Now that your bundle of joy has arrived, it’s your responsibility to keep her safe and healthy.

Immunizations/shots protect your baby from serious and some life-threatening diseases. They boost your baby’s immunity and help him make antibodies to fight infection.

Some vaccination myths busted

If all the children in your school are vaccinated, my child cannot get sick.

The chances of getting an infection are reduced if everyone else is vaccinated. But imagine what would happen if everyone had the same brilliant idea! Protect your child with a vaccine and also help prevent the spread of disease.

Vaccines often cause the diseases they are supposed to prevent!

Vaccines are made using killed or weakened germs to prepare your child to respond to the “real” ones. Vaccine-induced disease is extremely rare.

My baby does not need to be vaccinated against diseases that are rare in my geographic region.

Germs know no geographical boundaries. They can be spread through travel and immigration. If your child is not protected against a particular disease, he can get it if he is exposed to germs.

Too many injections will overload my baby’s immune system.

A normal baby’s immune system is equipped to handle vaccines and the natural microbes they are exposed to every day.

ABC’s of baby’s first shots

The DTaP vaccine defends your child against three diseases: diphtheria, an infection that clogs the airways and can affect the heart and nerves, tetanus, or “lockjaw,” and whooping cough, commonly known as whooping cough.

The MMR vaccine treats three common infections: measles, mumps, and rubella (German measles).

The Hib vaccine prevents meningitis, a serious infection of the lining of the brain caused by an insect called Haemophilus influenzae (Type b).

The PCV vaccine protects your child from pneumonia, meningitis, and other serious infections that can be caused by another germ, pneumococcus.

You should immunize your child against hepatitis B (hepatitis B vaccine), a viral infection that can cause chronic liver diseases such as cirrhosis and liver cancer.

Polio, an infection with serious complications such as paralysis, can be prevented with the IPV vaccine or polio oral drops.

Your child may also receive the chickenpox vaccine against chickenpox and yearly flu shots to prevent influenza.

Please confirm the vaccination schedule with your doctor, as it may vary in different countries. Keep a vaccination card so your baby knows which vaccine is due and when. Marking those important dates on her calendar ensures that she won’t forget them.

You will also need this record when you enroll your child in daycare or school.

What about the side effects of immunization?

Most babies will only have minor side effects from the immunization, such as fever, soreness at the injection site, or a mild rash. An ice pack applied to the site will reduce swelling. Your doctor may prescribe paracetamol or ibuprofen to reduce fever and pain.

Serious allergic reactions are very rare and occur minutes to hours after the injection. Call your doctor right away if you notice any difficulty breathing, wheezing, fainting, weakness, hives, or excessive crying.

Vaccines can be an unpleasant experience for your baby (even more so for you), but a few tears now will go a long way toward keeping your baby healthy for a lifetime.