They say timing is everything, and that's definitely the case when it comes to childhood vaccines. They're most effective when they're given at the right time — and lots of careful consideration goes into deciding when exactly that is.
Here's what to know about the latest vaccine schedule for your little one and the various immunizations themselves.
What is the recommended baby vaccine schedule?
Wondering what vaccines your child needs and when? After the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) rolled back some of its vaccination recommendations in 2025, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) released its own immunization schedule. The AAP's schedule is endorsed by a dozen national medical organizations and backed by more than 1 million health care professionals, including physicians, pediatricians, and pharmacists.
"The new CDC vaccine schedule is not based on any new science," says Gina Posner, M.D., a board-certified pediatrician practicing at MemorialCare Medical Group in Fountain Valley, California, and a member of the What to Expect Medical Review Board. "It is random and not safe. I used to tell everyone to refer to the CDC, but now it is not scientifically accurate, so I tell all my parents to look at the AAP for reliable information."
By staying up-to-date with an evidence-backed vaccine schedule, you'll ensure that your little one will get the best protection possible against vaccine-preventable diseases at just the right time.
"Vaccinating your child might be one of the most important things you can do to ensure your child's overall health," says Kyle Monk, M.D., a board-certified pediatrician at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California, and a member of the What to Expect Medical Review Board. "Vaccines are safe and well-studied, and prevent many life-threatening illnesses."
If you follow your doctor’s advice and stick to the recommended vaccine schedule, you’ll help prevent illnesses that have claimed the lives of many babies, toddlers, and older children. Here are the latest recommended vaccines and schedules for kids up to age 6:
Hepatitis B
Hepatitis B (hep B) is a liver infection that can pass from a mother to her baby during birth. Chronic hepatitis B can have serious, long-term impacts on a child's liver function, and can lead to cancer or liver failure. Giving your baby the first dose of the vaccine as soon as they're born helps prevent lifelong liver disease.
Your baby will get three doses of the hep B vaccine:
- Within 24 hours of birth (or within 12 hours for babies born to mothers with hepatitis B, plus a dose of HBV immune globulin)
- At 1 to 2 months old
- At 6 to 18 months old
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) causes respiratory infections that can develop into bronchiolitis and pneumonia. Some young children with RSV can end up in the hospital.
The RSV treatment for babies isn't a vaccine, exactly. What doctors recommend is an antibody treatment, which is similar to a vaccine in that it helps protect your baby from serious infection.
When your baby gets the RSV antibody depends on when or whether you're vaccinated:
- If you weren't vaccinated against RSV during your pregnancy and you have your baby during RSV season (October through March), the doctor will recommend getting your baby a dose of the RSV antibody at birth — usually before you even leave the hospital.
- Otherwise, healthy babies under 8 months old get the antibody for their first RSV season; high-risk babies can get it for their second season, too.
Rotavirus (RV)
Rotavirus is one of the most common causes of a stomach bug for babies and toddlers. Symptoms include diarrhea, vomiting, fever, and dehydration.
Instead of a shot, your baby will get oral drops of the rotavirus vaccine. There are two brands: Rotarix, which includes two doses, and RotaTeq, which has three doses.
Your baby will get two or three doses of the rotavirus vaccine:
- At 2 months old
- At 4 months old
- At 6 months old (if your pediatrician is giving the three-dose version)
Experts recommend your baby gets the first dose of the vaccine before 15 weeks and the last by 8 months old.
Diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (DTaP)
The DTaP vaccine protects your baby against three diseases:
- Diphtheria can cause a throat infection, breathing problems, and, in extreme cases, heart failure.
- Tetanus, sometimes called lockjaw, creates a toxin that causes muscle spasms that make it hard to open the mouth and swallow.
- Pertussis, aka whooping cough, causes violent coughing and breathing problems. Babies who get whooping cough can wind up in the hospital.
