You can protect your baby by making sure everyone who is around your baby is up-to-date with their whooping cough (Pertussis) vaccine.

When your baby’s family members and caregivers get a whooping cough vaccine they are protecting their own health. They are also helping form a “cocoon” of safety from whooping cough around the baby.

Unfortunately, cocooning does not completely protect babies from whooping cough. That’s why it’s important to get the vaccine while you are pregnant. This passes on some short-term protection to your baby until your baby can get their own vaccine.

You can provide the best protection possible to your baby by –

• Cocooning
• Getting a whooping cough vaccine during your pregnancy
• Making sure your baby gets his or her vaccines on time

Who needs to be vaccinated with the whooping cough vaccine?

• Any person age 19 and older who has not had a vaccine containing pertussis after age 19
• Pregnant women between 27 and 36 weeks
• Adults who are around babies and young children, such as grandparents and other family members or childcare workers

Source: http://www.cdc.gov/pertussis/pregnant/mom/protection.html