to us & hold her hand ect. I have no problem telling them to not touch her, but anyone can carry/have whooping cough, not just family. And even if you are vaccinated, you can still get it.   Roula
  •  We simply said no one who hadn’t had the injection in the past 2 years was allowed to visit until 6 weeks after they had it done and it was enforced.   Kirsty
  •  I made all close family and friends get the vacation if they wanted to see my dd. And told them that if they couldn’t respect that they would have to wait to visit until after 6 weeks also I stayed home for the first 6 weeks pretty much I went for walks and to mil and parents places maybe once a fortnight but other than that I just spent the rest of the time learning how to be a mum fkr the first time. I completely agree. What really swayed us was my nephews got whooping cough and almost died. And a few kids at my step son’s school got it while I was pregnant.   Caitlyn
  •  feel it’s fair to give the ultimatum, get vaccinated or stay away for 6 weeks. We made all our family get immunised. You should anyway as its paired with tetanus.   Simone
  •  My baby was vaccinated at birth me and my husband had it to and my baby still got whooping cough we went through he’ll she was about 4 months old she is now 13 months and just getting rid of the cough now my 11 year old son was vaccinated when born and he still got it when my baby did. Mums dads and grandparents can get it free I would strongly recommend grandparents getting it. It is a really nasty thing to get.    Tracey
  •  If anyone has any care for a baby then they would get immunized.How dare anyone put someone’s baby at risk.They need to see babies in picu with whooping cough.   Kerry
  •  Not wrong at all. We did the same and most of our family got the jab, just one hold out who came after the six weeks were up. Maybe a video of a baby with whooping cough or a link to the mum whose baby died from it might change their minds. Otherwise, be firm and no visits.   Moira
  •  My daughter’s fathers family thought it was a joke to so they didn’t see her for first 6 weeks.   Gillian
  •  Completely reasonable! Maybe if you could get a hold of the SBS documentary JABBED it really puts the point across.   Bridgit
  •  It very much does exist! My 2.5yr daughter caught it and we didn’t know until after she had met her new baby sister that has been born that day! Needless to say we and the hospital hit panic mode and my new baby daughter and I were quarantined from the rest of the maternity ward as a result of our exposure. All of my husbands and my family got vaccinated and those that didn’t and had come into contact with my eldest stayed away for 10 days to ensure they had not picked it up and were yet to show symptoms. We were all (including my one day old baby) were put on antibiotics and it was one of the scariest times in my life- the reality is that babies die from whooping cough, maybe mention that to your family! We were incredibly blessed that our baby didn’t contract it but it was an awful experience as we couldn’t bring our girls home from hospital together as my eldest had to stay with my parents for 7 days of antibiotics and it broke my heart not having both of my babies not home with me together! All the best x    Ashleigh
  •  Heaps of people didn’t get immunised in my family. Unfortunately you can’t force people. Only my husband & I did. Just be careful if someone is sick.   Rachael
  •  It’s a very serious thing! It’s your bub and you’re more than entitled to say no vaccine no visit!! I was exactly the same as you and still fighting with the in laws to get the vaccine, needless to say they haven’t seen their grandson! They are totally aware why!   Rhi
  •  It costs for qld residents. But yes we made everyone who was going to touch him in first 6 wks have it done at least a month before due due.   Juleen
  •  Nope I don’t see a problem with that at all. If they don’t want to be immunized then they should have minimum contact with new bub. That said, I didn’t impose that on all our visitors, just the ones we’d see regularly in that first 2 months or so, and anyone who was remotely sick was asked to stay away.   Kara
