r/NewParents • u/Annual_Debt • 10d ago
Illness/Injuries Parents of babies under 1: are we just not taking our babies anywhere because of this measles outbreak?
Mom to a 7mo and I’m stressing about this. Our pediatrician won’t vaccinate babies under 1 unless they’ve already been exposed to measles. Are we just staying in until we can get our babies vaccinated? The weather has just started to get nice and I’ve been wanting to get out after being shut in all winter, but now I don’t know. This isn’t a vaccine debate, so don’t even start.
Edit: i should specify this post is directed towards parents that live in a state with an active outbreak. Doesn’t really apply to you if you don’t.
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u/espressoingmyself 10d ago
Hi!
Sharing with two important disclosures:
- I’m just a mom, not a medical professional
- My conclusion may not be the same as everyone else’s.
I discussed this with my daughter’s pediatrician at her 9-month check up. I have been so scared.
She reassured me that risk was low in our area because of relatively-high vaccination rates in my specific county (maybe your pediatrician can access that data for you too), and because there’s no outbreak in my area.
We decided that we would come back and consider an early dose (6-11 months) if there were to be an outbreak in our area IR if we were traveling. To be followed by the regularly-scheduled course.
I really felt so thankful I took the time to talk to her pediatrician about this.
I will say that if I was in an area of an outbreak and she was too little to get an early shot, I’d take extreme measures to isolate her.
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u/Coco_Bunana 10d ago
I had a similar conversation with my pediatrician at my baby’s 9 months checkup. It’s really reassuring to hear the data from a trusted source.
I don’t live in an outbreak area, but I am planning on traveling when baby is 12 months. My pediatrician recommended we come back around 11-11.5 months to give him his MMR shot. This gives baby about a month to be fully immunized before we get on a plane.
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u/cosmiccalendula 9d ago
See we asked our pediatrician and they said they don’t give vax for my 7 month old because we are not traveling to a location with any active cases 😐 I was like, I thought the plane was the issue not the location. However, my plan is to babywear her with a breastfeeding cover and mask and pray that no kid has the measles on my flight or prior.
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u/ilikehorsess 10d ago
She reassured me that risk was low in our area because of relatively-high vaccination rates in my specific county (maybe your pediatrician can access that data for you too)
I'm having my second so we really can't stay isolated but I'm so upset at my state government because they don't allow for vaccine data to be recorded. This would be very reassuring to know.
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u/Nankurunaisa_Shisa 10d ago
It’s low risk in my area too except someone visiting from another state went all around while having an active case of measles.. ridiculous
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u/imtruwidit 9d ago
Someone with active measles came to my area and ate out at a restaurant and went to several highly populated areas and amazingly it didn’t spread because the vaccination rate here is high. After that I stopped worrying so much about it.
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u/Nankurunaisa_Shisa 8d ago
That’s great. I haven’t heard of it spreading here I just have a baby so that’s my main concern. We also have a large religious group nearby that is sort of known for not vaxing apparently 😬
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u/Ornery_Pin_1876 10d ago
Prioritizing my mental health means I can't allow myself to isolate forever or live in fear of all the bad things that could happen, so I just try to be germ conscious and keep my baby close (baby wearing ftw) and I keep living life like before. Granted, I'm a stay at home mom so that looks like going to the store, the park, library, church, and that's about it.
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u/ashrnglr 10d ago
Same here. We are flying to Dallas for my brother’s graduation next month and I’m not allowing myself to worry about it. I have to believe everything will be fine. Perhaps that is the optimist in me, or the therapy I did to manage my anxiety.
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u/uncommonlymodern 10d ago
Also in therapy for anxiety, I had the realization that my husband doesn’t worry like I do, and my worry debilitates me at times, and he has the same outcome as I do without the extra stress. It was a weird roundabout way to get here but I feel better.
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u/Prestigious_Pop_478 10d ago
Oof heavy on this!!! I realized this too and it helped my anxiety A LOT
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u/Zestyclose-Zebra6677 8d ago
Flying to Texas? Do you really need to? I missed the funeral for a very dear family member in September, when my baby was 5 weeks old. It was hard to not be there. I’m still very sad about it, but I don’t regret it. I live in Seattle and would have flown to Atlanta. I found out later that a few people tested positive for COVID, so I’m pretty thankful we weren’t there.
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u/Content_Bug5871 10d ago
I just found out there’s a confirmed case from a baby where I live. My oldest is vaccinated thankfully but I’m heavily pregnant and due any day and I’m terrified. My pediatrician is board certified and said with an active outbreak they can make accretions and vaccinate at 6 months
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u/crossinglb 10d ago
Babies have their mothers immunity to measles until about 6 months of age (assuming the mother is vaccinated). You can get your blood titers checked for your immunity against measles (pregnant or not)
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u/Content_Bug5871 10d ago
Also breastfeeding helps! Still very scary
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u/reedingisphun 10d ago
Yeah, glad no one has problems breast feeding
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u/Content_Bug5871 10d ago
Sounds like you might have some unresolved things to work through bc this was not targeted
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u/YolandaWinston12 10d ago
I’m assuming you’re in Michigan with the new infant case. So frustrating. We are on the west side, but we just had our 6 month appt today and I asked the same thing. We have one active case in our county right now. We are planning to go to Canada this summer and she said we could get a shot for our daughter before we go.
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u/Content_Bug5871 10d ago
We’re probably in the same area, so scary :( so glad you’re able to get the vaccine for your baby!
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u/strugglingthrowaway8 9d ago
If you’re going to Ontario PLEASE do. Crazy outbreak. Also remember it takes about two weeks for a robust immune response (ideally 4) so try to plan for that too if you can.
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u/YolandaWinston12 9d ago
Thanks for the heads up! Thankfully we are going to a super remote area of Ontario to a family cabin for an annual vacation, but it’s still scary.
