Newborn Baby Vaccines - Side Effects, Precautions & Soothing Tips

Do you know that vaccinations are quite important for your 0-12 months baby’s healthy growth and development? Once you have your tiny little bundle of joy wrapped up in your arms, the doctors will take him/her away for countless vaccines, which are necessary. In the first 24 hours of your baby, he/she will be immunized with a number of vaccines. It will be hard to see your baby get a vaccine injection but that is important to protect your child against any sort of virus and disease. So you must know what are the first few vaccinations that are important for your child. [Check - Baby Immunization Vaccines for 0-5 Years Child] 

Recommended Vaccines for Newborn Babies & Infants

Did you also know that the list of important vaccinations given to you by your pediatrician is a handy guide to make you aware of all the vaccinations required by your newly born baby? Here are the vaccines which are given to your newborn before you leave the hospital and head out home -

1. BCG Vaccine: This vaccination has been made mandatory under the National Immunization Schedule, and is administered on your baby’s upper arm right after the day he or she was born. This vaccine prevents the infant from contracting tuberculosis (TB). In fact, this is one vaccination that is given to Indian-babies born in the middle east as well.
2. Vitamin K injection: This isn’t a vaccine but more of a vitamin-dose administered through an injection. It has become a standard procedure to give babies this dose soon after birth, as Vitamin K plays a significant role in blood clotting. A small percentage of babies are at the risk of suffering from Vitamin K deficiency resulting in bleeding or even internal hemorrhage. In order to avoid this, babies are given a shot of Vitamin K soon after birth
3. Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV): Also referred to as zero doses, this vaccine’s first dose is given to your newborn the next day he/she is born and helps your child from contracting polio. Your infant will be getting injectable polio vaccine at the doctor’s appointments which will be between six and eight weeks of his/her birth
4. Hepatitis Vaccine: In order to protect your child against the Hepatitis virus, which is a viral disease, he/she will be getting a mandatory Hepatitis vaccine after birth. It will be given to your child via injection

​Booster Doses of Vaccines

Apart from the above-mentioned vaccinations, there will be numerous booster doses that are administered to your baby over a specific period of time. So do keep a tab of that get newborn baby and infants vaccinated as and when needed as per the list of vaccinations given to you by your baby’s pediatrician. [Must Check - Here Is Birth to 18 Months Child Vaccination Chart]

Are There Any Vaccination Side Effects in Child?

No, there are no side effects of the vaccines. However, there may be a small mark as a result of the BCG Vaccination. In fact, if you look at your upper arm, you also have that injection mark from the BCG vaccination. 

Ways to Soothe Baby After Vaccination Shot?

It is only natural for a little one to cry after being injected with the essential vaccines. The best possible way to soothe your cranky child is to breastfeed him/her which will assure skin-to-skin contact. If you are not breastfeeding your child, then just keep him/her close to your chest which will calm him/her down soon. [Read - Ways to Reduce Vaccination Pain or Swelling or Redness & more?]

Do not fail to vaccinate your child as and when the time arrives as it only protects him/her from a number of viruses and diseases. Although India has been declared a polio-free country, polio does exist in certain parts of the nation. While your child will be receiving his/her first polio vaccine soon after birth, the next doses or shots will have to carry over a specific time period until your child turns 5-year-old.

Precautions to Keep in Mind after Each Vaccination

While keeping a tab on the dates when polio vaccination is carried out in a nearby hospital or clinic. Although there are no side effects of vaccinations, it is still important to keep in mind a few precautions. Read below

1. Avoid rubbing the area where the vaccination was administered
2. The doctor will give you a painkiller, do give that to your child to avoid any discomfort 
3. Avoid bathing and massaging for the day vaccination was administered

Did you like the blog on vaccinations needed for your babies as well? Do you have any doubt about vaccinations for your child? Do share your views, thoughts in the comments section below, as we would love to hear from you.