  •  You have every right to ask. Whooping cough is very dangerous for little kids. My husband and I got it and so did my parents. My husband’s parents however refused. My husband wouldn’t make them so I made it very clear to him that if either of our girls got it I would never forgive them. Drives me insane they won’t get it!   Samara
  •  If you go to your local hospital or maybe even go they should have information flyers on the whooping cough vaccine and specifically in relation to being around newborn babies. And you have every right to refuse them a visit if they haven’t been vaccinated. Very reasonable request in my opinion.    Steph
  •  It’s your bubba your rules! Other people should just respect your belief and opinion. I’ve had whopping cough took months to get over and I nearly broke ribs from coughing so much. I couldn’t stand to think how bad it would be for a bubba to go through the same thing.   Michelle
  •  It’s your right as a parent to request this and I don’t see anything wrong with it.. But are you not going to take your baby out of the house until baby has had first immunisations? Lots of people who may not show symptoms of anything can come into reasonable contact with your baby and you won’t even know who it was.. It is a shocking illness and trying to educate your family about it is fantastic, well done, and good luck.   Lianne
  •  My sister asked that we all get vaccinated if we wanted to meet our nephew so we did. We all respected their request; your family should respect yours. It’s your baby!   Lauren
  •  sound all over the top, your baby could get whopping cough just as much from taking it to the supermarket or out of the house somewhere as by a family member. i would just ask them to have it if they don’t I would just say well at least if you are sick can you stay away till better which is common sense.!   Aliesha
  •   We paid for ours cost about $40 each, you can ask people to get it done but you can’t make them. 6 weeks is a long time without allowing anyone near your baby. It means you will be cutting off any support from your family/friends. The vaccine doesn’t guarantee you won’t or your baby won’t get whooping cough. You can only prevent so much. Personally if you know someone is sick tell them no to visiting your baby.   Danielle
  •  Not remotely wrong – if ur family isn’t prepared to be immunised to protect bub, then they can wait until bub is old enough to be safely immunised themselves. The risk is too high if they have unknowingly contracted it.   Heather
  •  Jeez Louise it’s a jab and I would no t go near my grand babies without one don’t care how much it costs!    Janet
  •  Not unreasonable at all, you as a parent have the right to choose who has contact with your baby at anytime. Tell them all now so they have the chance to get it done and that you’ll need to see the vaccination card before they allowed over. Good luck    Kerianne
  •  We had ours and insisted on others. Pertussis is very mild in adults so they don’t think they have anything but for unvaccinated hubs it is terrible. I wouldn’t risk it. It’s true you can only protect them from so much but this is one of those things!   Catherine
  •  I’m a bit worried about the same thing myself, as I know my Dad is against vaccinations (though, I always got mine.) This isn’t just about the safety of your baby, it’s about respect. Also, if you’re worried about going out in public with baby as I am, my midwife suggested getting a sling as a way of keeping baby closer to you and a way to make access harder for others. Ignore the negativity and do what you feel is right.   Carolyn
  •  From memory, I was told the people that may look after the baby for long stretches are recommended to get it not everyone that intends to come and visit.    Efpraxia
  •  All of my immediate family had it done. Once they realised It was important to us they didn’t mind having it done.   Hannah
  •  You have every right to tell them that! Pertussis is highly contagious and there’s no harm in getting a jab! Anything to lower the risk of bubs getting it is worth it! I know there was an epidemic in my area a couple months ago (MHCN told me) so it definitely still exists!   Mary
  •  Just remember it is their right to refuse to be vaccinated – but it’s your right to refuse to let them see bub.    Simone
  •  The thing is, yes it’s a good idea to be immunised if that is what you believe, but having the vaccination doesn’t mean you won’t get whooping cough and you can also be a carrier.
