Vaccines and baby's comfort

Merkin

Baby Merkin will have his first round of vaccines on Tuesday and while I appreciate the importance of getting them done I'm also a little apprehensive, predominantly over any discomfort or temperature spikes after they are given. Does anyone have any tips on what they did to make their little one as comfortable as possible after the event? Should he have a full tummy beforehand? My HV said to give a little Calpol prophylactically. Has anyone done this? Is there anything I should look out for after he has his little jabs? I'm just anxious to make the whole experience as stress free as possible for the little guy so any tips from more experienced Mummy's would be appreciated.

Typer Monkey

Hi Merkin. After my daughter's first set of jabs she slept for ages. She'd about a three hour nap and when she woke up she was very warm and out of sorts. I gave her calpol and she was fine by the next morning. Every subsequent lot of jabs she was 100% fine, no ill affects at all.

I found the worst part was holding her down while they did them but after about 20 secs of crying she was fine and hasn't held it against the doctor's surgery (or me!)

There's probably a whole host of reactions depending on the baby but that was my experience. Good luck, have the calpol on standby and try not to worry too much

Sligo1

This is more for giving comfort during the vaccines... Bring a little bottle of milk for him and have it ready to pop in his mouth during or immediately after the jab. It gave/gives my 2 great comfort. I always had a boob/bottle ready.

newtoboards

Sligo1 wrote: »

This is more for giving comfort during the vaccines... Bring a little bottle of milk for him and have it ready to pop in his mouth during or immediately after the jab. It gave/gives my 2 great comfort. I always had a boob/bottle ready.

Yep feeding is a good one. My little fella doesn't cry during the vaccination but I hold him in my arms and have a dodi dipped in glycerine and aniseed (little jar bought in the chemist) at the ready. Afterwards (I wait a half hour for reactions) a dose of calpol is called for and I generally sit with him reading stories for a while and he'll sleep loads in the days after.

Roesy

My little girl gets very indignant. She looks shocked at the first one and roars like a bull for the second one. Nurse always says give calpol so I do straight away afterwards. Every set of vaccinations so far has resulted in a high temperature the following day. I know to expect it now so it's not too bad. Their little legs can be sore after too. The hospital recommended a couple of sips sugar water beforehand to help too. Might try that next time. Have the one year shots coming up in a few weeks.

cyning

We've been told not to give calpol unless the temperature goes over 37.5 after the vaccinations: my little one is not having reactions to the vaccines as such, but her immune system seems to get a bit overwhelmed by them so that's the advice from the vaccination board. Our paediatrician had to get in touch with them.

Definitely a dody with glycerine and aniseed or bottle/boob is the way to do it. S slept through the first injection last time and would have slept through the second one but her 2 year old sister freaked out at the doctor and woke her up

January

Don't give the baby Calpol before, just in case it masks any reaction the baby has afterwards.

GerardKeating

Merkin wrote: »

Baby Merkin will have his first round of vaccines on Tuesday and while I appreciate the importance of getting them done I'm also a little apprehensive, predominantly over any discomfort or temperature spikes after they are given. Does anyone have any tips on what they did to make their little one as comfortable as possible after the event? Should he have a full tummy beforehand? My HV said to give a little Calpol prophylactically. Has anyone done this? Is there anything I should look out for after he has his little jabs? I'm just anxious to make the whole experience as stress free as possible for the little guy so any tips from more experienced Mummy's would be appreciated.

For most of ours (except with the BCG) they were playing with the nurse by the time she had done all the paper work afterwards.

As others said, don't give any calpol or anything, it will mask any issues, wait for a need to give it.

Merkin

Thanks very much guys. Seems like having some milk to hand is a good idea. Hope he takes the jabs in his stride the poor little sausage.

Drdoc

Just as a few others have said, the most up to date evidence suggests you're best to hold off on calpol unless you definitely need it. Studies suggest that paracetamol can dampen down the immune reaction and thus make the vaccine not quite as effective. That said if the baby needs calpol by all means give it!
Good luck I'm sure he'll be fine

John Mason

we have 2 and 4 month injections now and didnt have an adverse reaction to them. He still hasnt had any calpol.

I had the boob out before hand, stuck him on straight away and he was fine in about 30 seconds.

the injections go into each thigh, so make sure you have him in shorts or trousers with buttons on the legs so you dont have to redress him

pwurple

Mine barely even noticed them... a whimper if that. Never had any temperature or other reaction either. If you can, suggest that the two jabs are given at the same time? They do it that way for us, it's very quick. I bring baby in a babygro for easy thigh access. I hold her hands and talk to her while they are doing them, and then quick hug and it's all done.

