No Vax? No Visit!

This post may come across as aggressive, which is not my intention, but there's nothing quite like a protective Mumma bear.

So my husband and I have made a very strict rule, if you aren't vaccinated - you won't be allowed to visit our baby. This isn't a throw away comment - it's a strict "I'll see you again further down the track when he is fully vaccinated and when it's safe". It's nothing personal at all, I do not judge you for your choices and respect that everyone is entitled to their own beliefs, but this is part of our birth and parenting plan, and while you may have your plans of why you don't vaccinate, we have our plans on why we will.

On the other hand, if you have been vaccinated/immunised in the past, most of you will probably need a booster shot. If you are planning to come and visit our little guy when he is born (which I'm sure a lot of our friends and family plan to) - please go to the doctor and ask what you may require.

Lately, we have seen an epidemic of whooping cough in the news, and to be honest - it's quite terrifying. Just in Victoria alone 2,500 babies have been treated for whooping cough since the beginning of the year, which is up a jaw dropping 70% from last year. A new born baby does not have a strong enough immune system to fight off this terrible disease on their own. Babies cannot receive their first whooping couch injections until they are six weeks old, and even then it takes three shots over 6 months until they are fully vaccinated and unfortunately, whooping cough isn't the only disease your newborn baby is at risk of. So please respect our choice.

Mums, if you haven't read about why you should immunise/vaccinate your newborn, please do. Educate yourselves and make your decision based on what your doctor suggests, what your obstetrician suggests and what you believe is right.
My obstetrician advised me to have my shots between 29-32 weeks (which I had last week), and if you are afraid of needles - I promise it wasn't bad at all! Just a little corking the next day!

At the moment - the whooping cough vaccination is free for expecting parents, as well as the flu shot. Pensioners also can recieve the vaccination at no cost - but generally it's around $30-$40.