Vaccines are a really important way to protect yourself and your family from serious illnesses.
This guide will help you understand which vaccines are important for you, your baby, your children, and other family members. It will also answer common questions you might have about vaccines. Taking steps to get vaccinated helps build a strong circle of protection around your family.
Everyone needs vaccines. Babies, kids, teens, and adults all need different vaccines at different ages to help protect them from serious diseases.
It’s important to stay up to date on vaccines, whether you are planning a pregnancy, are pregnant, or have recently given birth. Protecting yourself at any of these times also helps protect your baby from getting sick.
Before Pregnancy
It’s important to stay up to date on vaccines, especially if you plan to or could get pregnant. Protecting yourself before you become pregnant will also help protect your baby from getting sick.
Rubella can cause serious birth defects or miscarriage. If you need this vaccine, get it before pregnancy and wait one month before trying to get pregnant.
During Pregnancy
When you are pregnant, protecting yourself with vaccines helps your body make fighters (antibodies) that protect your baby.
Your doctor will talk with you about which of these are right for you and when to get them.
Vaccines are carefully studied and safe for you and your baby during pregnancy. The protection you get from vaccines is much greater than any small risks. Taking steps to get vaccinated helps keep both you and your baby well.
Postpartum and Breastfeeding
Vaccines continue to protect you and your baby after birth.
If you missed any vaccines before or during pregnancy, talk to your doctor about getting them now. You are around your baby constantly, so protecting yourself helps protect them.
As a mom, you pass fighters (antibodies) to your baby during pregnancy and through your breastmilk. These special fighters help protect your baby as their own immune system gets stronger and their body learns to fight germs.
Your first milk, called colostrum, is full of powerful fighters (antibodies) that your body makes. These fighters coat your baby’s nose, mouth, and tummy to help protect them from germs in the world around them.
Mature breast milk, which you start making 2-5 days after your baby’s delivery, also has fighters, and it continues to provide protection. If a breastfeeding mother gets a vaccine, they pass some protection on to their baby.
Breastfeeding helps your baby be less likely to get common childhood illnesses. Because your body’s fighters are like a shield against germs you’re already protected from (from shots or past sickness), they help defend your baby from serious sicknesses, as well. Your body’s fighters give a temporary boost while your baby’s own body learns to fight germs.
Most vaccines are safe for breastfeeding individuals.
Always check with your provider if you have questions or concerns.
Babies and young children need vaccines to help protect them from getting very sick. Doctors follow a schedule to make sure they get shots at the right time. This helps build strong protection before your child is around harmful germs.
Following the recommended vaccine schedule gives your child the best protection at the right time. Delaying or skipping vaccines can leave them unprotected when they are most at risk. Some diseases, like whooping cough and measles, spread quickly and can be dangerous for babies and young children.
If you are worried about what vaccines your child needs or when, talk to their doctor.
If you missed any vaccines before or during pregnancy, talk to your doctor about getting them now. You can get a copy of your or your child’s immunization record at your WIC appointment, and it will show you which vaccines you or your child might be missing.
Dads play an important role in keeping their family safe.
You can help make vaccine decisions with your partner and ask your doctor if you have questions.
Getting your own vaccines (like flu and Tdap) lowers the chance of spreading sickness to your baby.
When dads stay up to date on shots, kids learn that vaccines are important.
Your baby’s immune system is still developing, making them more open to certain infections. Older kids and adults can spread germs to babies, even if they don’t feel sick.
To help protect your baby, everyone around them should be up to date on their vaccines. This includes parents, siblings, grandparents, and babysitters. People should get vaccines at least two weeks before seeing their baby so their body has time to build protection.
Knowing which vaccines are for what can feel like a lot. This guide gives you a quick look at what some common vaccines protect against and if they are given alone or with other vaccines. Remember, always talk to your healthcare provider before getting any vaccine to make sure it’s the right choice for you or your child.
Click on each disease below to learn which vaccine protects against it and what other vaccines it can be given with.
Protects Against:
Chickenpox can cause an itchy rash and fever and sometimes lead to serious skin infections or other problems.
Given with Other Vaccines?
Sometimes given by itself, or as part of the MMRV (Measles, Mumps, Rubella, and Varicella) shot.
Protects Against:
Getting very sick from COVID-19 can cause breathing problems and other serious health issues. For children ages 6 months to 17 years, you can talk with your child’s doctor to decide if getting the vaccine is right for your child.
Given with Other Vaccines?
Given by itself.
Protects Against:
A serious infection that can make it hard to breathe, cause heart problems, and nerve damage.
Given with Other Vaccines?
Yes, always combined with tetanus and whooping cough (DTaP shot).
Protects Against:
The flu can cause fever, body aches, and cough, and sometimes lead to serious lung infections or other problems.
Given with Other Vaccines?
Given by itself.
Protects Against:
Hepatitis A, a serious liver infection that can cause fever, tiredness, stomach pain, and yellow skin or eyes.
