Spencer Davis via Unsplash
A new mother has shared on Reddit her concerns about her hypochondriac mom’s reluctance to get the Tdap vaccine before visiting her newborn granddaughter. In her post, the woman explains why she’s insisting her mother get vaccinated, as advised by her pediatrician before being allowed to meet the baby.
“I have a newborn, and my parents live two states away and want to come visit to see her. They are very dysfunctional, and my mom has a long history of having debilitating anxiety as well as being a hypochondriac,” she begins. Her mom, she says, lives in fear of new medications and vaccines, believing they could have fatal consequences.
The new mother explains that her baby’s pediatrician recommended that anyone spending time around the newborn should be vaccinated against the flu and whooping cough, especially those over 65. “My baby’s pediatrician said anyone who is around my newborn should have the flu shot and whooping cough vaccines (whooping cough over 65, which is just the Tdap/tetanus vaccine).”
Surprisingly, her mother did get the flu shot, which she had never done before. However, she is now balking at the idea of getting the Tdap vaccine. “Of course, she is complaining to my sister about it and saying she feels horrible. She is having a meltdown about getting the Tdap vaccine,” the woman wrote. told by Healthline.
“My entire life all I’ve heard from her is, ‘The tetanus vaccine is the worst one, I couldn’t lift my arm for three days after, and it was horrible when I got it years ago.’ She is now saying she ‘can’t tolerate the Tdap so she can’t get it.'” The woman adds that her mother has been venting to her sister instead of directly discussing it with her.
Despite her mother’s reluctance, the new mother remains firm on her stance, acknowledging that the risk of her mom transmitting whooping cough is low but still pushing for the vaccine. “I’m a nurse and I am strongly pro-vaccinating,” she explains. She ends the post by asking if she is wrong for holding this position.
Reddit users overwhelmingly supported her decision. One commenter stated, “Your baby, your decision. Just calmly tell Mumsy either she gets the vaccines, or she doesn’t see the baby.” Another echoed the sentiment, writing, “Your baby, your rules.”
Others agreed it was better to prioritize the baby’s health over her mother’s fears. “It’s reasonable to ask your parents to be vaccinated, especially since your pediatrician recommends it,” one user commented, while another added, “It’s always better to be safe than sorry.”
