This question might be dumb (vaccines)

[OrionGrad]

We're flying to Southern California later this month, and T will be just 2 days shy of 6 months. He's too young for his measles vaccine (although I've got a call out to his ped about that, since he's so close to the 6 month cutoff for kids traveling internationally, which we're not.)

I'm wondering, would he get any boost in immunity if I got a measles booster? I think some of it transfers through breastmilk, but I can't seem to find a reliable answer online.

Thoughts?

[Thirteen]

We're flying to Southern California later this month, and T will be just 2 days shy of 6 months. He's too young for his measles vaccine (although I've got a call out to his ped about that, since he's so close to the 6 month cutoff for kids traveling internationally, which we're not.)

I'm wondering, would he get any boost in immunity if I got a measles booster? I think some of it transfers through breastmilk, but I can't seem to find a reliable answer online.

Thoughts?

I want to say no, only because if you have already received your MMR, don't the titers show up in blood work during pregnancy (meaning, in theory, he has already had "an immunity boost" through breastmilk)? Don't quote me on that, though.
Anyone else?

[TulipsAndSunscreen]

Not a dumb question. I'm curious. Maybe one of our ID spouses will chime in.

[spotty_dog]

So, it's my understanding that the reason we don't vaccinate for measles before 12 months is in fact because there is maternal antibody in the baby's system until about then. I think it's passed via the placenta, not the breastmilk, and basically the maternal antibodies mount a response to the vaccine antigen, preventing baby's immune system from activating and building either antibodies or white cells of its own. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science...42682206001334 (In fact, it's my understanding that the maternal protections are kind of "worn down" by too-early exposure, leaving the baby *more* susceptible.)

I don't think virus-specific antibodies are passed through the breastmilk (at least, not antibodies to vaccine-prevented diseases?) It's more a source of general immune factors like immunoglobulins and stuff that help the immune system mount an effective defense. (Wow, that was a statement of pure dumb. Stick with the experts, LOL! --> http://kellymom.com/nutrition/milk/immunefactors/)

I think your existing immunity -- as mentioned, you'd have been tested for Rubella for sure during pregnancy, and probably Measles -- has already done its job. I definitely don't think vaccinating yourself would be beneficial, and it seems iffy if vaccinating the baby would be beneficial. Let us know what your doc thinks!

[OrionGrad]

Wow, thank you for that! I'll let you know what the ped says when I hear back.

[OrionGrad]

This just popped up in my news feed today, and since it's related I thought I'd post it here. From Dr Matthew Kronman, a pediatric infectious disease expert at Seattle Children’s:

For Babies Under 6 Months of Age: If a baby’s mother has had her MMR shots and/or had measles infection in her life she passed antibodies to her baby during fetal development while in-utero and continues to pass them passively while breastfeeding. Those antibodies provide protection for young infants and typically are thought to protect infants for up to 6 months or more. The reason babies don’t get the MMR shot sooner than a year of age is because of the persistence of these maternal antibodies — if you put a vaccine in while maternal antibodies are still around the vaccine won’t stimulate the baby’s own immune system to respond, it will just get soaked up by the maternal antibodies doing their job.

I still haven't heard back from our ped, but based on this it sounds like an early vaccine isn't necessary before our trip later this month.

[TulipsAndSunscreen]

I know for example that my brother caught a very mild case of chicken pox while BFing as a baby. I got a full blown case (I was 3.5) but he only got a few pox. As an young adult (pre-college), he had his titers checked and was not even close to immune and therefore got the chicken pox vaccine. My mother's immunity from childhood chicken pox very likely protected him.

[OrionGrad]

Finally heard back from my ped. He said we can do the mmr vaccine early (he'll be a few days shy of 6 months) if I want, but there's no right or wrong answer. I guess I'll talk to DH about it tonight and decide. I'm leaning towards getting it early and then just repeating it again at 12 months.