How bad was the winter/flu season in the rest of the world? Did you get a flu shot?

Hi Ladies, I am in Australia and we are soon about to go into the winter season. This year everyone is on about how bad the flu season is going to be and telling us that overseas it was one of worse years and people died and got very sick from it. It is starting to scare me a bit as I am usually one to catch these type of things. Most are telling prenant women to get the flu shot but others are saying there is still a risk to your unborn baby. For those who have just gone through the winter what are your thoughts, was it really that bad? Did you get a flu shot? For those in Australia or the like what are your thoughts on the flu shot?

The flu that America has now is actually our last years flu for whatever reason it's how it works. The strains going around in the US now won't get back here cause we have had them. I agree though last years flu season was one of the worst I had seen.

I am pregnant and will not get the flu shot but if I was worried I would give the rest of the family the shot as prophylaxis. My son had immune issues and this is what was always recommended.

That being said my baby is due May and yours is real flu season.

Thanks glory, I am really interested to know people's views. I am really confused as to what to do. I agree if I was further along I wouldn't get it. I didn't get it in my last pregnancy but I can't remember why. What i do remember is my husband catching the flu and then passing it on to me when I was 20 weeks pregnant. It was at the time of the swine flu and it was really scarey.

I got a flu shot In my last pg, didnt have any problems. My ob is
very insistent I should get one now, but when I asked her if it's completely
harmless to the baby, she hesitated but said yes. I haven't heard about how it
could harm the bub, but with two school kids at home I am terrified of the winter bugs. I'm due 2 September.

I am in the northeast U.S. and the flu here was really bad. My FIL got sick (non flu) and had to go to the hospital. They wanted to admit him but there were no beds available there, or the next 2 cities over, all because of the flu. He ended up half way across the state! I have had the flu shots with both my boys with no problems- they give a different one here for pregnant women that is thimerasol free.

I am very interested to know of the possible problems associated with flu vaccine in pregnancy. They certainly dont mention anything in their information booklets.

My Ob offered it to me at my last appt but Im not going to get it as Im having bubs early May and dont see the point. I remember when the swine flu was around - I was pregnant with DS2 and was terrified but I still didnt get the shot. It just didnt sit well with me but it was just a feeling I had, no real medical reason behind my decision.. I did have the flu shot once after DS1 was born and I know it is total coincidence but it was the worst year Id had with the flu so it has turned me off it altogether I think. Having said that, if you are one to suffer badly when not pregnant or have other health issues that could jeopordise your health or babies then Id say get it.

I'm in Ontario, Canada and don't think the flu was any worse here then other years. It was one of our warmest winters where I am. Though now its lingering longer then last years lol I didn't/wouldn't get the flu shot in either pregnancy and went all through winter both times! But I'm not really sure what winters like in Australia compared to here.

I live in the US and had the flu while pregnant. It wasn't pleasant, but definately not unbearable. I would never get the influenza shot while pregnant. Especially if your healthy. Here are a couple of articles you may want to take a look at.

Mary Tocco -- Seasonal Flu Vaccines, Are They Safe or Necessary?

H1N1 Flue Shot Pregnancy, Side Effects & Dangers | ChildhoodShots.com

Never had the flu nor anyone in my family knock knock but had mastisis and think they feel the same lol. Would not risk getting the shot especially while prego. I didn't notice anyone around me getting the flu but then if you stay away from the awful news then things don't sound so dreadful. Instead do things to up your immune system and focus on things you can do like washing your hands and aviding kid play places of you can lol.

Oh holy crap, it was AWFUL in the U.S. this year! My son was born in October, so I was especially worried about the flu season this year, and I had my older kids, myself, and my husband all vaccinated to try to keep us all (and especially the baby) healthy. Well, we all got it anyway! Even the baby. Luckily we all did fine, but my 8 year old worried me--her fever got up to 104 for awhile and we ended up taking her to the E.R.

If what happened in th U.S. truly predicts your flu season, I would get vaccinated. I had two pregnancies through flu season, got vaccinated both times, and my kids are fine. I was pregnant in 2009 when the Swine Flu (H1N1) came through (it came to our town before the vaccine was released), and I caught it, and I was SO SICK! It was awful. I ended up getting th flu shot even after that, at my doctor's recommendation.

I really hope you can stay well this year!

In the netherlands we had an official epidemic back in november. I got ill for one week and it wasn't heavy. My kids were not ill, only chronically catched colds... Well, i think this year was less worse than 2011/2012 winter, besides the fact that winter is very long this year. It's already spring but tomorrow we'll have temperature around 0C. And with an eastern wind of 6 bft it feels like minus 8! Brrr!

In the Netherlands only the elderly and some risks groups will get an vaccination.

I am in New Zealand so going into the same flu season and I have had it and wholeheartedly support all pregnant women to get it as well as the whooping cough vaccine.
Influenza kills otherwise completely healthy people and when you are pregnant your immune system is already suppressed plus your lungs are squashed by a baby. In 2009 the swine flu killed quite a few pregnant women and made others very sick in New Zealand so I am guessing the same in Australia.
I am also petrified that with 3 older kids plus 2 working parents the chances that someone will bring home the bug are pretty high, therefore my poor kids plus hubby are also being shipped off to the GP for flu vaccines and DH gets pertussis as well.
Making sure I am vaccinated plus breast feeding also provides protection when the baby is small because this kid will be dragged along from birth to whatever its brothers are doing.