Your baby will get five doses of the DTaP vaccine to protect against these illnesses:
- At 2 months old
- At 4 months old
- At 6 months old
- At 12 to 15 months old
- At 4 to 6 years old
This vaccine's protection can fade over time, so there's a booster vaccine called Tdap for older children and adults.
Haemophilus influenza type B (Hib)
The Hib vaccine protects against Haemophilus influenzae type B, a bacteria that can cause ear infections, lung infections, and meningitis (swelling in the lining of the brain and spinal cord).
Your baby will get three or four doses of the Hib vaccine, depending on the brand used:
- At 2 months old
- At 4 months old
- At 6 months old (brand-dependent)
- At 12 to 15 months old
Pneumococcal
The pneumococcal vaccine (PCV) protects against diseases caused by the Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria, including pneumonia, meningitis, and ear infections.
Your baby will get four doses of the PCV:
- At 2 months old
- At 4 months old
- At 6 months old
- At 12 to 15 months old
Polio (IPV)
Polio is a debilitating disease that causes paralysis and death. It's been largely eliminated from the United States, thanks to the polio vaccine (officially called the inactivated polio vaccine, or IPV). But experts still recommend getting it to prevent a resurgence of the disease and protect those who can't get the vaccine.
Your baby will get four doses of IPV:
- At 2 months old
- At 4 months old
- At 6 to 18 months old
- At 4 to 6 years old
COVID-19
Everyone knows about COVID-19 — it's a super contagious virus with many potential symptoms, including fever, cough, runny nose, and diarrhea, among others.
While COVID can be mild for older kids (they may not even show symptoms), children under 2 years old are at a higher risk of developing severe COVID and needing hospitalization.
That's why experts recommend babies 6 to 23 months old get the COVID vaccine. The first time your baby gets the COVID vaccine, she'll get a second dose 4 to 8 weeks later.
If you want, your child can get an annual COVID vaccine after that for continued protection, similar to the annual flu shot.
How many doses of the vaccine your child gets depends on a lot of things, including previous vaccinations and the risk of severe COVID. If you're not sure what your child needs, the pediatrician can walk you through it.
Influenza (flu)
Two types of influenza viruses (A and B) cause outbreaks of the flu every year. While the flu can be mild, it can be very serious and lead to hospitalization, especially in children under 2 years old and people with underlying health conditions.
Strains of the influenza virus mutate, so the vaccine gets an update every year to ensure the best protection.
Experts recommend your baby get the flu vaccine every year, starting at 6 months old. The first time your baby gets the flu shot, she'll get a second dose four weeks later.
For the best protection, get the vaccine before or early in flu season, which typically lasts from October to May.
Measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR)
The MMR vaccine protects against three diseases:
- Measles is highly contagious and can cause a rash all over the body, fever, runny nose, cough, and pink eye. Complications include ear infection, pneumonia, and brain infection (called encephalitis).
- Mumps causes headache, fever, and infection in the salivary glands (leading to swollen cheeks and jaws). Complications include meningitis and hearing loss.
- Rubella, also known as German measles, causes fever, rash, swollen glands in the neck, and arthritis-like joint pain. Rubella can be very dangerous for unborn babies, potentially causing birth defects or stillbirth if pregnant women catch it.
Your baby will get two doses of the MMR vaccine:
- At 12 to 15 months old
- At 4 to 6 years old
Sometimes, MMR is combined with the varicella vaccine (which prevents chickenpox). That vaccine is called MMRV.
Varicella
The varicella vaccine protects against chickenpox, which used to be one of the most common childhood diseases. It's extremely contagious. Before the vaccine was developed, there were about 4 million cases of chickenpox every year, leading to about 10,000 hospitalizations and 100 deaths.
Even a mild case of chickenpox is unpleasant and can keep a kid home from day care or school for more than a week. Symptoms include an itchy, blister-like rash; fever; drowsiness; loss of appetite; and headache.
Your baby will get two doses of the varicella vaccine:
- At 12 to 15 months old
- At 4 to 6 years old
Hepatitis A
Hepatitis A is another type of liver disease. It's highly contagious and often has mild or no symptoms at all, but in some people it can cause liver failure.