  •  Plus bub won’t actually have the full dosage if immunisation until 1 when they have the fourth booster… I understand your concern, but I think the best policy is to say if they are at all unwell, to stay away, make sure r dry one washes their hands well and maybe wear bub in you so that no one can get too close x    Camilla
  •  Hubby & I didn’t even ask, we told family & friends if they would like to meet our baby girl they would have to get the whooping cough booster or wait 8 weeks (immunity takes 2wks once your little one is vaccinated). Everyone was good about it. Luckily as we went to a family BBQ when bub was 8.5 was old & someone there was sick with what they thought was whooping cough! Luckily turned out to be something else. Just explain how important it is to you & how it can be fatal if your bub contracts this awful disease before getting immunised.    Natalie
  •  Definitely not, I felt the same way. Fortunately my families were very obliging and respectful of my concerns. With both my sons I also took the extra measure of declining visits from preschoolers before my sons were 6wks old. Best of luck with your bundle of joy and please don’t let anyones ignorance overshadow such a joyous event in your lives.   Skye
  •  Your baby your rules.   Jacinta
  •  My girls were 12 weeks prem I made all my family have it done or the didn’t get to visit.    Verity
  •  I think it is a reasonable request to make for family members. If you think they can’t afford it, you could offer to pay? Also, avoid shopping centers and public transport – get coles or Woolies online to deliver your groceries.   Jenny-Louise’
  •  I also have a feeling that it takes some time before it works so they would need to get needles ASAP!    Kate
  •  My doctor recommended parents, grandparents & anyone else who would be around a lot. I think everyone in the family getting it is a bit excessive & you will have to go out occasionally with bub & they have just as much chance being exposed then. It is scary & your choice but I think a hand sanitiser is great & no sick people near bubs obviously…Adriana
  •  I asked my parents, in laws and my brother to have it done. DH and I also had it done ( I did at 6 week check up) these people got it done as they would be seeing bub the most. I wouldn’t hesitate in explaining that unless they get it done they can’t have any contact with bub until bub has 6 week needles. They will surely then reconsider and have the shot. And yes doc is right; it’s a booster shot they are getting.    Kate
  •  My husband and I had whooping cough in 2004 while I was pregnant with my eldest! It was terrifying and it really wiped me out for about 5 months. Truly the worst experience of my life. We were very lucky that my “blue episodes” (where I was gasping for air and would turn blue and pass out) didn’t do any damage to my growing baby. Far from a joke. We had free booster shots last year at the council clinic when our youngest was having her 4yo shots. I’d call the council and enquire if they still do free shots for people who will be having contact with a newborn. I’d also ban them for the first six months, not the first six weeks. Babies aren’t fully vaccinated against Pertussis until they’ve had the full course of 3 shots. See who’s laughing then.   Sandra
  •  They discontinued the free vaccine I’m not sure why I’m expecting number 3 in November and was informed at my last midwife visit when I asked about it.    Amanda
  •  Really? I thought they discontinued it in June last year but we got it free in October through the council clinic. If you get a dTP vaccine it’s included in that. Perhaps the doctor could get it through free if he/she says it’s for tetanus? The dTP is what we were given.   Sandra
  •  SBS did a doco recently that opens with a baby suffering whooping cough. Pretty distressing to see but may get it through to your rellies that whooping cough is still around and is very serious. It’s called “Jabbed- love fear and vaccines”.    Susan
  •  It’s your rights as a parent to protect bubs so if you want people to get immunised ask. tell them it’s no joke. Only ignorant people believe it doesn’t exist.    Brooke
  •  Our family and friends all had the vaccination or they couldn’t see her.    Courtney
  •  I had a premmy no jab no visit…..Lisa
  •  You are better off locking yourself and bub up at home as vaccines do not make you “immune”    Jaimen
  •  It is completely up to you and your partner to what extent you want to protect your child from illness. Stick to your guns. You dont want to lose your child for anyone/anything.    Emmi
