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The Embrace incubator

We have been hearing that all pregnant women, young children, and elderly people need to get a flu shot. How about your unborn baby? He/she could use one too. “Our data show that a single dose of maternal influenza vaccine provides a considerable two-for-one benefit to both mothers and their young infants,” wrote a team led by Dr. Mark C. Steinhoff, of Johns Hopkins University’s Bloomberg School of Public Health, in Baltimore. They also wrote, “childhood deaths associated with influenza are most frequent in infants under the age of 6 months,”. Unfortunately, for children under 6 months, it is not recommended they receive a flu shot. The researchers knew newborns did receive some immunities to the flu virus from the mother’s antibodies which circulate in the fetal environment. They wondered if a flu shot would have the same effect. To find out, the team tracked 340 Bangladeshi mother-infant pairs during 2004-2005.

The researchers found that babies born to vaccinated mothers had a 63% lower risk of laboratory-confirmed influenza compared to babies whose mothers had not received the flu shot. The incidence of any type of respiratory illness with fever also declined, from 153 cases among infants born to unvaccinated mothers to 110 cases among babies whose mothers had gotten the flu shot. Researchers say this trial offers “unique evidence supporting the strategy of maternal immunization to prevent influenza infection in young infants and their mothers.”

Few pregnant women actually follow CDC recommendations and receive the flu shot. I know I have never had one. Even my kids don’t get one every year. We are a generally healthy family so I don’t really think about it. Maybe this year, I will have to join the line and get injected (oops did I let the cat out of the bag? I guess another post is needed).

If you are pregnant, get your flu shot!

They sure are angels when they sleep!  As i type this my little man (aka Roo Roo or formally Vahn) is peacefully sleeping.  Who cares you say?  weeelll as any committed mommy knows the joy of caring for these little people can be rewarding and some days, not so much.  Today was a not so much day.  We had eaten lunch and went to the playground down the way.  Vahn was very clingy and wanted “nuggles mommy, nuggles”.  i was holding him for a few minutes and behold the love of only a mother!  i even had vomit down my bra!!  Now that’s a great picture i know!  i yelled at my other kids “We have to leave, we have to leave! Vahn just got sick!  Let’s go!!  We will get your scooters and bikes later! Let’s go!”  Thankfully we live right next door to the park.  We pretty much run home and i get the both of us cleaned up.  Now, how am i going to get the playground clean (it’s that black soft top stuff)??  Deep breath.  We are snuggling on the couch and i tell the other kids to go get the bikes and scooters.  Thankfully i have great children and they actually listen and do as asked.  All of a sudden……here comes round two!!  It was worse than round one.  i frantically call my hubby who works just down the street and tell him to come home early for lunch.  After round two i cleaned him, me, the blanket, the carpet, and the dining room floor.  While this is going on my wonderful hubby comes home, takes a watering can with cleaning solution in it, paper towels, and Clorox wipes and marches over to the playground.  Now he is peacefully sleeping on the couch for naptime in case i have to make a run for it.

I am convinced every mom has some great puke stories!  i know i sure have some good ones up my sleeve….