Given with Other Vaccines?
Given by itself.
Protects Against:
Hepatitis B is a severe, lifelong liver infection that can result in liver damage or cancer.
Given with Other Vaccines?
Given by itself.
Protects Against:
Haemophilus influenza type B is a serious germ that can cause brain infection (meningitis), pneumonia, and severe throat swelling.
Given with Other Vaccines?
Sometimes given by itself, or combined with other shots like DTaP-IPV/Hib.
Protects Against:
Human papillomavirus can cause certain cancers (such as cervical, anal, throat, and mouth cancers) later in life.
Given with Other Vaccines?
Given by itself.
Protects Against:
Measles can cause a serious rash, fever, and cough, and can lead to ear infections, pneumonia, or brain swelling.
Given with Other Vaccines?
Yes, always combined with mumps and rubella (MMR shot), or sometimes with mumps, rubella, and chickenpox (MMRV shot).
Protects Against:
Serious bacterial infections can cause meningitis (brain and spinal cord infection) or blood infections.
Given with Other Vaccines?
Given by itself.
Protects Against:
Mumps causes fever, headache, and swollen glands under the ears, and it can sometimes lead to hearing loss.
Given with Other Vaccines?
Yes, always combined with measles and rubella (MMR shot), or sometimes with measles, rubella, and chickenpox (MMRV shot).
Protects Against:
Polio is a serious, potentially fatal disease that can lead to paralysis.
Given with Other Vaccines?
Sometimes given by itself, or combined with other shots like DTaP-IPV.
Protects Against:
Pneumococcal disease can cause serious ear infections, pneumonia, blood infections, and meningitis.
Given with Other Vaccines?
Given by itself.
Protects Against:
Rotavirus, a common cause of severe diarrhea, throwing up, fever, and stomach pain in babies and young children.
Given with Other Vaccines?
Given by itself (oral dose).
Protects Against:
Severe RSV, a lung infection that can cause trouble breathing in babies.
Given with Other Vaccines?
Given by itself.
Protects Against:
Rubella (German measles), causes a mild rash but can be very dangerous if a pregnant woman gets it, potentially leading to serious problems for the baby or even a miscarriage.
Given with Other Vaccines?
Yes, always combined with measles and mumps (MMR shot), or sometimes with measles, mumps, and chickenpox (MMRV shot).
Protects Against:
Tetanus is a serious infection caused by germs found in soil, dust, and animal poop. It enters your body through cuts or wounds, especially deep or dirty ones, and causes painful muscle spasms and stiffness, including “lockjaw.”
The tetanus vaccine is highly effective. You need a booster shot every 10 years to stay protected.
Given with Other Vaccines?
Yes, always combined with diphtheria and whooping cough (DTaP shot).
Protects Against:
Whooping Cough (pertussis) is a very contagious cough that can be severe and dangerous, especially for babies. It can potentially lead to severe coughing, breathing trouble, pneumonia, seizures, or brain damage.
Given with Other Vaccines?
Yes, always combined with diphtheria and tetanus (DTaP shot).
The DTaP vaccine is given to babies and young children (under 7 years old).
The Tdap vaccine is for older children, adolescents, and adults. Pregnant women are specifically recommended to get a Tdap vaccine during each pregnancy, usually in the third trimester.
For full details on when each vaccine is recommended for you or your child, please visit the CDC’s vaccine schedules:
It’s normal to have questions about vaccines. Here are answers to some common concerns:
You have many ways to get more information and support for vaccines:
Find reliable information from trusted sources like:
You can also find helpful information from the Wyoming Department of Health.
Vaccines help keep you, your family, and those around you safe. Help protect your children by staying up to date on vaccines and talking to their doctor with any questions or concerns.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Vaccines for family members and caregivers of pregnant people. CDC. (2025, June 25).
https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pregnancy/about/vaccines-family-caregivers.html
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Newborn vaccines for immigrants and refugees. CDC. (2025, June 25).
https://www.cdc.gov/immigrant-refugee-health/vaccines/newborn-vaccines.html
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. How vaccines work. CDC. (2025, June 25).
https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/parents/diseases/how-vaccines-work.html
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. How mom and baby are protected through vaccination. CDC. (2025, June 25).
https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pregnancy/about/how-mom-baby-protected.html
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Vaccinations and medications/drugs during breastfeeding. CDC. (2025, June 25).
https://www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding/breastfeeding-special-circumstances/vaccinations-medications-drugs/vaccinations.html
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Reasons to vaccinate your children. CDC. (2025, June 25).
https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines-children/reasons/index.html
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Your child needs vaccines as they grow! (Childhood immunization schedule). CDC. (2025, June 20).
https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/imz-schedules/child-easyread.html
NIH News in Health. Community immunity: How vaccines protect us all. National Institutes of Health. (2011, October).
https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/2011/10/community-immunity
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