  •  What are they waiting for? It takes two weeks to kick in, by then your baby could potentially be a week old! They need to get with the program and respect you as the new mother of their newest family edition! Stand up for yourself and put your foot down. Once you hold that baby the protective instinct kicks in and you may well tell them to politely F off.   Katie
  •  You’ve also got to consider you are asking people to spend around $70 each to get the jab (as it is no longer free). Whilst hubby and I naturally had no hesitation to pay (I couldn’t get mine in hospital for various reasons so I missed the free one for new mums), it may be a little much to ask of everyone that visits bub, especially if they are less likely to be exposed to it than others.    Angela
  •  We told the family that unless thaw were vaccinated they would have to wait to meet DS until he was fully vaccinated. I showed them some whopping cough YouTube videos. That made them get their shots quick smart. Just I side note- my father seroconverts his whopping cough vac which means that he body acts as though he hasn’t had the vac…Lorrie
  •  I told family, to get them done or they won’t be around the baby.   Breeann
  •  There was a thing on 60 minutes a couple of years back about a mother who lost her newborn to whooping cough and it only took 2 days for bubs to pass away from it, I say get the jab or no visits I wouldn’t risk it.    Tamara
  •  Don’t think it’s wrong of you – if anything went wrong no-one would suffer like you would! If it concerns you then do what you think is best.   Renee
  •  Personally its over the top!! I never ‘made’ or asked anyone to get vaccinated before coming near my newborns o.0…..getting vaccinated does not mean you are 100% protected!!    Sarah
  •  Yes tell them to be done. My son ended up with measles and pneumonia at 10.5 months in hospital because someone else hadn’t immunized their child.   Ruth
  •  Kids aren’t fully vaccinated until a minimum of 6 months. So no jab no visit for 6 months. People got off their butts pretty quickly after that was said.   Amelia
  •  Live vaccines do shed and outbreaks include vaccinated people. A vaccine does not make you immune to the disease. Just something to think about. Best prevention – good diet/hygiene. Look up vaccine ingredients. Aborted fetal cells. Monkey kidney. Formaldehyde. Mercury. Aluminum. Go look at the actual CDC site at how “dangerous” the diseases are. Then go to VAERS site and see how many reported reactions there are. My daughter almost died 3 days after her hep b vaccine.   Kristin
  •  Absolutely.   Conor
  •  Jaimen Hartwig vaccines DO increase your immunity! Get your facts straight before spouting incorrect information.    Natalie
  •  Bobby Jo Williams Hardy- please don’t put untrue information on here, you are only spreading incorrect information! You CANNOT get whooping cough from the whooping cough immunisation!   Lyndal
  •  Yep – no needle no coming near baby until done.   Sarah-Jane
  •  I think you can tell them to no come until they get it done. A friend of mines newborn contracted whooping cough and it was a long road to recovery!! Very very rude of them to not care about the welfare of your baby.   Bek
  •  I wouldn’t….I’m getting poison injected in me for no reason. Vaccines shed…..they can give it to your baby by getting the shot! I’m surrounded by unvaxed people and my kids born at home around them for day one….look for sickness and you’ll find it! Look for health, you might be surprised!    Bobbie
  •  We pretty much made it clear to all immediate family, no shot, no visit. It’s a very easy thing to do so why risk it.    Kathy
  •  Google ‘Sixty Minutes whooping cough’. This story should change their opinion.   Melissa
  •  I did exactly that last year when my boy was born in winter as instructed by my obstetrician and she warned me of the dangers &told me they had 2 bubs that had passed the year before because of it. My brother doesn’t believe in immunisation and was fine with our decision and respected it that he wouldn’t see him until he was 6wks. A few thought i was overreacting but I didn’t care. My baby my choice. Google a sad and confronting 60min doco that was aired on it in 2011/12 i think and make them watch it. Good luck x   Corine
  •  I had whopping cough while pregnant. Was awful. Can imagine what it would be like for a new baby or young child.   Kylie
  •  Whooping cough still exists and my mum had it just as I fell pregnant. I had everyone get vaccinated too. The vaccine does not last a life time which is why there have been outbreaks of it. They also give it to you once bub is born before you leave hospital.   Sarah
  •  For or against vaccinations, just be aware that there IS A LOT OF BOGUS CRAP AVAILABLE ON THE INTERNET! Don’t forget that ANYONE can make a web page and write an article. If you want REAL CREDIBLE information, try looking for PEER REVIEWED scientific journals.   Lexi
