The Irish vaccine schedule for babies, in plain English

The Irish vaccine schedule for babies is set by the HSE and given free at your GP surgery. The full schedule from birth to 13 months is more straightforward than it looks. Here's the plain version.

The schedule at a glance

The HSE updated the childhood vaccine schedule in October 2024. The current programme for babies born on or after 1 October 2024 looks like this:

• At birth (in hospital): BCG for babies in higher-risk areas. RSV immunisation between September and February if your baby is born during that window.
• 2 months: 6-in-1, PCV, MenB, Rotavirus
• 4 months: 6-in-1, MenB, Rotavirus
• 6 months: 6-in-1, PCV
• 12 months: MMR, MenB, chickenpox (varicella)
• 13 months: 6-in-1 (final dose), PCV, MenC, MMR (second dose), chickenpox (second dose)

A few jabs at each visit, in a brisk 20-minute appointment. You'll usually get them at your GP rather than a hospital.

If your baby was born before 1 October 2024, the older schedule applies. It doesn't include chickenpox, has the Hib/MenC combo at 13 months instead of the changes above, and is slightly different at the later visits. The HSE has the version for your specific birth cohort.

What each jab covers

A quick translation of the acronyms:

• 6-in-1: diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, polio, Hib, Hepatitis B. One injection.
• PCV: Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine. Protects against bacterial meningitis and pneumonia.
• MenB: Meningitis B.
• MenC: Meningitis C.
• Rotavirus: Given as oral drops, prevents the most common cause of severe diarrhoea in babies.
• MMR: Measles, mumps, rubella. The big trio.
• Chickenpox (varicella): Added to the schedule in October 2024. Two doses at 12 and 13 months.
• BCG: Tuberculosis. Given selectively in Ireland, not universally.
• RSV (nirsevimab): Not technically a vaccine but an antibody injection. Given seasonally to protect newborns against RSV bronchiolitis.

If you want the full clinical detail, the HSE childhood vaccines page has it. This is the parent translation.

After the jab: what's normal

Most babies are absolutely fine. The most common reactions:

• Slight redness or hardness where the needle went in
• Mild fever in the first 24 to 48 hours (especially after MenB)
• A bit grumpier than usual for a day
• Sleeping more, or less

Paracetamol is recommended after the MenB doses specifically. Your GP will tell you the dose. For other jabs, only treat fever if the baby seems uncomfortable.

When to ring someone:

• Fever over 39°C
• Inconsolable crying for more than 3 hours
• Unusual drowsiness or floppiness
• Convulsions
• Severe swelling at the injection site

Don't second-guess. If something feels off, ring the GP, ring HSELive (1800 700 700), or ring the out-of-hours service. They'd rather hear from you for nothing than miss something.

The American app problem

Most baby tracker apps were built for the US, where the vaccine schedule is different. The number of doses, the timing, the included jabs, none of it matches Ireland.

That means American apps either:

• Remind you about jabs your baby doesn't get
• Don't remind you about jabs your baby does get
• Use names that don't match what your GP will write down

This is a small but real problem, and it's why Lullagram has the HSE schedule built in. The reminders match what your GP will actually do.

How to remember when they're due

The hard part isn't the appointments. Your GP will usually call you. The hard part is logging the side effects afterwards in case you want to mention them at the next visit.

Lullagram lets you add a note alongside the appointment. Was she sleepy that night? Did she run a temperature? What helped? Next time you come back, the notes are there.