safe to do air travel with 7 week old - before 8 week vaccinations?

[Anonymous]

Just wondered if anyone has gotten opinions and/or has had personal experience with traveling with an infant prior to getting the first big round of vaccinations at 8 weeks? We'd like to take a trip with our infant, but our doc in general advises that it's better if infants get all the shots at 8 weeks before traveling. However, he's not necessarily telling us not to go. Thoughts?

[Anonymous]

Our pediatrician went a step farther and said no closed public spaces prior to the 2 month shots. It's a bummer but worth waiting in the long run (any fever before two months means automatic hospitalization and spinal tap for a newborn...definitely worth avoiding!).

[Anonymous]

would you really take someones opinion on this board over your doc's?

[Anonymous]

OP - Thanks for the input. This is my second so I know that fevers and any illness is not good for infants. To the PP, I'm not looking for personal opinions to override my doctor's, I'm asking what others have been told by their pediatricians b/c I know plenty of friends who have gotten the green light to fly with infants before 8 weeks and I also know a few who have even done international travel. I know my pediatrician is extremely conservative - doesn't even want me to have guests over prior to 8 weeks - which is why I'm looking for a more balanced medical opinion if others have gotten one from their doctors.

[Anonymous]

We took the train at 4 weeks and at 6 weeks to NY. We are flying this week at 9 weeks. Lots of Purell, close contact to Mom, etc. but all went fine. Though we are flying at 9 weeks we are on a delayed vaccination schedule so only received 2 of the 4 vaccines generally given at the 8 week appt. I recognize with a 5 hour flight and 3 hour time change to the west coast added in with a plane trip there is a risk, but feel confident in my travel decisions.

Are you Bfing? I may be incorrect but I think those bfing generally feel a bit more liberal in exposure risk due to the shared antibodies baby is receiving.

[Anonymous]

Just checked Dr. Sears and he says 2 weeks is the rule of thumb. I plan to fly 2-3 weeks after my 2nd DC is born since I will have a couple of job interviews that can't be delayed much after that. I would take lots of sanitizer, bf if you are doing that, and wear the baby on the plane. GL and happy travels!

[Anonymous]

You should look into what shots are given at 8 weeks. First of all, there are only a few shots given -- there are plenty of other shots that are given months and years later. In fact, some of the most common diseases that we vaccinate for, we don't get shots for until we are a year old. The other aspect to this is that the 8 week shots are only the first in a series of shots for those particular illnesses. The reality is that they do not provide - by any stretch of the imagination - full coverage against those illnesses. Honestly, I think it is weird that the pediatrician thinks they are meaningful at all in terms of truly protecting the infant at 8 weeks. The other thing is that when an 8 week old gets thier shots, their immune system is working hard to address those illnesses that have just been introduced. I would think that the week following their shots would be the *worst* time to (potentially) let them be exposed to the most common illnesses (like cold/flu, etc.).

Sorry if this was confusing! If you are breastfeeding, your baby will probably be okay. I would listen to Dr. Sears advice and wait at least two weeks. I'd also wait at least a week following shots.

Oh, and OP, it makes total sense why you'd ask here. Many doctors give different advice, so it's reasonable to ask what other doctors have told other people.

[Anonymous]

I took my 8 week baby on a 12 hour flight. He had his shots, but only a few days prior to our flight. If it wasn't for the fact that we were moving, I probably wouldn't have flown with him. Planes are vacuum sealed germ tubes. I always get sick after a flight, and felt extremely uncomfortable with my newborn on the flight. He of course didn't get sick, but I did.

[Anonymous]

Thanks so much for the great input! - OP

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just checked Dr. Sears and he says 2 weeks is the rule of thumb. I plan to fly 2-3 weeks after my 2nd DC is born since I will have a couple of job interviews that can't be delayed much after that. I would take lots of sanitizer, bf if you are doing that, and wear the baby on the plane. GL and happy travels!

I don't think you have your info correct. Dr Sears does not recommend flying with a 2 week old. That is insane.

[Anonymous]

FWIW, my pediatrician said he flew with his own baby when she was 10 days old.

[Anonymous]

We flew to CA with our 6 week old (and boy, that was the easiest trip...two years later, nightmare!) Our ped said he flew to Sweden with his kids when they were about that young. So yes, your doc is very conservative. But you should do whatever makes you feel comfortable. Spinal tap doesn't sound like a lot of fun, but cloistering yourself away with no guests for 8 weeks doesn't sound great either.

[Anonymous]

When I see this question (it comes up frequently on this board) I always think you are trying to assess other people's risk comfort level. If you think there is a low risk of your baby catching anything on the plane, then go for it. You will hear lots of people say they flew with their infants and everything was fine. BUT if you have the infant that does catch a cold, flu, etc (nothing to do with vaccinations), the treatment can be serious, possibly including hospital stay and spinal tap.

I think it's more an issue of age and ability to fight off infections than it is number of vaccines you've had before flying. I also understand the protection powers of BF but it is not the end all and be all. BF babies do get sick, and formula fed babies do stay healthy (I am EBF so this is not a knock on BF).

So, IMHO, you need to assess your own comfort level and understanding of the risk you are taking, and what you can do to mitigate the risk (hand sanitizer, wearing baby, BF, etc). If surveying people as you are doing here helps, that's great. But in the end it is you that has the sick or healthy baby.

My personal opinion--if I don't have to travel via airplane with my infant, I won't. We decided not to fly with my now 5 month old when she was younger because I wasn't comfortable with the remote chance that she might catch something. We did however drive her to a family event at 4 weeks but limited her contact with others (no reason to think my family is any "safer" than strangers on a plane).

[Anonymous]

I had a family emergency when my son was 7 weeks and needed to fly home. Our ped moved the appointment and gave him his vaccinations before we left (apparently its safe to get the shots as early as 6 weeks - but the older the better).

[Anonymous]

Flew home after an adoption with an infant at 2-1/2 weeks. All was fine.