Protection against Whooping cough?

Warning... sad, but may need to be discussed to learn from it.

I found out today what caused my coworker's baby to pass away at 3 weeks old... whooping cough.

Apparently, the baby was sent home from the hospital fine. I presonally don't know if the baby caught it in the hospital or afterwards.

My question is... what can we do while pregnant (if anything) and after the baby is born to defend agains catching what is so dangerous for newborns?

I thought I read that moms-to-be can get a shot or something... is that true? Did you get one?

Please share what else you know so we can all learn from it.

Re: Protection against Whooping cough?

wow that is incredibly sad.

the book YOU being pregnant says that the parents are usually vaccinated in the hospital right after birth. IDK why but i thought that was standard.

I guess you could ask your dr what they suggest or normally do and then decide what to do based on that.

That's probably what I'll do myself.

Re: Protection against Whooping cough?

there is a vaccination.
I delievered at St Catherines on 4/19 and was given the option to be vaccinated.

They gave me the shot prior to leaving the hospital.
The ped recommended that both DH and I are both vaccinated.

ETA: with DS back in 2007 it was never even brought up to me. This time it was an OPTION not standard.

Message edited 5/5/2011 6:10:09 PM.

Re: Protection against Whooping cough?

I've never heard of this, but glad to see that St. Catherine's offers this, and will definitely be requesting it now.

Re: Protection against Whooping cough?

so sad. They always have commercials for this and it says that every adult that comes in contact with the baby should be vaccinated - which would be impossibe

i am delivering at winthrop and if they offer this me and DH will definately get vaccinated and if not i am going to look into it

Re: Protection against Whooping cough?

Re: Protection against Whooping cough?

Re: Protection against Whooping cough?

I will get the shot after i have the baby and so will DH (he was supposed to get it at his last drs appt but we didn't ask the right question and thought he was covered in his last tetnus shot but he's not). We had our parents get it too.

Re: Protection against Whooping cough?

Re: Protection against Whooping cough?

DH, my parents and the nanny all got vaccinated before DD was born, I got it after I delivered.

So sad.

Re: Protection against Whooping cough?

parents and caregivers should get the pertussis vaccine or the Dtap booster. what we got as children as long since been effective.

Re: Protection against Whooping cough?

I had my baby 1 week ago and they offered me the shot the day I left. I def got the shot. You never know.

Re: Protection against Whooping cough?

That is an incredibly sad story.

I didn't get offered a shot a couple of years ago after DS, but got it last year. Its the DTAP shot, which also has tetnus. Its a painful shot, but so worth it. Because whooping cough in the vaccine is live, I did end up getting whooping cough, but nothing a z-pack couldn't fix.

The only shot the hospital offered me when I was taking DS home was flu, he was born in October.

Re: Protection against Whooping cough?

That's so sad.

After DS was born, they offered to update my DTAP before I was discharged. I took them up on it since DS couldn't be vaxed so young.

Re: Protection against Whooping cough?

so sad....I will look into this :(

for that family

Re: Protection against Whooping cough?

yes - i ended up getting mine while i was pregnant with my son prior to finding out

but all close family members should get the vaccine while you are pregnant it is best to get there immunity set and you get your while you are in the hospital

the problem with whooping cough is just looks like a cough in adults but is deadly for infants

Re: Protection against Whooping cough?

Re: Protection against Whooping cough?

With no drama, (and I mean it) there is an URGENT need to protect yourself against Whooping Cough for your newborn. Because SO many people are opting out of this vaccines for their children, its slowly rising. More people are contracting and getting it because of the lack of vaccination (mostly because of the percieved/real/fake/pick a word, autism link).

The DTAP wears off after about 8 years, so we are all more vulnerable.

I will be getting a DTAP if/when im pg. So will my DH and both sets of grandparents. I feel for this family.

This truly is one of the backlashes starting to raise its ugly head due to non vaccination. (again, no drama, just a fact)


I cant say WHO wrote this artice (could have been the DTAP makers)

DTAP and unborn

Good article frm USA today. Do note, at the end, the one guy is a PAID spokesman:

USA Today

Says basically the same thing, but from Australia.

AU

Re: Protection against Whooping cough?

I delivered in 2009 in Winthrop and was offered that vaccine.

I declined simply bc I wasnt educated prior on it.
I went home, researched and got the shot right away.


Next time I will certainly just get it when I deliver.

Re: Protection against Whooping cough?

I received the DTAP through my job in March 2009 so I think I am OK, right?

DH hasn't received any vaccinations other than flu shots since he was 16. He also does not have a PCP. Can he get vaccinated at NSUH when I am delivering for vaccines other than the DTAP?

I haven't thought of this at ALL until just now, and I'm due next Sunday. Ughhhhh!

Re: Protection against Whooping cough?

If you get the shot while in the hospital or shortly after being discharged, can you still BF??

Re: Protection against Whooping cough?

I got the shot at huntington hospital when i had Nathan. It was an option. I said yes especially since I am a teacher. DH did not get the vaccine. hE wasn't there awhen i got it. but i don't think they would've given it to him since4 he wasn't their patient.

I was able to breastfeed with the shot.

Re: Protection against Whooping cough?

Before I was pregnant , I got the vaccine from my primary care Dr. I also made DH get vaccinated.

If the hospital offers it, IMO, I would def get it.

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Re: Protection against Whooping cough?

So sad

I was given the whooping cough vaccine in the hospital after delivering DS #2