  •  I can see why you would be concerned. It wasn’t something that was raised when my son was born seven years ago – no one ever suggested it. My question would be – are you going to keep the baby completely at home for 6-8 weeks? Because surely these bugs can be picked up at your closest shopping centre – the person behind you in the queue etc. my son contracted RSV at 3 weeks.    Katrina
  •  Asking them to stay away for 6 weeks will not achieve anything; babies aren’t immune until they have completed their shots. So you may as well ask them to stay away for a year. Personally, I believe everyone has freedom of choice and if you are giving them the ultimatum between getting vaccinated or seeing your baby, that’s a bit rough. Disease is everywhere, keep good hygiene and eat organic and unprocessed food and your body will be strong enough to fight it. Breastfeed your baby so they get your antibodies.    Amber
  •  I got whooping cough while I was pregnant, it was awful and can only imagine how awful it would be for the very young or elderly. I then got my partner and 11 year old son vaccinated. It was only then I found out it had to be done every 5 years. There is not enough awareness and cases are rising.   Anna
  •  If someone hasn’t already mentioned it look at the Dana McCaffery Whooping Cough page. I agree wholeheartedly with what you’re doing. I never actually did this myself although hubby & I ensured we were vaccinated but it is a very real & current illness. The poor family of Dana McCaffery lost their daughter because they lived in a northern NSW area full of ‘educated’ – note my sarcasm but that is the actual reason – people who didn’t believe in vaccination & so their daughter caught it when she was too young to be vaccinated. Hopefully this will hit home for your families & they will respect your decision.    Kathleen
  •  Our lg was born May 2011 and whooping cough was a serious issue. I sent an email to all friends and spoke with all family members. I said under medical advice, no body would be able to nurse the baby unless they had the vaccination. I was not asking them to get it, it was their personal choice. I had many friends who did not visit for the first 6 weeks , but our babies life is far more important than worrying about what people think. My boss at the time told me she congratulated me on taking the stand and being upfront about it.Yes it would have been lovely to have everyone around, but that’s just how it was! Stand your ground and set your rules!    Joanne
  •  I got it the day after my son was born he is 20 months old now and I am currently 26 weeks pregnant with my second child. My ob is highly recommending that I get another before I deliver so that this baby will have the immunity. She also said they are good for 5 years.   Chrissie
  •  Go with your instincts, as a new mum they are often right. What’s more important: hurting people’s feelings or the health of your child?    Marney
  •  Hey mate , unfortunately we lost our beautiful little girl ,KIRA to this debilitating virus she was born prem and were warned about respiratory diseases so we kept her wrapped in cotton wool till she was 3 months passed full term sadly this whooping cough was and still is spreading like wild fire , having caught it at the same time can personally tell you this is a virus that my lungs still haven’t recovered from and cant imagine what Kira went through , unfortunately all we have now are photos a ,hand and foot print and the memories of my beautiful girl in my arms, if more people did the right thing and got immunised the more beautiful babies wont suffer the same fate , at the end of the day you have to make the decision that you think is right for family, please give him or her lots of hugs and kisses , and enjoy every second!   Daniel
  •  Simple. They don’t see bub till they get the shot. Easy. As a nurse I’ve seen tiny babies struggling for every breath due to sheer ignorance and stupidity.   Christie
  •  If they saw the stories of babies on you tube who have died of whooping cough they wouldn’t think twice about getting the vaccine.   Meghan
  •  Whatever you do, IGNORE the fruit loops that are campaigning against vaccination.   Roger
  •  Totally your decision but are you planning to keep the baby isolated from all people inlcluding doctors, MCHN appointments etc for the first 6 weeks? How can you be certain that even the health professionals are all vaccinated etc in the hospital you’re planning to have bub ? Personally I think it’s a little over the top but to each their own…Melanie
  •  I was happy to do it for my sister and my fiancé works away most of the time and he had it as well it also has a boosterism it for tetanus as well.   Danielle
