Mommies: How to prepare for your baby’s vaccinations
5 min read
by the Healthdex team
Vaccines are substances that are introduced into the body to help fight against pathogens. They give our body immunity against known diseases or viruses like hepatitis, chickenpox, and the recent virus: the Coronavirus. It is vital to vaccinate your baby since they are at high risk of contracting multiple diseases in the first year of their lives. Here are some tips on how to prepare for your baby’s vaccinations.
1. Before the appointment
Before the appointment, you should ensure that your baby is comfortable. Give your baby comfortable clothing and enough rest. It is advisable to have the baby’s clothing to be easily removable for the vaccination. Additionally, there are certain vaccines that should be taken before other vaccines. It is best if you prepare a vaccination schedule and arrange your appointments around that. There are also some items you should bring to the appointment. Some of which include your baby’s vaccination record, your baby's ID, and some distractions like toys for your baby to comfort him after the vaccination.
2. During the appointment
During the appointment, you should inform the nurse or doctor of any allergies your baby may have. Furthermore, it is important to inform the nurse or doctor any previous or current illnesses your baby has as well as the medical history. This is easier if you track your baby’s health records through a baby book or an app. This is so the doctor can inform you if your baby can or cannot take the vaccine due to complications with your baby’s health. Also, remember to ask the nurse or doctor for the side effects the baby may experience after taking the vaccine and how to deal with them.
3. After the appointment
After the appointment, you need to keep and maintain your baby’s vaccination record. Keep your baby’s vaccination record in a location that is safe and easily accessible to avoid losing it. Having another copy of your baby’s vaccination record will be very helpful in case you do lose the vaccination record. You can take a photo and upload these health records. Maintaining your baby’s vaccination record is vital to ensuring that the information regarding your baby’s vaccination will be complete and accurate. You can maintain your baby’s vaccination record by asking the nurse or doctor to write down the information regarding your baby’s vaccination (i.e. name of the vaccine, date, and dosage) in the vaccination record. Make sure you understand each information that is written. Another way of maintaining your baby’s vaccination record is by writing down the name of the clinic or hospital when your baby was vaccinated, so you may get the official records anytime you need them.
Preparing for your baby’s vaccination is vital. This will allow you to avoid any unexpected complications throughout your baby’s vaccination journey. These are simple tips and reminders that may help you when you are planning on having your baby vaccinated. Don’t forget to keep your baby’s health records, whether it be in a physical location or through electronic online health records.