Bump & Beyond | Tdap Vaccine

The third trimester of your pregnancy is an exciting time. You are nearing the finish line and getting things ready for the arrival of your newborn. In a previous blog post, "Before You Arrive", we shared a comprehensive checklist to help you to be prepared for your upcoming delivery. Click here to read that post!

One item on that checklist is to get an updated Tdap vaccine. Why is that important?

Tdap vaccine protects against tetanus, diptheria, and pertussis. Tetanus enters the body through cuts or wounds. While diphtheria and pertussis spread from person to person. Pertussis is also known as whooping cough. Whooping cough is a highly contagious respiratory tract infection and is a very serious illness in newborns and toddlers. Therefore it's strong encouraged that pregnant women get the Tdap vaccine to protect their child. The CDC even recommends that women get an updated Tdap vaccine with each pregnancy.

Additionally, you can help protect your baby against whooping cough, and other types of respiratory illness by

• Avoiding large crowded events with a newborn.
• Washing your hands before caring for or holding the baby. Encourage your friends and family to do this as well!
• Restricting visitation with family and friends who are sick.
• Discouraging family and friends from kissing your baby.
• Limiting baby's interaction with sick siblings.
• Encouraging family and friends to be up to date on their vaccines.

It can also be helpful when selecting child care, such as a daycare, to inquire about their vaccine policy for their staff. Infants who are younger than age 12 months who are unvaccinated or haven't received the full set of recommended vaccines have the highest risk for severe complications. Let’s help protect our babies!

Additional Information:

• Click here to learn more about whopping cough's signs and symptoms from the CDC.
• They call it whooping cough because it causes a severe hacking cough, with a high-pitched inhale that sounds like a “whoop”. Click here to hear what whooping cough sounds like.

If you have additional questions or concerns regarding the recommended vaccination schedule, talk to your physician or your child's pediatrician.Find a physician near you at infirmaryhealth.org/doctors.