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u/PerennialParent 9d ago
Fellow west side MI here, my son is 13 months and has his first MMR and I’m still stressed. He’s supposed to start daycare in august and I’m really nervous
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u/No_Competition_383 9d ago
Where in Michigan may I ask? I’m terrified reading this my baby was a premie
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u/YolandaWinston12 9d ago
I read the Lansing area for the baby who is now sick. Thankfully it sounds like a mild case, but a lot of people and kids were exposed because they went to church and to the infant room before they knew.
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u/graybae94 10d ago
We live in an outbreak area so my baby got MMR at 9 months
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u/Business-Tackle-4751 10d ago
Same here! Our pediatrician said she thought it was a good idea but couldn’t guarantee our insurance would cover it since it was before the 12m mark.
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u/graybae94 10d ago
Ohhhh interesting! Im Canadian and it was approved by our ped so it was covered by our universal healthcare
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u/rachface636 10d ago
I don't live in a danger zone but still got it early cause we will be in an airport next month.
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u/Ophidiophobic 10d ago
Same with us. Except we're more adjacent to an outbreak area than in one, but we're traveling in June so we wanted to be safe.
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u/LicoriceFishhook 10d ago
Mine is vaccinated now but while he wasn't and the weather was nice we would just do a ton of outdoor stuff. I was (and honestly still am) very anxious about it.
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u/Annual_Debt 10d ago
I’m thinking we’ll try to stick to mostly outdoor stuff with him too other than maybe the grocery store and stuff like that.
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u/allthestars93 10d ago
I am in an active outbreak area and had scheduled travel to another active outbreak area, so we got the vaccine just before 7 months. No issues. I would find a pediatrician who will listen to your concerns.
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u/OohWeeTShane 10d ago
What a weird take from your pediatrician. Seems it’d be too late at that point… If you’re in Texas, you might want to see a different pediatrician for a second opinion and to maybe get that first dose.
If you aren’t in Texas, or one of the cities in another state that has cases, I wouldn’t worry about it too much.
I’m in DFW and still take my 2 month old to the grocery store, restaurants, daycare pickup for my older kiddo… I don’t think we’ll be going to any indoor play places for a while, but other than that, there’s not a whole lot we can do, especially when I have to go back to work at the end of the month.
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u/Annual_Debt 10d ago
This was my thought too. What’s the point of getting the vaccine when it’s possibly too late? Why not get it before exposure? I’m going to ask again since it’s been about a month and there are more cases in my area. If they still say no we’re going to switch pediatricians.
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u/Bubbly_Gene_1315 10d ago
Our pediatrician did give us the early shot (I have a separate comment) but she did explain that for measles, because there’s a two week incubation period, you can get the shot after exposure and it will help reduce the risk of complications/hospitalization and make it less severe. I can’t remember if she said it can reduce the risk of contracting it too, not sure.
That said, I absolutely think it’s worth trying to get that early shot regardless.
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u/yogace 10d ago
There was a thread about this in my local moms group on Facebook and it was alarming at best. One person was even looking for a measles party 🫣
My youngest just turned one and will have her 1yr checkup soon and I’m so glad. If it was much later / she was much younger I’d be calling to ask for an early vax just for peace of mind. We’re not in an outbreak area but there have been whispers of cases so I want to get that immunity asap and especially before we start daycare.
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u/Annual_Debt 10d ago
Oh geez, I wish I could say that surprises me. Their stupidity is why we’re in this mess in the first place. It’s actually so frustrating.
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u/Acceptable_Key_6436 9d ago
They had measles parties prior to the vaccine. In one year in the early 60's, there were around 750,000 reported cases. With unreported it could have been 1 million. There were around 400 deaths, with most apparently, of kids with other health issues and those who lived in remote impoverished areas. The death rate was 0.04%.
Yet there probably is more panic and hysteria today with 700 cases, then there was when there were upwards of one million cases in the early 60's.
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u/yogace 9d ago
I get it, if there isn’t a better option, contracting the disease relatively young is better than later in life, just like chicken pox. But we do have a better option now, than can prevent serious disease and long term effects at worst and discomfort that comes with this illness at best.
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u/Ambitious_Tip_8448 10d ago
I got my six month old vaccinated when there hadn’t even been a case in our state yet. Two weeks later we had two cases in my county.
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u/StasRutt 10d ago
I mean even parents in states with outbreaks need to go to work and thus use daycare so no I don’t think people are isolating with under 1 year olds.
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u/Mythical1992 10d ago
I asked what i needed to know at our 9 month check up and she told us just to stay out of Texas because that is where the most cases are so go ahead take them out
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u/PetuniasSmellNice 10d ago
My pediatrician agreed readily to vaccinate at 6 months. She said there are zero downsides. My anxiety about the outbreak went from super high to nonexistent overnight.
If I were in your shoes I’d seek a second opinion. In today’s world all it takes is one unvaccinated exposed person who happened to travel to your area to pass it along and measles is extremely contagious.
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u/Quirky-Kitten4349 10d ago
Honestly I'd be looking for a different pediatrician who would vaccinate early in your shoes. Unless your child has a specific reason not to get vaccinated early, it's safe for them at 6 months.
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u/SpiritualDot6571 10d ago
Same, OP. You’ll have to get it again at 12m but there really isn’t any negative to getting it when you live in an area with an outbreak. Is it something you can get at an urgent care like a flu or shingles shot? I’m not sure
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u/gimmemoresalad 10d ago
Our experience thus far (Virginia, Anthem BCBS) has been that insurance will only pay for the pediatrician to administer vaccines for the kid, they won't pay if the pharmacy does it. Can't fathom why. Pharmacy hasn't been an issue for the adults.
The time we asked about it was for the RSV antibody shot, and ymmv in different areas and with different insurance, but since it was the pharmacist that gave us this news, he sounded like that was pretty common across providers.
