Baby vaccinations are one of the most important gifts you can give you infant. They help protect your baby from some of the world’s most dangerous diseases. There are a wide variety of vaccinations which are now recommended which you need to be aware of.
Your baby’s pediatrician will work with you on setting up a schedule of vaccinations for your baby. If for any reasons you cannot afford a pediatrician visit your local health department and discuss options with them. They normally will have nurses who administer vaccinations and do them at very low rates.
One concern most parents have is the pain of the injections and the potential after effects. There is no doubt your baby is going to dislike the injections. They will scream and cry. Just go into the situation prepared for their reaction and you will be fine. As far as after effects, many vaccinations do cause a low grade fever and potential aches. Your baby may not feel well for the next 24 hours. Your Doctor or Nurse will advise on the use of Children’s Acetaminophen to help. These minor issues after an injection are nothing compared with the risks of not having the vaccinations.
What baby vaccinations will your infant start with? The first one will be given shortly after birth, which is the Hepatitis B or HBV vaccine. This is a critical vaccination for your infant, and is required in most states.
Most other vaccinations start around 2 months old and will include, DTaP, which protects again Dyptheria, Tetanus, and Whooping Cough, the Hib Vaccine which protects against certain forms of influenza and pneumonia, the IPV vaccine to protect against Polio, and there are several others your health care provider may recommend. They will carefully explain the importance of each one.
Make sure to take the time to ask your Doctor or Nurse about the associated risks. The risks are usually very slim, with the benefits being very large. If your family has any previous history of problems with vaccines, make sure to inform your Doctor. This is critical for them to know.
If you take your infant in for baby vaccinations and they happen to be running a little fever, have a runny nose, or show other symptoms of illness the appointment will be rescheduled. This is for the safely of your child. You risk possible complications when combining the vaccination with an infant who is already ill.
Is there any valid reason to not have the baby vaccinations? Not any good reasons you will find for avoiding the injections. For most infants the vaccines are completely safe with very limited side effects. It may seem cruel to you at the moment to have your baby undergo this treatment, but if they ever became ill with one of these debilitating illnesses you would never forgive yourself. Get the vaccinations, and know you have done the right thing for your baby.