The Mandels are fully vaccinated as of today. I was hesitant posting because of the mommy shamers that will inevitably come out, claiming I’m risking our unborn baby’s life by getting vaccinated. But ultimately, that’s why I chose to post this.

I also wavered on getting the shot, I won’t act like getting an emergency use vaccine was an easy decision. Ultimately I spoke with a lot of folks, from my midwife (who is also fully vaccinated) to doctor friends and other pregnant friends.

A lot of things led to my decision to get it. Seeing friends develop scary post-COVID symptoms. Seeing pregnant midwife and doctor friends putting their money where their mouths were and posting that they got vaccinated. Seeing stuff like this: https://www.thelakewoodscoop.com/news/2021/02/urgent-message-for-pregnant-women.html

We have been largely living our lives and haven’t gotten it yet. But I know friends who haven’t left their houses in a year who got it. There’s no easy button on avoiding contracting COVID.

And the consequences for doing so at the end of my pregnancy (separation from the baby, a mask in labor, a very medicalized birth, etc) were intolerable.

So, I’m glad we got the shots, and now bonus is, we’re hosting Shabbat guests again. (We took a break when cases started rising in November).

Everyone doesn’t have to make the same choices we did, but I’m glad for the ability to make this choice; thankful for safe and highly effective vaccines so soon. Thankful to live in a country where it was available to us. /fin

I’m not looking for any kudos. I’m posting my thought process. Everyone has a different one. And replies like these will get you blocked. https://twitter.com/pjmalarkey1955/status/1381252672091795458

Will answer some questions I got via DM publicly. Yes, I would have made the same decision with my 1st child as I made with my 5th. I value them equally. Yes, I would have gotten the shot in my first trimester too. There’s scary studies about running a high fever 1st tri.

Also want to publicly say what I’ve said to other pregnant women sending me DMs about why I posted this: “It was helpful for me to hear other people’s risk assessment analysis but I don’t think there’s a right or wrong answer (for pregnant women) here.”