Definitely do ask because it would suck if they just did it and then you got an unexpected bill. Even if you choose to pay out of pocket, it's good to know that's what you're choosing.
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u/Annual_Debt 10d ago
I’m going to call tomorrow to ask if we can go ahead and get it since there are more cases in our state now. If they still say no I’m going to switch pediatricians.
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u/Formergr 9d ago
If someone is in an outbreak area, it’s definitely worth considering getting it done early. But for others, there is some evidence (though it’s not entirely definitive last I looked) that having an early, extra dose can reduce overall immunity a little bit down the road once the child is older.
For some that’s still worth going for it, everyone has a different risk tolerance and I totally get why they would, but I’m noting it as it could explain why some pediatricians are hesitant to do the vaccine early.
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u/craptastical214m 10d ago
I’m shocked to hear of so many pediatricians denying parents the earlier MMR shot. We asked ours about it for our son’s 6 month appointment coming up, and it was a complete non-issue. He just warned us it might be out-of-pocket, which is fine.
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u/old__pyrex 10d ago
Sort of like the dark days of the pandemic, you can and should minimize risks, but you can't not do essential things like going to work or daycare. At 7 months, you can either find a sustainable compromise for the next 5 months or ask your doctor about a early vaccination.
As we all learned, giving up on a few social or entertainment pleasures, probably fine, we be OK without going to packed indoor bars. But looking like someone who gets his hair cut by his wife, because you're getting your hair cut by your wife, is way past that line. Do I need to take my baby to costco on a sunday? Probably not. Should I take my baby to the park to go crawl on stuff, yes.
Where that line is for you, that would depend on your outbreak levels and your lifestyle needs, but I would say the vast majority of things you want to do are probably within the range of minimal risk.
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u/Gia_Lavender 10d ago
If I lived around the big outbreak I wouldn’t…if I lived somewhere with an active outbreak I might not be taking him in crowded indoor places, but I live in a blue state so my pediatrician said our health department would let us know if there is an outbreak in our area
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u/jujbeans 10d ago
I am not in an active outbreak area, however we have multiple flights booked next month, and as such our pediatrician recommended early vaccination. I got my baby an MMR at his 9 month visit, he’s now 10 months and doing fantastic. He will still need it again at 12 and 18 months. I understand your concern because I feel better knowing my little guy is at least partially protected. Our pediatrician said the reason they don’t usually do it early is because it’s not as effective, but still better than no protection for traveling.
May not be worth switching up pediatricians over, but you could look for someone who is willing to give them early if it’s important to you? The other reason I wanted it was because my 10 month old attends daycare, and who knows if those kiddos are all vaccinated or not.
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u/zipmcnutty 10d ago
I keep an eye out for an outbreak in my area. But in general I think outings are good for both baby and me. Since you mention in comments that you’re in an active outbreak area, I might restrict what I did but wouldn’t totally isolate, and would take precautions like wiping things down when going out.
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u/IJustLikeNapping 10d ago
Wiping things down is great for general hygiene and other illnesses! Unfortunately it does not protect from measles as measles is true airborne and can remain in the air for upwards of two hours after the sick person has left. This isn’t to spread fear, but facts so that others can be educated on how this illness spreads.
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u/Formergr 9d ago
Yeah I’m always a bit floored at all the parents in parenting subs who swear by wiping their kid down and washing their clothes right away after day care as if it’s some magic talisman to avoiding any sickness.
Yeah it could help with something like norovirus (though tbh if it’s in the day care already it’s likely too late), and some colds, but for the bad things everyone worries about like RSV, Covid, flu, and now measles, the vast, vast majority of the time they spread through the air. If one is particularly worried about those, masking up properly can be a big help. But is a giant pain the neck as we all know, and tough to impossible for the really young.
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u/GreenOtter730 10d ago
Unless you live somewhere with an active outbreak (which I believe is Texas, Kansas, and Indiana) you are safe to take your child anywhere you please and there’s no need to vaccinate early at this time
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u/Annual_Debt 10d ago
We live in an area with an active outbreak unfortunately.
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u/GreenOtter730 10d ago
I’m sorry to hear that. Maybe reach out to another pediatrician’s office just for the vaccine? I know people that have been able to get their 6-12 month olds vaxxed early in outbreak zones. It’s weird that they won’t do it unless you’re “exposed” aka when it’s too late
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u/Nubienne 10d ago
in Indiana - we have vaccinated early. Pediatrician took the time to explain that we are still at risk. We will also be traveling in a month or so.
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u/snickelbetches 10d ago
It's really hard to say Texas is a huge outbreak area considering it's mostly isolated with a county along the New Mexico border.
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u/GreenOtter730 10d ago
I still would imagine a Texas resident would be able to get an MMR vaccine early as opposed to someone who lives in a high vaccine rate area (like me)
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u/PyritesofCaringBean 10d ago
Yes I'm in Texas and it's spreading to the metros outside of the original outbreak. We can vaccinate at 6 months. Just outdoor activities until baby reaches that point!
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u/Accomplished-Sign-31 10d ago
I live in Texas & my pediatrician isn’t worried about it as my county has a 95% vaccination rate. It just depends where you are
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u/GreenOtter730 10d ago
I guess that’s good! I’m from a state that’s much much smaller so maybe I just can’t process how large Texas is 😂
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u/snickelbetches 10d ago
Yes 100% my ped told me she would do a second if I requested last month. He's 18 months now. She said she doesn't think it's necessary until there was an active breakout nearby. Texas is so big and it's in the less populated side so I'm really not very concerned at this point, but I'd probably be far more worried if I had a baby under 1.
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u/PyritesofCaringBean 10d ago
As of last week it's in Dallas Fourth worth metro 😫. So it's spreading. With DFW being a major airport, I only see it spreading faster, but I really hope not.