Neyite

Second the milk - have it to hand and lots of cuddles. Easy access clothing too - I used a babygro and it was softer on their sore little legs.

uck51js9zml2yt

Give calpol when you get home. You'll feel it more than the baby

IvyTheTerrible

Our pediatrician prescribed us a sort of anaesthetic patch to put on baby's arm an hour before the vaccines are due.
Also, I gave him the breast while he was being injected, that really distracted him!

Don't give calpol unless he has a temperature.

pwurple

Oh, and don't take the plasters. I learned that on my first. It's sorer taking those plasters off than the jab was in the first place!

IvyTheTerrible

pwurple wrote: »

Oh, and don't take the plasters. I learned that on my first. It's sorer taking those plasters off than the jab was in the first place!

I got a great tip for that, wait until the baby is in the bath, once the plaster is soaked, it's easy to take off!

pwurple

IvyTheTerrible wrote: »

I got a great tip for that, wait until the baby is in the bath, once the plaster is soaked, it's easy to take off!

I've got a nutty bath-hating baby. She gets a quick dip... wouldn't be time to wet a plaster.

I don't think they are needed anyway. Sure there's only a spec of blood, and it's gone on the cotton swab.

IvyTheTerrible

pwurple wrote: »

I've got a nutty bath-hating baby. She gets a quick dip... wouldn't be time to wet a plaster.

I don't think they are needed anyway. Sure there's only a spec of blood, and it's gone on the cotton swab.

Fair enough!
I don't know, mine had more than a spec of blood, and I wouldn't want his clothes to dry onto it!

Xdancer

pwurple wrote: »

Oh, and don't take the plasters. I learned that on my first. It's sorer taking those plasters off than the jab was in the first place!

No fancy pants plasters here. An cotton wool ball dipped in antiseptic and stuck on with surgical tape is what my daughter got
Stupid thing would sometimes soak through whatever she was wearing. Very easy to take off though

dori_dormer

Agree with others, was told By nurse no calpol unless neccessary.

also my Fella reacted badly to the plaster! Hives and everything poor fella nurse said it would probably be a lifelong allergy - I had no idea!

Cunning Stunt

I brought a bit of sugar-water in a bottle. They used it in the hospital when he was a newborn, to distract him when taking blood, so that's where I got the idea.
It has worked great both times that he has been vaccinated - I could be sure that he would suck on that, more than with his regular milk.

Suucee

I was told nothing before incase it masked a reaction.
I always had bottle ready but no 1 hated bottles really and she was always so off form for days after injuections. Would come home, sleep then wake up in awful form. Id give calpol but she didnt want to know anyone else just wanted me all the time. Also was never given plasters ir cotton wool witg her and had few bloody stains.

No 2 roares getting them but bottle/soother helps. I also pop him into sling straight after and he stops crying. Thata it then he's fine. No bleeding .

No idea if its related but no 1 waa tiny and very skiny and no 2 is a chunky lil monkey .

emz8

If your breastfeeding, feed as they get the injections. Worked a wonder for my little girl! She pulled off for a second then went straight back on. It was great!

kandr10

Just out of interest, did anyone else's nurse tell you not to give calpol abs bring the child in if they get a temp after vaccines (or at least ring in)? Apparently it's on case the temp is caused by something else entirely. Luckily my daughter never had any reactions at all to vaccines other than crying but was soothed with milk as others have said.

newtoboards

kandr10 wrote: »

Just out of interest, did anyone else's nurse tell you not to give calpol abs bring the child in if they get a temp after vaccines (or at least ring in)? Apparently it's on case the temp is caused by something else entirely. Luckily my daughter never had any reactions at all to vaccines other than crying but was soothed with milk as others have said.

We were told to wait a half hour and we did in the surgery where his temp was taken and off we went and I gave calpol for the discomfort. I've gotten vaccinations of late again and my gosh my arms hurt so I don't feel guilty medicating for the discomfort.

Drdoc

So this is where the advice not to give calpol unless you need to is coming from:

http://www.nhs.uk/news/2009/10october/pages/paracetamol-vaccine-injection-research.aspx

kandr10

Drdoc wrote: »

So this is where the advice not to give calpol unless you need to is coming from:

http://www.nhs.uk/news/2009/10october/pages/paracetamol-vaccine-injection-research.aspx

Yeah that makes sense alright. I was told even with a temperature not to give it but to ring the surgery for advice. I'm assuming the advice would be to give calpol so I found it strange .