After delivery I am getting the CP vaccination for myself and I have a few questions...

[BakingMama]

So, I am getting the CP vaccination for myself (I have no immunity to CP) after having my baby which will probably be sometime from now to a couple of weeks.
Just wondering if anyone has any good links/sources as to when the best time would be to get the vaccination. I want to get it soon enough that I don't have to worry about getting CP however I don't want to get the vaccination so soon after delivery that if I actually get cp from the vaccination I'd then spread it to a new-newborn and toddler (non-vaxed).
Thanks.

[Fyrestorm]

Well, It's live...so it can shed...

Why do you feel you need it?

[alegna]

Originally Posted by Fyrestorm

Well, It's live...so it can shed...

Why do you feel you need it?

:

I would not get it until you are comfortable with the chance of both kids having it.

-Angela

[Gitti]

Exactly, don't get it till your kids are old enough to have cp, because the vaccine does shed.

But my question would be then why bother with the vaccine? You might as well get cp with the kids.

Just want to tell you that they can't determine exactly what we have immunity to. The titres are not exact science at all.

Many people who show no immunity to a disease, don't come down with it upon contact and quite the opposite is true as well, people who show full immunity don't seem to be protected when they are exposed. So, I would not put much stalk into that titre test.

[mamakay]

I'd wait about 6-9 months. The cp vax does shed and does cause chickenpox in close contacts sometimes, and I'd be ok with a 6-9 month old catching cp.

[JBaxter]

I know of different 3 toddlers who got full blown cases from the vaccine ( not to mention one spread it to the whole church nursery)

I'd wait at least 6 to 12 months you may come down with a full blown case and I would think trying to breastfeed with chickenpox wouldnt be fun.

[jadedqueen123]

I got the chickenpox vax when my first son was a toddler, both him and myself got a nasty rash from it. Be prepared to possibly get a mild case of the pox when you get the shot. If I had known then what I know now I never would have gotten the shot for any of us.

[Yulia_R]

I would never get a vaccine, esp live vaccine, while nursing. I mean, you are planning to nurse your baby, aren't you?

Honestly I can't wrap my mind why would ANYONE wanted to get a CP vaccine

[angie7]

: to the previous posters. I would be too concered about shedding the vax to any child under the age of 1. Why do you think you need this vaccine so badly?

[brendaziz]

This is all straight from the package of varivax- the leading chicken pox vaccine. If you are thinking of getting pregnant anytime soon or are breastfeeding you should not do it. Also it says on the package that they do not know if it can affect reproduction capacity.
My advice- stay away...

here's the whole link to the page on merck's site

http://www.merck.com/product/usa/pi_...varivax_pi.pdf

"Pregnancy Category C: Animal reproduction studies have not been conducted with VARIVAX. It is also
not known whether VARIVAX can cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman or can affect
reproduction capacity. Therefore, VARIVAX should not be administered to pregnant females; furthermore,
pregnancy should be avoided for three months following vaccination (see CONTRAINDICATIONS). "

"Nursing Mothers
It is not known whether varicella vaccine virus is secreted in human milk. Therefore, because some
viruses are secreted in human milk, caution should be exercised if VARIVAX is administered to a nursing
woman. "

[kriket]

I would just get the pox with the kids. My DH isn't immune and he's really not looking forward to being pocky with the kids. Honestly, neither am I. Boys are babies when they are sick.

[just_lily]

Originally Posted by brendaziz

"Nursing Mothers
It is not known whether varicella vaccine virus is secreted in human milk. Therefore, because some
viruses are secreted in human milk, caution should be exercised if VARIVAX is administered to a nursing
woman. "

Oooohhhh, that makes me so mad! I have never had CP, and when the public health nurse came to do my post-natal home visit, she told me it was perfectly safe to get the vax while nursing.

I really shouldn't be suprised, but for some reason I still am. So I guess the real question is whether she was lying, or ignorant, or both.

I never got the vax.. thank goodness.

As for the poster above who asked why anyone would want to get it, I have to admit that I am still not 100% sure that I won't in the future. My concern is for future pregnancies. If I was done having babies I wouldn't even be considering it. I don't intend to vax my current or future children.

Actually contracting chicken pox during pregnancy presents a real risk to the fetus... the question is really what is the risk of contracting CP while pregnant. I managed nearly 29 years without catching it, even though it was much more prevalent when I was a kid. So for now I am leaning towards not doing the vax... but I am still considering it.

[JustSo]

Originally Posted by just_lily

Actually contracting chicken pox during pregnancy presents a real risk to the fetus... the question is really what is the risk of contracting CP while pregnant. I managed nearly 29 years without catching it, even though it was much more prevalent when I was a kid. So for now I am leaning towards not doing the vax... but I am still considering it.

: I'm in the same boat (I think you posted to my other post "should i get the cp vax?")

Fascinating responses (much different than the ones in response to my post)... :

[BakingMama]

brendaziz: Thanks for the response with the link for more information which is what I was asking for. I've looked at similar sites for other questions and don't know why I didn't consider it with this question...preggo brain.
Anyway, of course it does make sense about the breastmilk factor especially since I'll be planning to nurse the new babe years just like ds. I hadn't wanted ds who is almost 3 to get it yet, if I had any choice in the matter.

So, just like I mentioned in my op, I'll just wait to get it until I'M comfortable with the possibility that ds and the new babe could get it balanced with me wanting to increase my chances of not getting cp as an adult (and caregiver to, soon to be, 2 children).
As a total side note, there is someone I know recently whose kiddos got cp and thankfully she doesn't live in the same town. I am not comfortable at all with getting cp while pregnant so we haven't seen them. Lots of folks that do live in my same town don't vax for cp and so it does come in my circle of association more so than the general public.

If anyone has any other links of interest feel free to post 'em.
Thanks!!

[gardenmom]

I was in the same boat. Never had the pox and considered getting the vax between kids but skipped it (mostly due to great info from mamas here!). I did have a week or so where I was worried while pg with my ds. Dd was exposed to a case of shingles (nerve trauma due to an injury+vax caused shingles in a 4yo in her preschool!!) and I had to worry for a few weeks, but no pox came of it for us.

If I recall correctly from my reading at the time, cpox is only regarded to cause possible problems for the unborn baby at the beginning of pregnancy for a few weeks, and at the end/birthing time, but please double check that for your own peace of mind. I do know (relative of a friend) of a mama who had the pox while pg. Baby was born perfect.

I'm "done" having kids, and have no plans to get the vax. I plan to discuss anti-viral meds with my doctor, so she will be prepared in case I get a bad outbreak when the kids are exposed to the pox someday. Who knows, I may be totally immune...

[accountclosed2]

I've never heard of women getting CP during pregnancy - in fact I've only heard of a few people getting it as adults at all. Most kids here get CP. You can vaccinate against it here, but it isn't part of the immunization schedule, so you have to ask for it and pay for it yourself. Not common.

[SoCaliMommy]

I'm not immune to cp and was forced to get the 1st shot: so i could leave the hosptial AMA and was never given the 2nd.

I plan on getting CP when my son does, he hasn't been vaxed since 4months old.

[VisionQuest]

My dds were born just before the chicken pox vaccine came out so they never received it. They both had the chicken pox. Dh has never had a vaccine, never had the chicken pox and never caught it from our dds.