  •  Why don’t you look into homeopathy immune boost to help between immunisations. No harmful side effects, I have my son on it at 2yrs old as he has just started daycare and had pneumonia a few months ago. Just check at what age you can give it, but there’s plenty of homeopathic remedies that can be given to babies from birth so it might be an option for newborns. I use Puraforce remedies.   Ashley
  •  My family did it without me asking them which included partners of my sisters. Nothing wrong with getting the booster shot anyway. Whooping cough is terrible as an adult let alone a baby.   Alexis
  •  I had whooping cough as an adult and it is horrible. However, I contracted mine as a retail worker from mingling with the general public. You can ask all friends and family members to be vaccinated but unless you are intending to hole up at home for six weeks there’s no 100% guarantee. I do think it would be fair to ask any potential visitors to hold off visiting if they are unwell.    Megan
  •  The exact same thing happened to us; only difference was my parents told me that they had it, when in fact, they hadn’t. 6 months later, dad got whooping cough. You can imagine how the next conversation went…….Chris
  •  When my nephew was born, my sister told us that we could not hold her son if we had not had the needle. My whole family got the booster shot. Before my daughter was born we said the same thing to my husband’s family. I also got some brochures / fact sheets from my midwife that we gave to the family so they knew we weren’t being silly or half hearted about it.   Katie
  •  You have every right to restrict access to your baby if people/kids aren’t immunised. The most danger to newborns are grandparents who haven’t been immunised for 40 or 50 years and also non-immunised people. They can get whooping cough and not even know it whereas it is potentially fatal for babies, or can cause brain injury thru oxygen deprivation. Your baby isn’t immune until at least 6 months so stick to your guns.   Vikki
  •  My dad thought I was kidding about them having the vaccine so I made him read the pamphlet that comes in the bounty bag at the hospital. I didn’t have to mention it again!    Kelly
  •  Your baby, your decision, they need to respect that and realize how serious whooping cough is, it can kill babies. Best of luck with bubba x   Tanya
  •  Your baby, your rules.   Fiona
  •  Sorry I don’t know any links but stay strong in your decision. Most of all don’t feel guilty you are the advocates for your little bub & know what’s best for your family.   Georgina
  •  My families were happy to do it, in wild they got theirs for free, my sister paid, but I think it was about $40. I got a shot with my daughter and then a booster shot with my son, as the area we lived in had a lot of cases of whooping cough. Not long after my son was born, it hit the news that a 2 week old baby died from whooping cough near us. I never regretted my decision.   Bec
  •  Yep I did the same. I sent an email out to everyone asking they have the injection and if they didn’t they wouldn’t get a hold. I also kept her away from other kids until she had her 6 week injection. It’s quite common to do so. And for those ppl that didn’t get the injection they didn’t get a hold simple …Tina
  •  You should also know that the vaccine does not stop Whooping cough completely. It DOES prevent the serious version that can lead to death though. Most people who are anti-vaccination will use this as an argument against vaccination but they are simply misinformed. So you can still get whooping cough but not the deathly one. I don’t think you need to completely shelter your child but if people are sick ten they should steer clear anyway. Family should all get it as they will be around more often.    James
  •  Your child – your rules.   Shelley
  •  I made every family member who was going to be in contact with both my children get the vaccine and they were all more than happy to get one. My second baby is now only 4 weeks and I’ve not let anyone near him who has not been vaccinated and I won’t until he has his first round of needles. I know he won’t be fully immune but he will still be better off then no needles. Your doctor will be able to supply you with info to pass onto your family about whooping cough. Good luck! I hope your family respect your wishes as it’s YOUR baby.    Bree
  •  We had a prem baby and wondered about this too. In the end hubby and I did get the vacc but as we had no relatives close to us we let it go at that time the injection was $70 a shot. I think that you need to do what you feel is right for your baby and no one can judge you for that. Whopping cough on anyone is dreadful but on little people words dont describe it perhaps you could talk to your doctor they might have training/ awareness dvds of whooping cough in children to show your family so they can see just how bad it is.   Michelle
