Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Tips for Babies getting Vaccines

Well it was that time again for my 6 month old son. Oh how I hate taking my children in for shots. It is so pitiful to see my poor baby going from a big beautiful grin thanks to all the smiling faces and sweet voices to being completely terrorized and afraid. But these tips always help me to make the best of a bad situation.
First, always make sure that you give your baby a dose of Tylenol before you leave for the doctor or in the car before going in to the appointment. By the time your baby gets his shots the Tylenol should be working strong and should relieve some of the pain from the initial prick. Tylenol should also help with any small reactions after the shots, like fever, irritability,  or soreness.
Also, if your child has a favorite item such as a pacifier, blanket,or  stuffed animal make sure you have it handy during and after the shots. I unfortunately lost Dylan’s pacifier before we even made it in the office. This was horrible!! I knew I had an extra in the car, but after the shots they have to stay in the office for 10 minutes and the nurse observes the child incase of any severe reaction…. he screamed the whole time and I couldn’t calm him down.
Finally, if at all possible schedule a feeding for right after or even during the shot. The nurse always says this is fine and if he is ready to eat it will give him something else to concentrate on while he is getting his shot!
I hope these tips help to make your baby’s doctor visit just a tad bit easier!

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