Nifty Tips

Posts Tagged ‘influenza virus infection’

My baby is too young for a flu shot (he’s only four months old), but my pediatrician says I should get vaccinated. I breastfeed my baby, and I was told it is safe to get a shot. Just wondering – flu vaccines cause antibodies to develop in the body, and these antibodies provide protection against influenza virus infection. Breast milk contains antibodies from the mother that can help the baby resist infections. Does it mean that if I get a flu shot, it may indirectly protect my baby against flu infection? I wonder if there are really any benefits for the baby. I would like my baby to be protected, but at the other hand, I read that those shots contain small amounts of mercury, and I know that there are no guarantees that the influenza viruses selected for the vaccine will be the identical strains circulating during a given flu season.
What do you think – is it a good idea for a nursing mother to get a flu shot?