15 Parent-Approved Tips For Less Painful Vaccinations

As a parent, the last thing you want is for your child to get hurt. But when it comes to vaccinations, this principle gets tweaked just a little bit. Mums and dads will willingly submit and volunteer their kid to be pricked by a needle and therefore feel pain, just to protect their little one from diseases that may be life-threatening or incurable, but are definitely preventable.

Serious diseases that can be prevented through immunization include: Whooping cough, diphtheria, tetanus, measles, mumps, Rubella and meningococcal infection. Some of these can be fatal or may translate into life-long complications, and vaccines have saved numerous lives from being claimed by these illnesses.

But immunization can be difficult and painful – both for baby and parents. Following a vaccine schedule usually means your baby will have to endure up to 20 shots from the time they were born up to their second birthday. Aside from the needle pokes at the doctor’s office, babies can also suffer from pain and swelling in the site of injection, body aches and soreness and mild to moderate fever in the next few hours after the vaccination.

While these side effects are inevitable, there are techniques to make the immunization experience less painful and less stressful for the baby. Members of the Mum’s Lounge community provided the following tips:

Before the appointment

1. Organize your child’s medical and immunization records to take with you to the doctor’s office.

2. Do some background research and list the related questions you may want to ask the pediatrician.

3. You will most likely need the whole day to attend to your child before and after the appointment. If you are working, schedule your leave in advance or make the necessary arrangements.

4. Pack your baby’s bag which should contain travel essentials as well as a favorite book, toy or blanket that you can use to comfort your child.

5. If the baby is old enough to converse, experts advise parents to prepare their child the morning of the appointment by explaining the vaccination process in simple, soothing terms. Tell the truth and speak calmly – use positive language and keep the focus away from the needle.

During the appointment

6. Stay near your child during the vaccination so you can comfort her and give her confidence from your reassuring presence. Holding your baby also helps the doctor give a more accurate and therefore quicker shot.

7. Distract the baby during the injection.

8. Ask questions.

9. Stay calm – babies are sensitive and will easily pick up your anxiety and mirror it.

After the appointment

10. Follow doctor’s orders to ease pain and soreness in the injection site.

11. Give your baby a sponge bath and let her take anti-fever medication if instructed by the doctor to help ease the flu-like symptoms commonly experienced after immunization.

12. Let your child drink plenty of liquids and offer her favorite nutritious food as children often lose their appetite the days after.

13. Pay extra attention to your baby until she recovers.

14. Give support and praise to your child, regardless of how she behaved at the doctor’s office.

15. Recruit the cooperation of all family members and instruct everyone to refrain from scolding or teasing the baby even if she cried aloud, squirmed during the injection, etc. Give your comfort and it will build the seeds of calm and confidence that will be handy until your next appointment.

References: Mum’s Lounge, Centers For Disease Control and Prevention