Both O and A had their last injections for the ages recently, that’s O had all his vaccinations until he’s a teenager and A done until he’s 3 years old. I really hate taking them to get vaccinated, I’m sure no-one enjoys it, but at least that’s it done for a while now! I thought some other parents with young babies and toddlers may be interested in what I have learned about getting little ones vaccinated.
1. Feed them through the injection. I breastfed both my boys through their early vaccinations, it worked so well, they hardly even unlatched (more a scrunching up of the face!) when they were given the injection. If you are a breast feeding mum I highly recommend doing this, it’s the single best way I have found to reduce upset when my babies were vaccinated. I’m not sure how easy this would be for bottle feeding parents, but I imagine it would be easier if you had two people (one to hold the bottle and one to hold the child). This worked well until the boys were around 12 months, then they were too interested in what was going on around them to feed!
2. Have the injections one at a time. I know some people would rather get them over and done with, but I disliked putting so much into my babies bloodstream all at once. I also found that it caused a lot less upset to get one injection, then a week later the next etc. This does mean you’ll have more visits and need to set time aside for it, but if it makes things easier for the child then I’m all for it. O had several injections at once the first couple of times as a baby, but he wouldn’t sleep very well for a week or so after the vaccinations, so I started having the injections 1-2 weeks apart and that improved things a lot. I can also see it reducing the tears, as they haven’t just been jabbed with a needle and then expected to put up with the pain another couple of times, I can understand why kids might get upset about that!
3. Hold tight. When you’re holding your child for their vaccinations, hold them extra tight. They can be very wriggly (as I’m sure you know) and you really want them to be as still as possible through the process.
4. Cuddles or Play. After their vaccinations are over and you are back in the waiting room let your child sit on your lap for cuddles if you want, but equally let them down to go and play again if that’s what they would prefer. If your child wants to breast feed then let them, if they didn’t want to feed whilst having their injections then a feed now normally calms them down!
5. Talk To Toddlers. Simply talk to your toddlers, let them know what is about to happen and why. They might even surprise you and be quite brave as they’ll know that a vaccination is an important thing.
I hope that these tips are useful to you, let me know if you have tried these or have any more tips to add.
J x
Morna piper says
Great suggestions. I’m glad we’re done with immunisations for a good while now. It’s not one of my favourite things but I’m glad we did it.
Jenny Eaves says
So glad to hear that O won’t need anymore until he’s a teenager! Quite a relief! 🙂 xx
Kaye says
Definitely agree with spacing out injections. A was always ill and we had to keep cancelling, so when he was healthy I had them all done at once and he reacted terribly! It was so awful and he was so poorly, it’s really put me off vaccinations and I was so mad at the complete lack of information we were given. With the next one, we’ll definitely be spacing them out.
Jenny Eaves says
Poor boy! You never know if they’ll react or not I guess. Some kids are fine, but as O wasn’t good with them all together I just decided A would only have one at a time ever! He seemed fine with that, just need to remember more appointments, but I don’t mind really! 🙂 xx
Eimear says
Ugh I have to do this in the next couple of weeks with my almost 1 year old, I hate it but thankfully she doesn’t actually seem to mind!! How about tips for the poor Mummies to be brave ha ha! #brilliantblogposts
Jenny Eaves says
Aww, hope she’s ok! Ha ha, I can’t even look when the needle goes into my boys, I’m definitely not brave! 🙂 xx
Katy {What Katy Said} says
Talking to toddlers is key- plus they give them that sweet that helps haha! Fab tips x
Jenny Eaves says
Ha ha! That would always help! 🙂 x
Sabrina (The Mummy Stylist) says
Great tips, it is heart-breaking when you see them cry at vaccinations, so anything to help is good!
Sabrina x
Jenny Eaves says
Thank you! It’s so awful when they cry at something you make them do, it’s just impossible to explain to a baby why though. Xx
Kate says
Great tips! I hate vaccinations, even though it’s all for the child’s benefit in the long run it still makes me feel so mean. When my middle child had her toddler vaccinations she was hysterical, she wouldn’t let me take her coat off but quietened down to actually have the injection, then as we were walking out past everyone in the waiting room she started shouting at the top of her voice “I didn’t want a jection!” She’s such a drama queen 😀
#BigFatLinky
Jenny Eaves says
Aww, it does make you feel bad doesn’t it! I love hearing toddlers talk, they say such funny things! 🙂 xx
Becky, Cuddle Fairy says
Great ideas! I read somewhere that breastfeeding actually reduces the baby’s feeling the pain of an injection. I did the same with mine, worked great 🙂 #TheBigFatLinky
Jenny Eaves says
That wouldn’t surprise me, breast feeding is amazing! Good to hear that someone else has done the same thing, the nurse here told me she wished others would breastfeed through injections, but no one seems to… Xx
Mummy Tries says
Great post, and I’m glad your little ones were okay. I breastfed my second and third babies through their’s whilst they were in the sling and it really helped…
Jenny Eaves says
Thanks! Nice to hear of others who breastfed through the injections too! 🙂 x
Fiona says
Great tips. I wish I had breastfed my girl through her injections. I did afterwards though and it really calmed her down again.
Jenny Eaves says
Yes, it definitely helps after too! 🙂 xx
al says
Vaccinations are such a worry for so many parents that I’m sure they will find this useful. Thanks for linking up #bigfatlinky
Jenny Eaves says
Thank you! 🙂
Jenni - Odd Socks and Lollipops says
Vaccinations are so horrible, but necessary. I took Boo for her first injections by myself (big mistake) we tried breastfeeding through them but she unlatched at the first one and was too upset to latch back on. Boo cried, I cried and my husband came with me to all of the others! Great tips and breastfeeding Boo straight after did help calm her down so it really works.
Jenny Eaves says
Aww, that’s a shame she came off. My boys were both a lot older before they stopped feeding through injections, we only went with one injection at a time and that really helped, as it was over quickly. Oh, and I cried when O got his one too! 🙂 xx
Hannah Mums' Days says
I hated vaccinations 🙁 so awful to hurt this little person you spend all your time protecting from pain!! But thankfully it’s over quickly. Some great tips and thanks for linking up to #TheList xx
Jenny Eaves says
I feel the same, they are so horrible! Xx