There is no doubt about the fact that being a woman, pregnancy is definitely a very vital period of your life. When you prepare yourself for being a mother, the entire world around you changes. After all, you are about to bring a little bundle of joy to this world for the very first time! Just as the “negative” in your pregnancy test kit turns to “positive”, everything in your life starts to revolve around that baby growing up inside you. Your happiness, of course, is beyond imagination, and yet you can’t entirely drive away that nibbling fear creating a home inside you, always asking you “What if?”.

Vaccines During Pregnancy and Breastfeeding

Pregnancy certainly is one of the most crucial periods of your life as anything that happens to you might as well affect the baby and of course, there can be nothing worse than this. It is one of the most vulnerable times of your life and you are likely to get afflicted with a number of diseases and ailments during this period.

Even if you are safe sound a fit during your pregnancy period, the risk is not gone until you are nursing your baby. Since the baby after being born is completely dependent upon the nutrition he or she is deriving from your breastmilk, you got to be extremely conscious about your lifestyle, the food you consume and most importantly, the medication and vaccination that you take. This is because the remnants of your medicines are found in your body and might as well, through the process of breastfeeding, pass on to your baby. Therefore, to make things easier and convenient for you, we have talked about 5 vaccines that are safe to get during breastfeeding!

Flu (influenza) shot

The flu shot is recommended for women who are pregnant or have delivered during flu season — typically november through march when flus mainly viral are extremely common. The flu shot is made from an inactivated virus, so it’s safe for both you and your baby. Breastfeeding your baby while suffering from flu, can actually affect your baby’s health in a negative way. Besides, this is the time when you, being a mother, have to remain healthy, both for yourself and for your baby. Therefore, doctors often suggest taking the flu vaccine while pregnant or while nursing to keep both the mother and the baby safe. Avoid the influenza nasal spray vaccine, which is made from a live virus, as that again can impact your baby negatively.

Tetanus toxoid, reduced diphtheria toxoid and acellular pertussis (tdap) vaccine

One dose of tdap vaccine is recommended during each pregnancy to protect your newborn from a whooping cough (pertussis), regardless of when you had your last tdap or tetanus-diphtheria (td) vaccination. Ideally, the vaccine should be given between 27 and 36 weeks of pregnancy. This vaccine is also advised during breastfeeding if not taken during pregnancy in order to be sure that the baby remains safe and is protected against these diseases as well.

Measles, mumps, and rubella (mmr) vaccine

Women of childbearing age who do not have evidence of immunity should get at least one dose of mmr vaccine. It is safe for breastfeeding women to receive mmr vaccination. Breastfeeding does not interfere with the response to mmr vaccine, and the baby will not be affected by the vaccine through breast milk. This will, however, protect the mother from these diseases. Since it is particularly required for the new mothers to stay physically healthy and fit to take care of their new born babies, these vaccines are usually suggested by the doctor for safety.

Whooping cough vaccine

If you didn’t get the whooping cough vaccine when you were pregnant, you’ll need to get vaccinated right after delivery. Other people who spend time with the baby may also need to get the whooping cough vaccine. It takes a little amount of time for the babies to build up their immunity after they are born. Hence, it is always advisable that they are kept away from communicable diseases as far as possible. Since every baby is closest to their mothers, it necessary that the mother is not affected by any disease, especially during the nursing period that may harm the baby in any way. Hence this vaccine too is advised and it doesn’t cause any kind of harm to the baby.

Chicken pox vaccine

This is another communicable disease you need to be extremely careful about while nursing your baby. This vaccine taken during breastfeeding does not usually harm the baby in any way. Chicken pox vaccine, in general, should be taken by everyone to prevent the disease. However, if you haven’t taken it yet, this is the right time as it will save you from the disease and not cause any harm to your baby as well. It is safe to be taken both during pregnancy as well as during nursing or breastfeeding.

One of the most important thing however that you got to keep in mind is that self-medication should not be practiced at all, whether it is during pregnancy or during breastfeeding. If you feel any difficulty, never hesitate to consult a doctor and let the doctor decide which vaccine or medicine will be best for you. Also, remember that prevention is always better than cure, hence, do not let things worsen. Consult the doctor as soon as you feel ill. You are no more alone; your baby is most and entirely dependent upon you during this period. So, make sure you take care of yourself, even if not for you, at least for your baby. Lastly, don’t worry about anything too much. Technology today is advanced enough to restore everything back to its normal and perfect form. The happier you are, the merrier your baby will be. Happy Parenting!