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Babysitting Vaccinated Child While Pregnant?

post #1 of 4
Thread Starter 
I have one 6 year old, and I am 10 weeks pregnant with my second child. My son has never been vaccinated (and never will be, nor will my second baby.) I am planning to babysit an almost 1-year-old starting in September, and I haven't asked his parents yet if they vaccinate. If they do, I'm concerned that it may put my unborn child at risk. Since research has shown that even with "dead" vaccines, the viruses are often found live in fecal matter, I am concerned that my repeated exposure (changing diapers, etc), it could harm my baby if I am exposed to a mutated virus. I have not told anyone I am pregnant yet, so it's awkward to try and figure out a way to ask the parents if they vaccinate.
When my son was a baby, I belonged to a playgroup, and two of the parents had their children get the MMR's at the same time. A non-vaccinating pregnant mother in the group had a one-year-old daughter who came down with a rash after being exposed to the vaccinated children, and the mother miscarried soon after. Of course I know it could be non-related, but I don't believe that it was.
Does anyone have any thoughts on caring for a vaccinated child while pregnant, especially when one does not vaccinate? If he is going to be vaccinated, what is the time period where he could possibly be contagious... I heard something like 3 weeks? I was vaccinated as a child, by the way, but I know that immunity does not always stay for life the way it is supposed to. Any advice is appreciated!
post #2 of 4
The only ones you really need to worry about are MMR and CP. I believe both are generally administered at 12 months
post #3 of 4
Thread Starter 

Oh no!  So Tuesday they took him for his shots.  Today when she brought him over for me to babysit, she told me what happened: The parents wanted to delay the shots and planned to get only the 6-month shots, but the nurse took it upon herself to "catch him up" and gave him both his 6-months and 1-years.  So this morning I am met at the door with the baby and the info that he has just gotten pretty much every shot that he could get in a years time.  I'm 24 weeks along in my pregnancy.  I'm really freaking out!  My midwives tested my immunity for rubella and chicken pox and I am supposedly immune to both (however I read an article by Hilary Butler that she contracted rubella even with high levels of antibodies prior to becoming pregnant.)  I live in Canada and their recommended vaccine schedule is here:

http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/im/is-cv/index-eng.php#a

Now I am really worried, and I'm wondering if my baby may be at risk! greensad.gif  I would SO appreciate any advice or info! 

post #4 of 4

I think that the baby is only at risk for Congenital Rubella Syndrome in the first trimester of pregnancy. Also, I just read that chicken pox isn't an issue after 20 weeks. If you ever had chicken pox though you should be immune.

 

I don't know of any other issues that you would need to be concerned about.

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