Your essential guide for your baby's 8-week vaccinations, including information on which vaccinations they will have, what to expect after the vaccinations, and any other FAQs on their 8-week vaccinations.

Going for your baby's 8-week vaccinations can be a daunting time, and you're bound to have a million questions about the vaccinations themselves and how to prepare for them, as well as any side effects after the jabs.

The health of your baby is of course paramount, so we've dug into the research from the NHS , Oxford Vaccine Group and Netmums' official expert Dr Kenny Livingstone , to put together this handy guide of what to expect at your baby's 8-week vaccinations and why they're important, along with FAQs and top tips.

What vaccinations will my baby have at 8 weeks?

According to the NHS , at 8 weeks, your child will have the following vaccinations:

6-in-1 vaccine

As one of the first vaccines your child will have, the 6-in-1 vaccine is a single injection that protects your baby against 6 serious childhood diseases - diphtheria, hepatitis B, Hib (Haemophilus influenzae type b), polio, tetanus, and whooping cough.

Injected into your baby's thigh, it gives very good immunity to those diseases, with immunity increasing following your baby's 12- and 16-week doses of this vaccine. The vaccine is very safe for your baby, and there's no risk of them getting any diseases from it, since it does not contain any live organisms.

RV (rotavirus vaccine)

This oral vaccine is given to your baby at 8 weeks, and again at 12 weeks, to protect against rotavirus which is a highly infectious stomach bug affecting babies and young children. Rotavirus commonly causes vomiting and diarrhoea, tummy ache and fever.

The rotavirus vaccine is very effective and provides good immunity to rotavirus, having had a significant impact on the number of cases of the disease since the vaccine was first introduced.

MenB

This vaccine, called Bexsero, is injected into your baby's thigh at 8 weeks to protect against a meningococcal infection caused by meningococcal group B bacteria. A meningococcal infection can be very serious, causing meningitis and sepsis which can lead to severe brain damage, amputations and in some cases, death.

There are no identified safety concerns associated with the MenB vaccination.

What side effects should I expect after my baby's 8-week vaccinations?

As with any vaccine, it is possible for your baby to experience some minor side effects following their 8-week vaccinations.

Side effects may include:

• Sickness - following the 6-in-1 vaccine, some 1 in 10 babies may experience sickness after their vaccinations. If this is the case with your baby, make sure you keep them hydrated, with smaller feeds little and often, and keep them as comfortable as possible. This should not last longer than a day or so.
  
• Fever - or a temperature over 38C is a fair possibility after your baby's vaccinations, particularly following their MenB vaccine. Get out in front of a fever by giving your baby infant paracetamol soon after their appointment, which will help reduce their temperature, keep them cool in fewer layers, and offer extra feeds where possible.
  
• Diarrhoea - if your child suffers from diarrhoea, allow them to have plenty of rest, and do carry on breast or bottle feeding. If they're sick too, try giving smaller feeds more often than usual.
  
• Tiredness and irritability - your baby feeling extra sleepy and irritable following a vaccination is fairly common, but shouldn't last long. Again, if your baby seems to be in pain, liquid paracetamol should help.
  
• Crying - it is common for babies to cry after their injections, but nothing a feed and some cuddles can't help with.
  
• Redness/swelling at the site of injection - babies may have temporary redness, swelling and a small bump at the injection site. This isn't anything to worry about, and should fade within a day or so.
  
• Loss of appetite - your baby might not want to eat as much as normal, which is a common side effect of the 6-in-1 vaccine and should pass within a day or two.

It is important to bear in mind that these side effects may not happen at all, and even if they do, will be mild and short-lived, usually lasting one to two days max, so try not to worry.

Anything else I should know?

Netmums' GP, Dr Kenny Livingstone comments:

‘Your baby’s first set of vaccinations can be daunting and as GPs we realise that, but they are vitally important to protect your child from numerous illnesses as they grow up.'

He continues:

'The MenB vaccine can cause quite high fevers at the 2-month, 4-month and 12-month schedule. This is completely normal, but can be alarming, so giving your baby paracetamol for 1-2 days after this vaccine is advised.'

Autism is NOT a possible side-effect of your baby's vaccinations, and there is no evidence to suggest links between the two.

Top tips in preparing for your baby's 8-week vaccinations

• Dress your baby in comfy, loose clothing that's easy to remove, since babies under 12 months have injections in the thigh.
• Call your doctor's surgery or health clinic to let them know if someone else will be taking your child for their vaccinations.
• Remember to take your personal child health record book along to the appointment (otherwise known as the red book ).
• Have some infant liquid paracetamol at home, ready for your baby when they return from their vaccinations.