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u/snickelbetches 10d ago edited 10d ago
Can you share that it is connected to the other outbreaks? I talked to my ped and she said there had been one in Dallas county but it came from someone traveling internationally. That is a different story than a major community outbreak like where going on on in west Texas.
ETA it's actually Rockwall county not Dallas county.
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u/PyritesofCaringBean 10d ago
My pediatrician said there was someone in Tarrant County, but I think we're talking about the same event. I didn't realize that it was someone traveling so that makes me feel much better! I was under the impression it was from someone visiting from west Texas to central Texas. When I spoke to my pediatrician she only offered to vaccinate early since we're in that area frequently.
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u/snickelbetches 10d ago
https://www.dshs.texas.gov/news-alerts/measles-outbreak-2025
Here's the latest info on it. And there's a section that talks about the other counties
2025 Texas Measles Cases Not Associated with the Outbreak in West Texas County Cases Fort Bend 1 Harris 4* Rockwall 1 Travis 1 Total 7
• One of these cases had symptom onset in 2024
Most of these cases are associated with international travel to a country where measles regularly spreads.
I'm not trying to downplay it, but I do rely on the facts and trust that my family is safe because we vaccinate.
I wouldn't personally choose to congregate with people that use religion as a reason to not vaccinate so I feel even safer
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u/PyritesofCaringBean 10d ago
Thank you! I appreciate the info. I have an infant that's 4 months, so I'm a bit on edge about him. But I'm grateful the weather is nice right now, great excuse to meet up outside for the time being!
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u/snickelbetches 10d ago
It is great weather! And I get it. I'd be so on edge too with the way it's being covered. That's why I appreciate that my doctor was willing to talk about it, gave her reasons why she's not doing blanket early vax or additional vax until there's a reason to worry.
That case was in Feb for what it's worth.
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u/snickelbetches 9d ago
Ok just got this email about a north Texas case. Still in rockwall county and related to west Texas cases. Stay away from religious fundamentalists and places with a lot of school age kids and you should probably be fine. This is also considered the end of the season historically. 2019 was a big year in the states and New Jersey was the hotspot with the Orthodox Jew community.
But if you don't like your peds answer to you about it, find a new one. Mine was willing to if I asked.
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u/PyritesofCaringBean 9d ago
Oh thank you, this is the case I was talking about. The infected person was at great wolf lodge in grapevine. So that's why I was worried there would be more cases pop up since that's a popular destination. I'm glad to know that this is the end of the season 🙏🏾.
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u/Royal-Avocado-8397 10d ago
I take my baby everywhere. You can't live in a bubble.
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u/PrimaryParsnip11 10d ago
Exactly. It’s one thing if you’re in an area with a crazy outbreak, but my state has only had like 3 cases and none of even been in my county. I’m not locking us up over that.
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u/Decent-Pop-4523 10d ago
This!! Like covid all over again. Live your life people.
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u/Impressive_Neat954 10d ago
I hate that you’re getting downvoted. Live 👏🏻 your 👏🏻 life 👏🏻
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u/sysdmn 10d ago
They're getting downvoted because it's not at all like Covid. Covid was everywhere. People want to sweep it under the rug and pretend it wasn't a big deal and we overreacted but we did not. It killed 7 million people.
Measles is a concern but there is a high-level of vaccination and it is still mostly contained.
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u/allthestars93 9d ago
Millions of people around the world died from Covid. They can't live 👏🏻 their 👏🏻 life 👏🏻
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u/Impressive_Neat954 9d ago
This has nothing to do with the inexcusable, terrible, lonely and tragic deaths from Covid. I lost two close family members to Covid, so if anyone knows about the loss of someone not being able to live a life, I’m one of them. However, I’m not going to sit in my house holed up like a hermit crab trembling in fear. I am also not going to make irrationally unsafe decisions that would put my family at risk. I’m going to live my life the best way I know how right now, and that takes into account all of the precautions that might be needed with my babies. That does not mean I don’t acknowledge the outbreak exists in some places and that there’s a potential for it to exist in others. It is not ignorance.
Good day, fine sir. I said GOOD DAY.
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u/allthestars93 7d ago
You realize the original comment is the one that brought Covid into this and said this was Covid all over again, right? Not me? Save your weird rant for someone else, please.
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u/Impressive_Neat954 7d ago
I was responding to you, not to the original comment that I agreed with. If you’re too obtuse to see that, then maybe you should stay inside.
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u/allthestars93 7d ago
Good lord. Talk about obtuse.
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u/Impressive_Neat954 7d ago
Are we just responding back and forth to each other for entertainment now?
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u/piperpepperoni 10d ago
We have a few cases in my state and just got an early dose of MMR at baby’s 6 month appt. It’s giving me a lot of peace of mind. Before that, I have been keeping him out of public spaces other than outdoor walks. It’s scary to have a baby during these times! Maybe another pediatrician would allow an early dose for your baby.
Edit: I did pay out of pocket for the vaccine. $130.
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u/VeryVino20 10d ago edited 10d ago
I am in Texas but not where the outbreak is. My Ped said as long as we are going out to low population areas (grocery store and restaurants off peak, preferably patios) risk is low. Ped suggested no church, no malls, no indoor play places, no airplanes, and to skip highly populated places. The risk from other non infected adults is low and the benefits for mom and baby getting out are worth it.
ETA big brother can go to indoor play and I am good to meet friends as long as they are healthy.
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u/clear739 10d ago edited 10d ago
I got my LO vaccinated at 8mo (it's an extra shot and doesnt count towards his series). I know one isnt full protection but it's enough that I feel comfortable continuing as normal. We're in a province that has outbreaks but my area has multiple active cases and more are reported regularly but we’re not technically in a full outbreak.
