Baby's First Set of shots..can Sugar Water Ease Pain?

Sugar water or not... shots hurt! Sorry to say it so bluntly, but there isn't really anything you can do. Some doctors will allow Tylenol, but this is more for prevention of fever. Short of knocking her unconscious, it's going to hurt.The most important thing you can do is remain calm and tell her that the pain is just temporary and everything is okay. Just remember that shots hurt a lot less than the diseases they prevent!! Have your husband hold her if you're having a hard time keeping it together, that's what I did for my first son during his first shots.

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I've actually never heard of the sugar water. I can't actually imagine it helping, I mean it's sugar water....
But don't worry! It literally does hurt us more than it does them! And infants are much better with them than toddlers are--they are upset for just a few minutes and then calm down.
The Dr. may advise you to give her baby tylenol if she breaks a fever, but after the first round of shots with our son, where he was just super cranky for the next 24 hours, we just automatically gave him a dose of baby tylenol with each set of shots, and that helped tremendously! You would have never known he had gotten them!

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I'm also not a fan of over medicating but I giveen my daughter tylenol 30 min before her shots (so basically just before I leave the house when you take in travel time and wait time at the office). Not for pain but because sometimes they can have a mild reaction to a vaccine/injection. So the shot will hurt but she might be a little sore there afterwards.

But they are babies and don't have the fear we have learned to have about doctors, pain, needles, anything! All you have to do is pick her up and hold her and she'll be fine. She may be tired or a little grumpy afterwards or she may not. My daughter ripped of her bandaids to see what they were. Don't stress about her shots being painful. She is (and will be for a while) at the age where a kiss solves everything. And she'll take her cue from you, especially as she gets older. If she thnks you think she is hurt she'll be more upset. If you are calm she'll be calm.

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My daughter was in the hopital at 10 days old with a staff infection in the site where the scalp electrode was placed during her birth. She was on IV antibiotics for 3 days. We were at Wolfson's Childrens Hopital where they gave her a pacifier diped in sugar water before they did certain procedures. They told me that there had been studies that proved that the sugar water helped ease pain in infants. They had little individual packages like you would see coffee creamer in that was the sugar water. It was commercially packaged, not a homemade thing. If the hosital is doing it I would think there is some merrit to the idea. I didn't remember that until you mentioned it. My baby has shots next week. I may try that in addition to the Tylenol. Anything that makes her feel better is worth a try.

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Hello T.,
I am a nurse and yes sugar water does help with pain in infants. I read on the internet that even a 25% solution is helpful but the best results were with a 75% solution. It doesn't take much either. To make a 75 % solution just mix 1 tsp of sugar with 1.5 tsp water and give 1 - 2 ml just prior to the injection. Some pediatricians have started doing this but not the one I take my little one too. I am glad you reminded me of this pain reliever in little ones because my 4 month old is due for shots next month. Also swaddling your baby will help as well, and some say skin to skin contact will help also.

Take care, C.

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I gave all of my children a small amount of infant tylenol before leaving home to go to the doctor's office. I think that this would be better than sugar water.

I never heard that... but I did buy some infant tylenol - don't give it to her before as the dosage depends on her weight. I brought the tylenol with me... and my baby's weight meant his dosage was .8 ml... I gave it to him just before he got the shots so he wouldn't get a fever - and he didn't. Good luck. I hated the shots experience. my baby goes in Monday for his 4 months shots! Ugh!

Hi T. ~ My 2 year old son has had his share of shots already. I always give him the recommended dose of Tylenol before our arrival so it will "kick in" in time for the shots. Of course, consult your doc on this.

Hi. My daughter is about to go for her 2nd set of shots. I remember when I took her for her first set. I was very nervous b/c I didn't know what to expect. I always heard other babies screaming at the doc office when they got theirs. My daughter did way better than I thought. She cried when they first gave her the shots but when I picked her up & cuddled her for a minute she was fine. They gave me baby Tylenol to give her right then just in case she developed a fever (which is normal). You could call your pediatrician & ask if it is ok to give it to her before she gets her shots. I gave my daughter the recommended dosage throughout the night & took her temp regularly. She was absaloutley fine.

Hi T.
I feel your pain . I wouldn't worry too much though my my daughter who is 8 weeks old today just got her shots this morning. She is doing fine , with no pain med taken. She has slept a bit more than normal today , but so did my son when he got his. Just wanted to let you know she will need your conforting her more than anything. Good luck
C.

Infant Tylenol about 1/2 an hour before her shots will help with pain and any fever she might get afterwards.

Always give the child baby motrin an hour before the shots. Read the bottle and know your child's weight. The doctor can tell you or show you how much to give your child. My doctor used the paper on the exam table to write out the formula for measuring enough motrin to give, which that will keep her fever down and the pain at the site.

I have given both my girls Tylenol before their shots. Also used an ice pack to ease the pain at the site the first day. My youbgest always has a fever the night of the shots. For my oldest I would nurse her during the shot and she never cried. Just be sure to give her extra comfort for a few days and don't plan any extra activiies for the day or two after the shots.