Dr Kenny Livingston advises that parents' reassurance can help:

‘My top tip for all vaccines is essentially, distraction. As parents, you are the best ones that can support with this, try not to be too nervous as your baby will pick up on this prior to and during the consultation.

'Simply smiling and talking to/cuddling your baby will help. With all newborns, having their next feed available also helps reduce any stress and settles them quickly’.

FAQs for your baby's 8-week vaccinations

What are vaccines made of?

Vaccines contain a small amount of the germs that cause the disease - eg a rotavirus vaccine contains small parts of rotavirus itself. The germs in vaccines are either killed or weakened, and so won't make your baby unwell ; they are in there to help your baby's immune system respond to, and build immunity to a specific disease.

According to the Oxford Vaccine Group , other ingredients in vaccines include small traces of antibiotics, egg and yeast proteins, formaldehyde, water and acidity regulators.

All of these ingredients are perfectly safe in such small amounts, and are needed to ensure the vaccine works properly. Even apples contain scary-sounding chemicals!

Do vaccines contain mercury?

Generally speaking, most childhood vaccines do not contain thiomersal (a mercury-containing compound). Originally, thiomersal was used as a preservative in some multi-dose vials of flu vaccines to prevent the growth of dangerous microbes, which can be deadly.

Today, except for some flu vaccines in multi-dose vials, no thiomersal (or mercury) is present in baby vaccinations, or the amount is close to zero.

How long do the side effects of 8-week jabs last?

The side effects following immunisation are mostly mild and usually last one to two days . The most common side-effect is often a fever (which can be controlled with infant liquid paracetamol), and some babies may be slightly unsettled or sleepy.

If you are worried about new side effects that last beyond a couple of days, seek advice from your GP.

Do vaccines temporarily weaken the immune system?

Despite being a common worry among parents, scientific data shows that vaccines have no adverse effects on the normal childhood immune system .

Studies also show that having the recommended childhood vaccines in combination carries no greater risk for adverse side effects.

Can adults get rotavirus from the baby vaccine?

Although unlikely, you should take care when changing your baby's nappy ; since the rotavirus vaccine is given orally, it's possible the vaccine will pass through your baby's gut and be picked up when they soil their nappy.

Having said this, the vaccine only contains a weakened form of rotavirus, so most healthy adults will not be harmed.

Those with weakened immune systems, however, should take extra care.

Is it OK to give my baby a bath after vaccination?

There is no specific advice to say you should not bathe your baby following vaccination , however, if your baby is experiencing side effects like fever, sickness or diarrhoea, it is not advisable to. Otherwise, a few hours after vaccination is fine.

Should I give my baby infant paracetamol before a vaccination?

You should not give your baby infant paracetamol before a vaccination , because your nurse or doctor will first need to check your child doesn't have signs of an existing infection – which could be a reason to delay vaccination.

The NHS does recommend giving your baby a dose of it as soon as you get home from your appointment , to help stave off a fever (which is particularly common following the MenB vaccination). Following that, give your baby a second dose 4 to 6 hours after the first one, then a third dose 4 to 6 hours after the second.

What if my baby missed their 8-week vaccinations?

The NHS advises that it's best for babies to be vaccinated at the recommended ages of 8 weeks, 12 weeks, 16 weeks and 12 months old, as they're then protected from numerous serious diseases as early in life as possible.

Your baby's health and development checks are very important, as it's the opportunity to check that they're developing properly in their early months, as well as being a great opportunity for you to raise any questions or concerns.

If you've missed your baby's appointment for their eight-week vaccinations, try not to panic, as it's never too late to have it . Make an appointment with your GP or local child health clinic as soon as possible and they'll be able to advise you on when to book in.

How do vaccines work to prevent disease?

As a parent, you might be asking yourself how vaccines actually work to prevent disease.

In the simplest terms, typically, a vaccine will contain a weakened strain of the disease, which is safely injected into your baby to help them build up immunity, so that if they come into contact with a disease, they will not contract it.

Vaccines greatly reduce the likelihood of infection as they work with the body's natural defences to safely develop immunity to disease, without compromising it. It is always advised that you immunise your baby at 8 weeks, 12 weeks, 16 weeks and 1 year old.

Your baby's vaccination schedule: what to expect and when

For more information on which vaccinations the NHS can give your baby, and when to expect them, check these articles:

• 12-week vaccinations
• 16-week vaccinations
• 12-month vaccinations

A few sources for more information:

• Your baby's vaccination and immunisation schedule (NHS)
• How vaccines work
• Booking your child's vaccination appointment

Looking for more information on baby vaccinations and immunisation? Get more info or chat with other parents in our Forum below.

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