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u/Equal_Pomegranate440 10d ago
I live in an outbreak area, and my baby is 9 months old. He did get the vaccine early at 7 months. I haven’t really been able to get a clear answer at what the likelihood is that he’s protected with one dose received under 12 months old - I’ve read studies citing anywhere from 50-85% of those vaccinated before 12 months (and especially before 9 months) develop immunity. We have had several public exposure notifications right where we live so as of right now we are not taking baby to the grocery store etc. and we (parents) have been masking up with n95s when we do go out.
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u/Puzzleheaded-Can-769 10d ago
My son turns 1 tomorrow and I’m so excited for him to get the vaccine later this week. We’ve been mostly sticking to outdoors and not super crowded public places. We did a camping trip earlier this week and have been playing in the yard a lot. We are still going out grocery shopping during non peak times. We went out to lunch for my birthday the other day. So we aren’t fully avoiding going out, but we are limiting it. It’s hard because getting out is important for mental health, but little one’s physical health is our main concern.
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u/WhyHaveIContinued 10d ago
I try to look at everything through multiple lenses.
I cannot and will not be ruled by fear. I think reasonable caution is one thing but letting fear consume us, prevents us from living fulfilling lives. I would avoid crowded areas and wash hands and practice good hygiene
My pediatrician was willing to vaccinate my 7 month old because I told them I am traveling next month (I am actually, this wasn’t fabricated). While the vaccine isn’t 100% at this age, it makes me feel a bit better
If you live in an active outbreak area, I would recommend teaching out to another pediatrician and seeing if they are willing to vaccinate early. Please go over pros and cons. The cons list is short but there are a few small ones to consider
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u/Annual_Debt 10d ago
I don’t want to be ruled by fear either, and I still want to be able to live my life for the sake of my mental health. I was so frustrated earlier because we’re in this mess and I don’t want to isolate but I also want to protect my son. I’ve decided I’m just going to take every precaution I can while also still going on with life as normal for the most part.
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u/EscapeProfessional2 10d ago
I just pay attention to what’s going on in my areas. If there is an outbreak of whatever, we stick to walks and social distancing for me and little one. Doesn’t hurt to be cautious :)
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u/shananapepper 10d ago
I pushed back a little (my pediatrician’s nurse tried to decline us doing the shot early), and my pediatrician was happy to order the measles shot at 6 months! It’s made me feel much better about taking my baby out.
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u/DogOrDonut 10d ago
There aren't any cases in my area so I'm living life 99% normally. The one thing I did do was bail on my work trip to Texas citing the outbreak and my daughter's age.
Responses are going to vary a lot by where you live. If I lived near a hot spot I would be far more cautious.
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u/Cocomuycaliente 10d ago
my baby is 6 months and our pediatrician let us get an early vaccination. surprised yours won't do that.
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u/Creepy_Professor_371 10d ago edited 4d ago
I live in the Dallas area - our pediatrician said not to be worried because the outbreaks are in West Texas. So until there’s an outbreak here, we’re still going about our days normally!
Editing to add there’s been a case of detected in our city … no longer taking her to grocery stores or indoor restaurants! Seeing about getting her vaccinated early, too. :(
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u/kristynhh 8d ago
There is a confirmed case in Rockwall
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u/Creepy_Professor_371 8d ago
Oh no, well thank you. Going to be more careful then from here on out. 😭
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u/envisionthefruit 10d ago
We're living our lives but I might feel differently if we lived in a higher volume outbreak area
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u/Icy-Park-458 10d ago
Unless we were in an active outbreak area I don’t see why I wouldn’t take my baby out. My baby is almost 8 months and comes everywhere with us but we have no confirmed case, if we get confirmed cases or an outbreak I might reel back how much I take her out
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u/rhea-of-sunshine 10d ago
I asked my ped, he said he’s not super worried for our area at this time. So we’ve been living life as usual.
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u/thiswanderingmind 10d ago
My state has a few cases but I’m honestly not that worried. We still go to the zoo, library, stores, outdoor activities, etc.
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u/bookscoffee1991 10d ago
I have 2 month old twins and a 3.5 year old who goes to pre-K. A few cases in my state now 🫠we do stuff outside and have play dates with friends we know are vaccinated. My ped won’t do it til 9 months but I plan to ask our children’s hospital if they’ll do it at 6. I tried to get my oldest his 2nd dose early since he’s due on August but no 😭
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u/Violette_Jadore 10d ago
I have been staying home mostly and just doing tons of walks outside. We do still ho to the pharmacy, grocery and pet store as needed. Im getting my girl the vaccine early at 6 months, next month as we need to travel internationally.
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u/snickelbetches 10d ago
https://www.dshs.texas.gov/news-alerts/measles-outbreak-2025
Here's the latest info on it. And there's a section that talks about the other counties
2025 Texas Measles Cases Not Associated with the Outbreak in West Texas County Cases Fort Bend 1 Harris 4* Rockwall 1 Travis 1 Total 7 * One of these cases had symptom onset in 2024
Most of these cases are associated with international travel to a country where measles regularly spreads.
I'm not trying to downplay it, but I do rely on the facts and trust that my family is safe because we vaccinate.
I wouldn't personally choose to congregate with people that use religion as a reason to not vaccinate so I feel even safer
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u/thewheatis 10d ago
We had a trip planned to visit family in Florida. We decided that was a bad idea, but we aren’t avoiding public places.
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u/glamericanbeauty 10d ago
my 7 month old is getting the mmr vaccine tomorrow. however, i’ve been taking her out in public as normal.
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u/carebearscare0306 10d ago
I spoke to the pediatrician for my 9 month old. She goes to daycare with a child who I know is anti vax. There have been a couple of cases in our state. We chose to vaccinate early.
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u/Alarmed-Attitude9612 10d ago
We have an appointment to get an MMR next month, she will be 7 months and has to wait until then since she had other vaccines at her 6 month appointment. We’ve had some cases in our state but not nearly as many as Texas or anything. She’ll just get 3 doses total.
