I am really looking for some feed back and thoughts on the push to get everyone vaccinated for swine flu. My husband and I are so confused as to whether to get our selves and our 8 month old son vaccinated.

On one hand the news and reports are warning everybody to get vaccinated in particular children and you read others and they say not to worry as much.

I am a first time mum so I seem to panic over small things anyway and I was just wondering if there are other mums and dads out there that are not sure what to do and what mums and dads think about it.

Thank you in advance for your thoughts.

Hi,

This is a really hard decision to make and with so much conflicting information out there it can be hard sometimes to decide what the 'right' thing for you is. Personally I wouldn't go near the swine flu vaccine with a barge pole.........besides, I am pretty sure that DP and I had it last year, the kids didn't get it. Someone on another forum I frequent said that fear isn't a reason to do or not do something and I agree with that 100%. Yes there is an element of fear with being a parent, wondering if you are doing the 'right' thing but if you get a vaccine just because you are scared, then maybe it needs looking at some more.

I found this the other day while surfing the internet and though I can't say I'm surprised (I have always firmly believed that the response to "swine" flu was way OTT) it is a bit scary to think that the world can be sooooo panicked that they don't stop to use their common sense.

Good luck with whatever you decide.....when it comes to parenting I tend to find that if I am struggling with a decision that I listen to my instincts. Instincts are often marginalised and trivialised but for me they play an important role, not just in my parenting life, but life in general and I've learned to listen to them; they haven't led me astray yet. <span class="emoticon smile">smile</span>]

I'm a third time mum, and no less worried about my children and their health and wellness, so don't feel that being a first time mum makes you more so!! It never goes away, the fear need to do the right thing by them, and the fear that something will go wrong.
My husband and I, and now our three children (6,4 and 1) have all had the swine flu vaccine, and I feel much more relaxed about the winter ahead. The flu (any strain) is a very serious illness that is grossly underestimated by the general public because people tend to think that everytime they have a cold they have the 'flu' and so they think it's nothing to worry about. Believe me, it is, and it's so much worse in a small child. People who are anti-vaccine will tell you all sorts of things in an effort to justify their decision, but really it just comes down to whether you would like to spare yourself and your children a nasty illness, or not. If you don't care, then don't get the vaccine. It's that simple.
Of course we vaccinate because of fear - fear that our children may die or have some serious complications resulting from the illness that we could have prevented with a simple jab. I'll take the jab thanks.

Getting a jab is NO guarantee that your kid won't get sick, they aren't 100% effective, just as NOT getting a jab means they will get sick. My FIL hasn't had the CP vaccine and he's in his mid 70's and NEVER had the chickenpox.

At the end of the day, the best prevention against the flu H1N1 strain or not, is to stay at home when you are sick and wash your hands.

hi, i booked myself, df and my boys in last week ds1 is3 and was fine but ds2 is 7months and i had to call an ambulance that night as he had a reaction, he was fine when we went to bed then half an hour later was shivering and clenching his jaw, temp 36.6 ambos came temp 37.7 and vomiting, wouldnt have panadol went to hosp temp 40.5 and more vomiting it took about 3hrs for them to get his temp down, needless to say he wont be getting the booster!

There is no correct answer to whether you get the flu shots or not. In saying that I have never had the flu and I work in a job where I'm in contact with all sorts of viruses and some of my workmates get the flu constantly.

I was concerned about my son and daycare and the flu but decided against it when my talking it over with my GP. She said that while she will give the flu shot to people young or old she also thinks that a child needs to build up their own natural immunity.

So I made my own decision and didn't get the flu shot for my son and he only got a couple of minor colds and the flu did go through daycare.

I may also be very lucky in the fact my son seems not to pick up every bug known to man so far and he's nearly 2 1/2 and been in daycare over a year.

It is a hard choice to make, there is a risk of a reaction to any imunisation your children have i have 2 little boys of my own one 6 months and one nearly 3 yrs. Hubby and i have decided we will all have the vaccination this year but i am still a bit iffy as to my 6 month old having it.
I had the swine flu last year, luckily not badly and it was cought early i was preg at the time. I would not wish it on anybody let alone my family so i think beter safe than sorry.