Your baby will get two doses of the vaccine, given 6 months apart anywhere from 12 to 23 months old.
What about vaccines for older kids?
Your child will ideally start all of the above vaccines series before turning 6. After that, the number of immunizations will taper off, but there are a few more expert-recommended vaccines for older kids up to age 18. Those include:
- Human papillomavirus (HPV): Two doses between 9 and 12 years old, to protect from HPV, which can cause genital warts and several kinds of cancer.
- Meningococcal ACWY (MenACWY): Two doses at 11 or 12 years old and at 16 years old, to protect from meningitis and other blood infections.
- Tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (Tdap): One dose at 11 or 12 years old, to boost protection from tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis.
- Meningococcal B (Men B): Two doses 6 months apart between 16 to 18 years old, for people who are at higher risk of exposure to meningococcal B outbreaks — typically people living in close quarters, like in a college dorm or military barracks.
How is the child and adolescent vaccine schedule determined?
When experts build the vaccine schedule, they’re thinking about two big things: how risky certain diseases are at each age and how children’s immune systems respond best at different stages.
Once doctors have that information, they decide on a timetable for each vaccine that will safely and effectively protect children at the youngest possible age.
Sticking to the recommended vaccine schedule is strongly advised to make sure that your baby has the most protection possible from an array of serious diseases.
It's definitely understandable to worry about your little one, so bring any questions or concerns to your pediatrician. Your doctor will recommend what's right for your baby for the healthiest start in life.
"Many families are understandably apprehensive to vaccinate due to a lot of medical skepticism," Dr. Monk says. "I try to reassure families that vaccines have been extensively studied and are continuously monitored for any adverse effects."
Young children, especially those in day care, are frequently exposed to many respiratory illnesses that vaccines can prevent, she adds.
Get more details about your baby's well visits, vaccine appointments, and health — from experts and other parents — in the What to Expect app.
Can I delay vaccines for my child if I want to?
Unless there's a valid health-related problem with your child getting specific vaccines on time, it's not usually a good idea to delay vaccines for your baby. Delayed vaccinations can result in children catching preventable illnesses.
Another reason to keep up with the vaccine schedule is that children who fall behind on their shots are statistically less likely to be fully vaccinated later on (and therefore less protected).
However, if you want more information about an alternate vaccine schedule for your baby or toddler, talk it over with your pediatrician. You can come up with a plan that works for you and still keeps your baby (and others around you) safe. If you miss one or more of your child's routine vaccinations, make an appointment with your doctor to get back on track.
What should I do if I'm worried about vaccines?
Your child’s doctor is the best person to advise you on any vaccine questions or concerns you may have. So be sure to ask your pediatrician if you're unclear or worried about anything involving vaccinating your baby.
Know, too, that even though there can be some tears and discomfort along the way (potentially for both of you!), the process is over quickly.
"Getting my son's vaccines was definitely sad — he wasn't happy about them — but the nurse who gave them said, 'I know he's unhappy right now, but he would be a lot unhappier if he got sick instead.' That made me feel much better about it!" says What to Expect Community mom fritsky. "He was over the pain of his shots after five minutes, but if he got sick, I know he would be much worse off."
You can also provide plenty of comfort to your little one during vaccine appointments by soothing your baby and staying calm yourself.
"Each time we needed a new vaccine, I just nursed my baby throughout or right after, and he was happy as a clam in no time," says What to Expect Community user mamaallama23.
The bottom line? No matter what you may read or hear, following the proper vaccine schedule for your child is undoubtedly the best way to protect your baby's health — now, and in the future.
"Going online, you're always going to hear more horror stories than not because people who have a positive/neutral experience with vaccines aren't going to share (there's nothing to share about)," says What to Expect mom fritsky. "As long as you have a doctor you trust, I would go with their advice and know that they have your baby's best interest in mind."
Yes 
No 