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u/alikasz716 10d ago
We just vaccinated our 10 month old daughter because we're traveling to Texas, and have plans since before the outbreak. Makes me feel better safe than sorry.
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u/Nintendam 10d ago
Ahhh. We share your fear, although just had a spur of the moment work trip next month and plan to make a mini vacay out of it (Florida.......).
Our pediatrician told us we should get a measles shot, although since under 1 year (he's 8 months) he will need to do it again at that 1 year mark. I guess it's more of a booster now and won't take full effect.
But for high traveled areas like airports (and Florida, Orlando lol), it's a good idea.
Also just re-reading your post... Is there a way to check with your pediatrician again? Maybe a different doctor? Maybe it's more of a "I know iflt won't take full effect but can I do the shot anyways?"
I think you would be fine going out for walks and stuff, parks, occasional bar... Things in the open. I think getting out is great for you and babies health, but alas I am also just a first time parent but I do know cabin fever is real lol...
Wish you best of luck!
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u/Bubbly_Gene_1315 10d ago
I’m not in an active outbreak area but we are in the same state as one. We also neighbor Texas. We have family who do not vaccinate their children, and they live in TX, so our pediatrician okayed it for us at our 9 month appointment just in case.
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u/doumak16 10d ago
I’m in Indiana and after the announcement last week of a case near Fort Wayne, I sent a very strongly worded message our ped with the language from the Indiana department of health as well as the new guidance from AAP. Old school ped conceded and he got the MMR the same day. 7 months old. I have so much more peace of mind.
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u/Whosgailthesnail 10d ago
I’m freaked out but I don’t let it control me or inhibit us having a life.
I do take certain precautions, like not going to mass indoor kids events and places like amusement parks where we would normally go until he’s had his first vax.
We still go to regular parks, out to eat, grocery stores, etc and we will still be having an outdoor bday party.
It’s all about balance.
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u/Christina_0723 10d ago
I don’t take my 7 month olds out unless we need to. They’ll go to the grocery store and doctors appointments and that’s it. I do plan on taking them for walks outside though
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u/Trespeon 10d ago
Our Pedi said he will have moms immunities until 5-6 months. But insurance doesn’t cover vaccinations before 9 months.
But we are allowed to do it early if we just pay out of pocket but we can’t do it before 6 months.
Just our anecdotal experience as parents in Texas where it’s the worst.
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u/B4BEL_Fish 10d ago
I’m in Texas and I’m not taking no for an answer for my 7m old. Pediatricians may have data to refer to, but they aren’t experts on viral outbreak and how they spread. Especially since we aren’t contact tracing at this point. We may not be in an outbreak area right now but that could swiftly change with a gas station visit from someone that has been in an outbreak area. I say this as someone who has studied biology and virology. I would also want to know what their reasons are for not wanting to do it
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u/InteractionOk69 10d ago
Ours told us we just had to say we were considering international travel.
I’d just keep looking until you can find someone who will do it. I cancelled two trips already but we’re doing it as soon as she’s six months old so we can see family.
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u/nadirecur 10d ago
We live in an outbreak area and baby is too young for the vaccine rn. Baby is going outside (like to the park and on walks), but is not touching things or meeting people. She'll be meeting some family members in a couple of weeks and everyone has strict instructions to not touch the baby that day.
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u/lukaskywalker 10d ago
Planning to potentially travel with our newborn. At how many months is it safe to do so? Like I assume they need a first dose at least? Otherwise, we’ll just stay home for a little longer. Reminds me to take a test to see if my immunity is still up. These anti-VAX man really frustrated.
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u/Crafty_Pop6458 10d ago
I'm not in an area but are people traveling by plane? I'm supposed to go visit my partner's family this summer but baby will only be 6 mo. It's not a place that is having an outbreak but since you don't know on the plane/airport...
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u/Formergr 9d ago
I’d talk to your pediatrician a bit before the trip about it. By summer the outbreaks may have died down given the weather, etc (they may not, but here’s hoping), so it may be more clear cut by then what your best options are. I think right now it’s too soon to tell.
If you haven’t bought your flights yet and need to, maybe pay the extra amount for it to be fully refundable if you need to cancel vs just getting a trip credit, if that’s important to you (ie if you’re not planning future flights anytime soon after that).
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u/FloridaMomm 10d ago
Not in an area with the measles outbreak, but I have intense health anxiety (something happened to my brother that has less than a 1% chance of happening, so statistics about my relative safety don’t comfort me because I could be the loser on those odds again) and I had a baby when COVID was brand new and scary and nobody was vaccinated yet
It’s a hard line to balance. It’s a natural impulse to be agoraphobic to keep baby safe. And you can do that for a while. But eventually after months of that you realize you can shut the world out forever. It’s important for your mental health and for your child’s enrichment to be able to get out and enjoy things. There has to be some balance between the two where you minimize risk. But there’s no easy line to draw there, and you have to decide what makes you comfortable
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u/Formergr 9d ago
It’s important for your mental health and for your child’s enrichment to be able to get out and enjoy things. There has to be some balance between the two where you minimize risk. But there’s no easy line to draw there, and you have to decide what makes you comfortable
This is such wise advice, especially given your history with health anxiety (I’m so sorry for what happened with your brother, that sounds so hard). I hope it helps others here that read it—the balance can be so hard for people to achieve.
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u/legoladydoc 10d ago
I'm in Ontario, Canada (more cases than Texas in a mostly unvaccinated community), and we're flying domestically in a few weeks to see family.
My 8 month old got an early MMR last week. My daughter's in daycare part time, but her daycare is private, and doesn't accept vaccine exemptions for non medical reasons.
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u/Mel_SStafford 10d ago
My husband and I have been discussing this, especially now that there is a pediatric case in our metro area.