  •  Looks like they won’t be spending time with the baby. Get the gp to speak to them. There are lots if links, if you google it you’ll find lots.    Narelle
  •  I asked that anyone who wanted to meet bubs when she was born and upto 6weeks get vaccinated and that if they even had the slightest tickle or runny nose to stay away, I wasn’t runnin the risk so early on in her life.    Jessica
  •  Not sure where you are located but in WA it was free for parents, grandparents and close family members/carers to be vaccinated for whooping cough. Both sets of our parents got done as did my sister – they were who was going to be around both my babies the most.    Sarah
  •  ** From the Mum who asked this question **Thankyou thankyou thankyou!!! I have shared this question on my fb wall in hope that family will be educated enough to make the right decision. This isn’t our first born we have a little 22mo but when she was born I personally didn’t know much about whooping cough at all until the Dr had told us at her 6week check up that there were about 8 cases that week alone in that Dr centre and updated us about it and we of course got our shots on the spot without any question. Bub will be definitely staying at home with me and my daughter for the first 6 weeks until he has at least some immunity. I’m so thankful that you all can see my point of view and I’m hoping your comments and links persuade them to agree. If not I will be just having a get together after the 1st shot.    Babyhintsandtips
  •  I did the same thing & would not let them see bubs until they had it!!! My family understood as my nephew got whooping cough when he was 8 weeks old & was admitted to the RCH. You have every right to & if they don’t like it or understand then tell them bad luck!!!   Simone
  •  My 5 week old got whooping cough. It was a nightmare for even months after. We didn’t sleep much for months. If I knew then what I know now I would insist all gparents and siblings parents got vaccined. Unfortunately sometimes these things still happen. I tell every new mum to be to get vaccinated. I was not and hadn’t even heard about it.    Deborah
  •  I would recommend doing some research on the ingredients in the vaccines… If you would call poison control for coming in contact with them, why would you let a Dr inject them? True immunity comes from good hygiene, good diet and mother’s breast milk… Drs get paid off the vaccine schedule. I would be very careful in trusting the salesman YOUR DOCTOR who will be buying his second vacation home, 5th luxury car and taking his 3rd family vacation off of your “trust” do your homework beyond what the mainstream tell you .. You might just be glad you did.   Janelle
  •  Your baby your way. Personally I would not stop my family from seeing my newborn its a huge moment. Plus you may need to the help or feel lonely. Unfortunately u may show them 100 links and they still might not get the vaccine. I had a similar problem with my family I told all of them from the moment I was pregnant that u will not hold my baby if you had a smoke within the last 3 hours. My entire family just nodded and agreed, but didn’t take me seriously until I refused for them to hold her. Even my own mother. It took a while and they even got cranky with me and I didn’t care, it’s my baby’s health. They got their act together eventually. My DD is 15 months now and i still have to tell some people to stay away from her. Basically stick to whatever you decide.    Jayme
  •  I made all my family get immunised…I refused to take any risk. Even my needle-phobic cousin got immunised…I was so proud! If they really care about you and bub, they’ll get it done. Don’t compromise on this! Your baby is relying on you to be their voice…Laura
  •  Absolutely get them all vaccinated! We did and I think you have every right to insist. For the record, we live in Pilbara WA and there has been cases of whooping cough recently, my 10 year old daughter was swabbed for it a few weeks ago, thankfully she just had an infection. Good luck with your decision x   Danya
  •  Hi if you go to the health department of your government you should be able to find some answers to this problem. Up to a couple of months ago here in wa we had a program that all parents and grandparents of newborns got a free whooping cough vaccine. This has since been stopped. It is personal choice to keep baby away from those who are not vaccinated so don’t let outside influences sway you. If in doubt speak with your GP.   Lee-ann
  •  If you are vaccinated and you breast feed, yr baby should be immune, for as long as you feed.    Lainie
