Those first days after birth move fast. Feeding, holding, learning, loving. In between all that, a nurse quietly hands you a card. It’s small, but it matters more than it looks. That’s your baby’s vaccination record. Every mark on it is protection, tiny steps that keep your child safe from diseases they shouldn’t ever have to face.
At Maternité Hospital, we often tell new parents that vaccines are not just injections. They’re lessons for the immune system. Each one teaches the baby’s body how to fight, without ever facing the real infection.

Why Vaccines Matter So Much

A newborn’s body is still finding its rhythm. The immune system is new, still learning how to recognize germs. For a few weeks, your baby is protected by what you passed on during pregnancy. But that fades soon. The infant vaccination schedule takes over from there, teaching the body step by step to protect itself.
Missing or delaying these shots doesn’t mean disaster, but it does leave small windows where a baby is unprotected. Diseases like measles, hepatitis, and polio are still around us, rare, but not gone.

The First Protection After Birth

Soon after delivery, before you even go home, your baby receives their first line of defense, the BCG vaccine for tuberculosis, the Hepatitis B shot for liver protection, and the first oral polio drops. These are the earliest parts of newborn immunization, and they set the base for everything that follows.

The Weeks That Follow

Around six to ten weeks later, more vaccines come in, the ones that protect against infections like diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, pneumonia, and meningitis. The body learns fast, but it also forgets, so each dose is repeated later to strengthen that memory.
By the time your baby is fourteen weeks old, the protection becomes stronger. At nine months, vaccines like MMR and typhoid step in to add another layer of safety.
It sounds like a long list, but each visit is short, and every small prick means fewer worries later.

After the Vaccination

Most babies are fine after their shots. A little fever, fussiness, or swelling on the leg can happen. It usually goes away within a day or two. Keep feeding your baby, let them rest, and hold them close. Comfort works better than medicine here.
If the fever stays longer or your baby seems uncomfortable, reach out to your doctor. In most cases, it’s just the body doing what it’s supposed to, learning.

Why Staying on Time Matters

Each vaccine builds on the one before it. That’s why staying on schedule is important. Even if a dose is delayed, don’t panic. The doctor will guide you on how to continue. Regular vaccination awareness visits are one of the simplest ways to keep your baby safe, and they’re an essential part of pediatric health care during the first year.

The Maternité Promise

At Maternité Hospital, we make vaccination visits calm and reassuring. Parents are guided through each step, what the vaccine does, what to expect afterward, and how to comfort the baby.
Vaccines don’t just prevent disease. They give your baby freedom, to grow, to explore, to live healthy. Every drop, every small needle today is a promise for a stronger tomorrow.