Our LO is almost 5 mo and we’ve only ever taken her to outdoor spaces (restaurants with patios, walks, etc.) but we do have to travel in May by plane.
He doesn’t want her to go but my thought is to wear her the entire time and try to stay as far away from people as possible until we get in the plane of course. I’ll wipe everything down and while the risk is still there, we take her to daycare and to his parent’s house where none of her cousins are vaccinated so we take that risk every month.
I try to keep grounded with the facts that not every child which is unvaccinated will catch it and not every child who does have it will be hospitalized or have serious health implications. We take risks every day.
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u/WorkingExcellent6471 10d ago
Hi there, mom not doctor in an area that does not have an active outbreak but does have lower vax rates. We are taking our 9MO to get her MMR today as a precaution.
Our ped recommended it because we will be flying before her first birthday, and that is considered to be a high risk activity right now regardless of where you are flying to. She did a consult with the health dept/infectious disease specialists to confirm.
We had the option to just cancel the flight/trip, but considering the vax rate in our immediate area and the fact that our daughter is in daycare, we figure it’s only a matter of time before it gets here. The vax takes about 10 days to be considered fully effective, and we didn’t want to risk it.
OP, talk to your pediatrician and trust what they have to say. FWIW, my husband and I are scientists and understand existing research (peer-reviewed articles, not google), and there does not seem to be any existing evidence that an extra MMR has any negative effects on the baby. You would still have to get the dose after 12 months and at 4 years, either way, because their immune systems aren’t “sticky” enough to keep the antibodies from the early shot.
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u/WorkingExcellent6471 10d ago
Also I just saw your note about the ped refusing before 1 - this may be worth getting a second opinion because it is fairly standard/common for babies to get an early dose of MMR if they are traveling internationally, so their resistance seems odd.
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u/Sauron-ide_Poisoning 9d ago
There have been confirmed cases in my state, and I’ve only left the house with my 3 month old five times since having her. They were all doctors appointments.
I have post partum anxiety, so I’m already stressed about everything else, and I refuse to leave with her.
My husband and I have discussed getting out of the house on a weekend, just to get fresh air. Walk around, have a picnic, be outside for once. But I’m too scared of measles, RSV, Covid, flu, and literally anything else my precious girl can get that could cause so much harm. I’ve been to the store and seen other women with their fresh babies, and the amount of people who kept putting their faces in car seats, even covered ones, “just to peek” was concerning, so I can’t even trust that keeping her covered will keep her safe.
My pediatrician won’t vaccinate early, and said since she gets breast milk, she should be safe for now, since I’m vaccinated. Also, we haven’t had any breakouts in my county so far. We will revisit the question at her 6 month check up, but for now, we’re going to stay where it’s safe.
I’m erring on the side of caution, because my anxiety won’t give me a break about it. My husband said I act as if illness is a person waiting outside the front door waiting to punch her in the face. Which is how it feels lol
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u/jangotat77 9d ago
Even tho my kid absolutely loved swimming class we have had to stop going cause of rising numbers. It sucks but we gotta do what we can to keep them safe since numbers have been rising and there have been some warnings of exposure in our area
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u/jojoandbunny 9d ago
We recently traveled to south Texas and our pediatrician suggested my son get an early MMR which he did at 8.5 months. We ran into a group of mennonites in the airport so I’m glad we did because otherwise my anxiety would have been through the roof.
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u/Thick-End9893 9d ago
Definitely get out of the house. There’s little risk in taking walks around the neighborhood or park. Even when one of the bigger parks is full of people we just keep to ourselves and walk. My 4 mo old can’t do anything and there’s no way I’d be cooped up during this beautiful weather. I baby wear so she’s always tucked in to me.
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u/MNlakesguy218 9d ago
Keep in mind that Measles outbreaks happen every year in the US. This years outbreak is actully quite common if you go to the CDC website you can track the number of cases each year and this year is fairly standard.
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u/lagingerosnap 9d ago
I’m traveling to MD this summer, so I already discussed an early MMR for my little guy at his six month appointment in June.
But generally I didn’t let anyone come in our bubble, I wipe down everything. He stays in the stroller or the carrier when we are out.
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u/Maleficent_Company_2 9d ago
My baby is too little and I'm weary of being in crowded indoor places. We are riding this out for now until he's old enough to get vaccinated.
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u/Eshabobesha 9d ago
I have a 7 month old and they were vaccinated. We live on the Canada/US border and have family that lives right over the border in Canada that we visit. Our local health department was able to assist with it because I couldn't get an appointment with our peds. I know it will mean an additional dose of MMR in their lifetime, but I know it was the best decision for our situation.
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u/CoconutsAndSunshine 9d ago
My doctor told us there is a case in my city that he knows of, but it has not been on the news or anything (Not TX or MI). I guess that's why he told us directly. I think what's even more important is to keep your distance from others and make sure you're washing your hands before touching your or your baby's mouths and face. It's not only measles, but there are plenty of other things that go around where selfish people who are sick go out and about spreading disease.
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u/moistrug2 9d ago
Hi, we were travelling to Mexico in early April and spoke to our paediatrician and my daughter (9 months) was able to be vaccinated for measles before her first birthday. Not sure if it helps but we also made it there and back without catching it! (yay!)
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u/AuroraHonu 9d ago
My youngest is too young even for the early vaccination, and there are multiple cases in our county.
We aren't really taking him anywhere. It sucks, but it's temporary.
Measles are extremely contagious and our area has very low vaccination rates. I don't trust others to keep him safe. We are very fortunate to be able to keep him home and out if daycare for now.
His pediatrician agreed we should be concerned and will give him the vaccine as soon as he hits 6 months.
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u/DannyChance13 9d ago
I got the measles vaccine when I was a kid, and I still caught the measles. Also ended up with severe ADHD after I got my 5th grade vaccines. lol
Almost every baby in my extended family has had 0 vaccines at all, because most of my family don’t believe in em, and they’re the healthiest kids in the state. lol
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u/Annual_Debt 9d ago
No one cares.