  •  80% of people who get whooping cough have been vaccinated. Also those who have been vaccinated have been getting a new worse strain of it. The wa govt stopped giving them out to grandparents and other family members for free because they aren’t effective. Please please do some more research!   Leah
  •  Whooping cough is extremely serious and here in UK we had an epidemic last winter and few babies died, it was horrible just at the time I gave birth so I kept baby at home and wasn’t allowing anyone to come and visit as I was petrified so if your family doesn’t respect your choice than they will have to wait before they can come visit, check online WHOOPING COUGH EPIDEMIC 2012-2013 it’s been a problem in UK and USA as well, you will find lots of articles about it to show them how dangerous it is. Hope this help.    Sabrina
  •  On a side note… all 6 of mine are fully vaccinated… Miss 2 just got Rotavirus and Master 10 just got chicken pox… so there are no guarantees.   Amanda
  •  Get the pamphlet from your doctor or child health centre and tell them to get a jab or stay away… your bub… your parenting choice.    Amanda
  •  My good friend almost lost her little girl after another parent who didn’t ‘believe’ in vaccination exposed her to her own children who were infected with whooping cough. Little 4wk old Kira was in hospital for a month. During that month 3 other babies in the same ward died of whooping cough. Hearing that little baby struggle to breathe even weeks later was one of the worst things I have ever witnessed. To all you ignorant people who say immunisation is some sort of conspiracy theory and these diseases are harmless. Tell that to the parents of those other babies that died. Shame on you.   Helen
  •  We made the grandparents get immunised as it as something we were very worried about and also didn’t take bub out for the first 8 weeks. Also told anyone who was even slightly unwell to stay away. In saying that I was told when I had my 2 nd bub 4 weeks ago that it was no longer important as the epidemic had gone and it was no longer subsidized by the gov as funding ran out. Whooping cough vaccine needs to be redone regularly as the actual vaccine only minimizes symptoms and doesn’t eradicate it. I agree with you if they choose not to get the vaccine then you have the right to choose not to allow them to visit.   Kelly
  •  I’m just curious? If a vaccine is supposed to work at providing immunity for the body why does it need to be re-administered every five years?….The answer is of course because it doesn’t work. But if the people who have a monetary investment in suggesting it every five years can gain from your trust, why wouldn’t they?    Charlotte
  •  Mu family would jave done it, but when I found out it has tetnus in it I couldn’t have it or my mum either as we’re both allergic…so dr said no poi t anyine else having it.. We just made sure that if anyone was sick they didn’t come near bub…and made everyone scrub their hands before holding him. I’m not a freak about germs and sickness, but I completely agree that you’re being reasonable in your request for the whooping cough vaccine…   Racheal
  •  This exact same thing happened to us! We asked our family to get this vaccine, some did but some thought it was a joke and just didn’t get it and even argued the fact!! And then showed up to the hospital 24 hrs after I’d given birth!! After that people would completely disregard anything I ever said and go bear her with flu’s and colds and gastro etc. it was a real battle. It’s really irritating when people don’t respect your wishes! I’ll be a lot more assertive with my next baby and will not be letting anyone that doesn’t have the vaccine nor has a hint of sickness near it! I’ll be a lot stronger next time!    Crystall
  •  We asked our family if they wouldn’t mind having the vaccine for the sake of the babies health, even said that the Dr had asked. Everyone was more than accommodating and didn’t want to be the one responsible who had made him sick if he caught it. Just ask, any reasonable person would understand.   Coll
  •  I would ask to keep them away, my step children had it just before my bub was born and everyone even the doctors were not worried, I was petrified! I believe it is a big deal and babies do still die from it. If you have it in your town don’t feel bad asking them to stay away, it bubs life after all! BTW my step kids were immunised as bubs.    Kirsty
  •  They are saying that the coff the vaccine is made for is almost finished. But the worse or other form of whopping coff is getting more common may or may not be true saw it on doctors on tv mid day show.   Eric

 How did you convince your family to get a whooping cough vaccine?

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