Mum of three Naomh talks about pregnancy, breastfeeding and getting the winter vaccines

This year it is recommend that pregnant women receive the flu vaccine and the COVID-19 autumn booster. As respiratory winter illnesses are starting to circulate, making the decision about getting vaccinated is more important than ever. Reading up about the vaccines through reliable sources such as the NHS or speaking to a healthcare provider will eliminate some of the worry you may be feeling, mum of three Naomh explains.

“These last couple of years have been unprecedented. I for one never thought I would experience such a pandemic in my lifetime never mind negotiate the added worries of giving birth and breastfeeding during it.

“When the COVID-19 vaccines where first made available to the public I was still breastfeeding my son. He had recently received his childhood immunisations, so I appreciated the importance of vaccinations in protecting his health, but now it was my turn to protect my own health. But before getting the vaccine I wanted to be sure it would be ok to continue to breastfeed, as the benefits of breastfeeding were also an important health choice for me.

“Working in public health myself I was lucky to be able to work on some of the initial vaccine trials for the COVID-19 vaccinations, putting me at an advantage when it came to understanding the safety and effectiveness of the vaccines.  It also meant that I probably did more research and asked more questions than most.

“I made sure to read all the available evidence about the safety of vaccination whilst breastfeeding and the research showed that it was safe to continue to breastfeed. I therefore had no reason not to get it, so when the opportunity came about in early 2021 to receive my first vaccine I welcomed it with open arms.

“I then went on to get my second dose and by the time it came to me getting the third ‘booster’ dose in early 2022, I was pregnant with my third child.

“I had received the flu vaccine in my previous pregnancies so I had no hesitation about getting the COVID-19 one, but again before getting it I did my research as I knew that there had been conflicting information over the previous year regarding receiving the COVID-19 vaccine when pregnant, so I wanted that extra bit of reassurance.  However, hundreds of thousands of pregnant women had received the vaccine with no negative side effects, so I knew that it had been shown to be safe and effective. This, coupled with the increased risk for pregnant women and their unborn babies if they contracted COVID-19, made the decision to get the vaccine even more important. For me, when you’re pregnant you make adjustments to your lifestyle to protect that of your unborn baby, so getting my booster dose was just one of things that I chose to do to help protect my life and that of my unborn baby.

“I am happy to report that I am now mum to baby number three, who was delivered healthy. I have no regrets about getting vaccinated, for me I believe the decisions I made to get the flu and COVID-19 vaccinations helped protect both me and my baby.

“I would urge anyone who is pregnant to do the research by checking out information from reliable sources such as the NHS to ensure you are fully-informed. This will help you to make a positive choice to get both the flu vaccine and COVID-19 autumn booster. If you’re breastfeeding and are eligible for either or both vaccines, it is also worth getting them.”

Rachel Spiers, Immunisation and Vaccination Programme Manager at the Public Health Agency (PHA), said: “COVID-19 has not gone away and pregnant woman and their unborn babies are at a greater risk. If you have COVID-19 disease in later pregnancy, both you and your unborn baby are at increased risk of serious disease and may need hospital treatment and intensive care support.

“Also, pregnant women who get flu are generally more likely to have a premature birth or even a stillbirth. Their babies are also more at risk after being born.

“We are therefore reminding pregnant women to have their flu and COVID-19 vaccines as soon as possible. Do not delay vaccination until after you have given birth.

“It’s normal that pregnant women are cautious about making the decision to get vaccinated. The COVID-19 vaccines offered to pregnant women have a good safety profile. These vaccines do not contain live coronavirus and cannot infect a pregnant woman or her unborn baby in the womb. If you have questions, talk to your midwife or GP, and there is also information published on the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists website to help you make the decision.”

For further information on getting the COVID-19 vaccine while pregnant visit http://pha.site/covid19rcog

For further information on the flu vaccine while pregnant see http://pha.site/flupregnancyleaflet

Pregnant women can receive their vaccination at their own GP practice, local community pharmacy or Health Trusts are running special antenatal vaccination clinics – check with your local Trust for details or visit www.nidirect.gov.uk/wintervaccines