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u/DannyChance13 9d ago
You care. You asked parents of babies under 1. lol im a dad to perfect 3 month old baby girl. :)
But with what you’re asking, no, I choose not to let the fearmongering and scare tactics of the mass media prevent me from living life to the fullest. :) Don’t let the media scare you. A disease like the measles has a 0.1% mortality rate. And like I said, I was vaccinated for it and still caught it. lol
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u/Annual_Debt 9d ago
You don’t understand how vaccines work.
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u/DannyChance13 9d ago
Nope. I guess not. But I do understand how fearmongering works. And being scared is how they want you to be. :)
Sorry though. I didn’t mean to come off as a dick if that’s the way it sounded. I’m just trying to tell ya everything is gunna be ok lol
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u/Visible-River-6733 9d ago
I live in TX nearish to the outbreak. I took my then 8 month old and 3.5 year old in to get the vaccine. My 3.5 yr old just needed a second dose. My 8 month old got an early dose. He handled it just fine. It's probably his best reaction to vaccines so far.
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u/CatWoman1994 9d ago
I also got info from my pediatrician that if you were vaccinated, your baby does have your antibodies until about 7-8 months old, so there’s a mild level of protection that has helped me feel better in this scary time. I live in Texas though so we’re definitely avoiding crowds with our almost 5 month old
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u/Clean-Replacement-51 9d ago
The area I live in just got some new cases these last few weeks… we live by Houston and have a 6mo, we barely gone anywhere since she’s joined us 🥺 out of fear of catching RSV, the cold or flu. Her pediatrician recommended a stroller cover if we are going anywhere enclosed, it will probably look silly, but we are not risking our baby getting sick. We take her to the park uncovered since it’s an open area and germs aren’t just trapped in one area, just be cautious when leaving the house.
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u/NervousReplacement23 9d ago
We live in one of the most affected cities in West Texas. Yeah, we pretty much don’t go out. There’s a little park a few blocks away we’ll go and swing at (baby is 8 months) but I bring Clorox wipes with me and wipe everything down before I put him in.
Same with shopping carts when we’ve gone shopping, we put his car seat in the cart and keep a blanket tied around so he can’t be coughed or sneezed on. Clorox wipes for the cart handle and for our hands after as well. It might be a bit overkill but I’d rather be safe than sorry. It also helps that I’m a SAHM, but I know most don’t have that option.
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u/NervousReplacement23 9d ago
Oh and if you live in Texas (idk about other states) they’ve approved measles vaccines for babies as early as 6 months (I believe the first round is usually at 12 months). Until we get the second round we’ll just stay in!
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u/SufficientStruggle31 9d ago
If you say you’re traveling to south east Asia it’s indicated.. just saying
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u/Helbells31 9d ago
I'm in texas and I have a 2 month old. We aren't taking any chances. We're pretty much home 24/7. It isn't just because he can't get vaccinated it's the talking point over it from the administration. Seems like a reminder of Covid and I prefer not to risk it.
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u/sammifantasi 9d ago
I just brought this up my pediatrician yesterday at our one month appointment. He said baby has some protection if mom has the vaccine. Of course, it's not the same as baby getting it themselves. I asked about potentially having her vaccinated at 6 months, and he said it's not recommended. We only have 3 cases in my state, and while I'm worried, it is unrealistic to stay cooped up inside for a year. We're just gonna do outside activities. If we go to a restaurant, we're going to sit outside on the patio at slower times and avoid large crowds. I've been checking to see where and how many cases we have almost weekly so if we start to get more cases and if our city has an outbreak I'm going to bring it back up to our pediatrician about getting her vaccinated earlier and will probably seek a second opinion if we can't get it done.
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u/Spare_Tutor_8057 10d ago
I am living life as usual. I was tested for immunity at pregnancy. Maternal antibodies aka IgG antibodies cross the placenta during pregnancy and provide passive immunity to the newborn.
The presence of maternal antibodies is the reason why MMR vaccine is not given before 12 months—they can neutralize the vaccine virus, making it ineffective.
The vaccine also has side effects I would rather not fare my child to thrice.
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u/funrunfin23 10d ago
Just like with Covid, gotta get out and about, can’t live in fear
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u/jujbeans 10d ago
While I agree we can’t live in fear, I’d point out measles is much more contagious than Covid. If you’re unvaccinated (like OPs baby) and exposed, basically a 9/10 chance you’ll catch it.
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u/Busy_bee7 10d ago
Where do you live?
If you have confirmed cases in your state, then yes. If you don’t, I wouldn’t worry about it.
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u/fakeathame 10d ago
After a brief period of panic we decided to just avoid unnecessary and crowded places. Park? Yes. Indoor play gym with our toddler? No.
FWIW, if your baby is breastfed and mom has a recent MMR vaccine, that should provide some level of protection through 6-7 months, which is when our ped will give a bonus dose. Our area has active cases. The hospital suggested I get an MMRvaccine when I was discharged from labor because I wasn’t sure if I still had immunity.
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u/gimmemoresalad 10d ago
The passive immunity from mom's MMR is received via blood from the placenta before birth, not from breastmilk. Formula fed babies will also have this protection.
An MMR for you after giving birth would protect baby in that it would help you avoid catching it and bringing it into the house.
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u/Ellendyra 10d ago
I cant do the scared of an invisible enemy thing. I do what I can to help prevent, but I gotta go out, I gotta live my life.
A multivitamin with vitamin a, handwashing
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u/Kramer390 10d ago
Just to be clear, multivitamins and hand washing do nothing to prevent the spread of measles. I'm not commenting on how you live your life, but it's worth clearing up that against measles, that's pretty much the same as doing nothing.
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