The flu vaccine has been used safely for long enough that I am happy it poses no more risk to my baby than the chemicals I breathe and eat just by living in the 21st century.

At the end of the day you have to make the choice that works for you and your family because everything has both benefits and risks and you have to be happy with the decision you have made no matter how it turns out

Thanks Ladies for the comments, I am really torn. I booked an appointment today with our family doctor. I think I will also discuss it with her and see what she thinks. My Ob is totally for it which gives me some confidence but I would never forgive myself if something happened because I did or didn't have it.

Angle thanks for those links, very interesting. This what I had heard but haven't actually read it.

hobbermittnes- you would still get the vaccine again even though your whole family got it and then got sick as well??

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Originally Posted by Atsaukina1

hobbermittnes- you would still get the vaccine again even though your whole family got it and then got sick as well??

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That's a good question. I am not sure. We typically get the shot every year, and this was the first year it didn't work. I know they just guess what strain they think will be the one that is going to be prevalent, and then build the vaccine for that, so I bet they just guessed wrong this year? Most years we don't get sick.

My daughter was really sick, but the rest of us had a much milder case (my older son didn't even have a fever). I was told that if you get the flu even if you are vaccinated, it helps lessen the severity and the duration of the illness.

Agree you can still get the flu but hopefully not as bad or even a different strain which the vaccine does not cover. The more I read the more confused I get. I am going to try and do everything I can to build my immune system but with a little one in child care it is very hard. I spoke to my Mum about it last night and she said if I have any doubt I probably shouldn't have it. She haven't really read into much so she said she do a little bit of research for me. Makes me feel a bit better, she said she will also come to the doctors with me to discuss it. I tried to talk to my husband about it but he is like what ever you decide, he is not good at making decisions like that.

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Originally Posted by LO123

Agree you can still get the flu but hopefully not as bad or even a different strain which the vaccine does not cover. The more I read the more confused I get. I am going to try and do everything I can to build my immune system but with a little one in child care it is very hard. I spoke to my Mum about it last night and she said if I have any doubt I probably shouldn't have it. She haven't really read into much so she said she do a little bit of research for me. Makes me feel a bit better, she said she will also come to the doctors with me to discuss it. I tried to talk to my husband about it but he is like what ever you decide, he is not good at making decisions like that.

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I will just say this without getting into my own beliefs... Go With Your GUT!

I think your right, someone else said you need to be happy with your decision no matter what happens and I think I need to work that through and decide. Any doubt is some doubt.

Butterfly Spirit, I am intriged now on what you view is though. I don't want anyone to get into a debate, it is purely what they believe. I am just so confused I am happy to hear all views and appreciate peoples comments.

I live in the US and I can say for us it hasn't been that bad. We have had the normal colds, slight fevers, and both of my kids got the stomach bug twice. My husband was the only one who got he flu vaccine because he has to. And the stuff we got the vaccine doesn't even cover. This one is due in october so i guess you can say that I am a little more worried. I give my kids the immunity multi-vitamin daily and i will probably give the new baby a daily vitamin too.

I live in Canada and had both my boys and myself vaccinated against the flu. The shot didn't stop me from getting the worst bronchitis and sinus infection of my life, I've been miserable and borderline suicidal for the past 2 weeks. The only one who didn't get the shot is my husband and he's been totally fine. The boys and I have all had coughs and colds, mine became much much worse though. I'm on my second type of antibiotics and I'm still feeling absolutely awful.

So I just went out and brought multi-vitamins for the whole family. Haven't made my mind up yet about the flu shot but at least fell I am doing something to help.

Jadis, you poor thing, I hope your feeling better soon. I too have been suffering from sinus. It took 3 lots of antibiotics to get rid of it. It is just awful. I hope it gets fixed up soon for you.

Thanks LO, I hopt to never experience anything like it again. I had no idea how much pain a serious sinus infection can bring! I'm by no means 100%, but the most recent antibiotics seem to be having some effect. I'm feeling a wee bit better each day. Glad you're better too!

Just read in Woman's Weekly that a small child died after flu vaccine in Perth in 2010. According to this article, this 2010 flu vaccine was new and not much was known of its possible downsides back then. How can I be sure that current vaccine won't be deemed unsafe in a couple of years? If a small child died from it, how can it be safe for my unborn baby?
We've decided that DH and DS#1 will get flu shot, two little ones and me will concentrate on busting immune system and staying away from public places this winter. FX!

I saw my homeopath yesterday and she is all against flu vaccinations. She says its the government's program that all doctors ought to carry out. She reckons it makes your immune system weaker and you actually become more susceptible to viruses. She used to be a nurse in a public system and says she lost hope in them. When I mentioned that flu vaccine is free to all pregnant women and that health practitioners want every one vaccinated, she covered her face and was silent for a few seconds. I am so glad that I asked her, - it really helped me to make a decision against vaccination