It seems contrary to most of the advice you've received, but I want to share my daughter's approach which has worked very well. She doesn't believe in giving drugs any more than necessary, and would never give her babies sugar water -- but has found that nursing them immediately after the shot works absolute wonders for stopping the pain.

I am a nurse and I have to give shots to the little ones all day long. We always inform our pt to give Tylenol 30 minutes prior to the appointment. You can get the ELMA cream too which is applies about 45 min ahead of time but you have to get an RX for it from your doctor. Its more work putting it on and taking it off before the shots are given. I only use the ELMA cream when my daughter has to go get blood drawn but when it comes to getting shots, Tylenol does a good job. The area where the shots are given will be sore so you can slightly massage the areas to help with the soreness. Some of our parents gives warm baths after their appointment. But dont use a cold ice pack for the area,it just makes it worse. Everytime I take my daughter for her shots, I do all this same routine for her too and my daughter is fine.

I have four wonderful children mostly grown now, but I have never heard of sugar water before shots. I usually gave mine Tylenol about 20 minutes before their appointment and they have never had problems with their shots. Unfortunately it will hurt when they get the shot but it only last for a couple of minutes. Mine never had a fever. Also, I put an ice pack over the shot area as soon as we got home to ease any discomfort they may have. Hopes this helps you.

Honestly, she will not feel much but a little pinch. I felt the same way with my son, I wanted to run away and never get his shots done. I heard you can give them a little tylenol before you go but the doctor doesn't advise it because he wants to get their true temp just incase she starts to run one after the shot. But what I did and my friend was bought tylenol and as soon as we walked out of the office gave it to them to ease them and keep fevers down. Good luck! She will only cry for a few minutes and she will forget about it forever. My son is 13 months now and we get through it pretty easy.

I've never heard of sugar water either and probably wouldn't use it. Find out the appropriate amount of Tylenol for your little one in case you need it. We were never told to pre-medicate before my son's appts. He really never had much of a problem after his shots. I would give him the Tylenol right after the appt just in case and to ease any potential discomfort. I also would nurse him right after and he'd calm right down. Honestly, it's harder on us than it is on them. It's so important later on like someone else said-you stay calm and reassuring and they'll be calm!

I have never heard of that, but shots are a part of life. I recommend you just give her TLC! It will hurt her, but hopefully she will not cry too long. My daughter only cried for a few minutes afterwards and she was fine. I never did any of those old wives tales... Good luck.

I've never used sugar water, (I've heard that it is not recommended by pediatritians anymore) What I do for my children is give them a dose of tylenol about 1/2 hour before their shots and keep giving it every 4 hours until bedtime that night. It keeps you ahead of the pain. The other thing I did since I nursed both my children is to immeadiately after the shots let them nurse for a few minutes (since you have to stay at the docs for a few minutes anyway). Hope that helps

I would suggest calling the medical office and seeing if you can give her Infant Tylenol. If I remember correctley that is what they gave me after my daughter got her shots. Then they told me next time give it to her 30 minutes before her appointment.
E. M.

Hi,
the only thing i do is give my son tylenol at least 10 mins before he gets his shots. But about the sugar water i have never heard about it...but , good luck!

At 11 weeks old administering shots happens very quickly. Usually they will have you dress your baby leaving the shot area accessible and that way you can pick her up when they're done. Each person reacts to shots differently and you might want to wait to see how your daughter responds moreso to the after effects vs the actual shot. I don't know if you can give the infant tylenol at her age (I can't remember) but they will let you know what you can to do to ease her discomfort. My first two kids were usually more sleepy w/ little irritation and lasted apprx a day or less. My third she has been the more sensitive one experiencing more irritability and tiredness. Try to stay calm and think positive she has to go through this several times over the next two years. How you handle the situation will affect her since babies do feed off of their parents emotional state. By the way do you have an aversion to shots? Also, if you still feel nervous by the day of her appt let someone come with you and write down any querstions you may have to ensure you don't forget them.

Tylenol 30 minutes prior to the appointment. Warm baths after your appointment will help with the soreness. After the warm bath slightly massage the areas to help with the soreness.

Hi T., I'm sure all parents feel exactly the same way as you, I certainly don't like it when my son has his shots. We prefer to avoid using any meds unless theres a real need for it and we have found with our son that the quickest way to calm him down is to make sure that he is happy and comfortable before the shots and then afterwards to pick him up as quickly as possible and cuddle, soothe and distract him with words and kisses etc, he very quickly calms down (30 seconds). Remember that with most of the early shots the pain is solely the needle, with some as you get older - I believe its the MMR - it actually stings for a few minutes. I had to have the shot again as an adult due to some immigration issues and I watched a young girls eyes bulge when she was given her shot and then she started crying. I thought "Ah bless her!!". When I had the shot I thought "Youch!!" ;)

I've never heard of sugar water either. My doc recommends tylenol. You can give it to her right before you leave for your appt and it will be kicked in by the time she gets her shots.
Good luck - I hated those shots too!!
Jen

never heard of that but if you give baby tylenol before shots it will help also but make sure you ask your doctor how much to administer. have four kids, now grown and nine grands. God bless!!

Hi T.,

You really don't have anything to worry about. Neither of my sons even knew they were getting shots when they were that age. They don't feel them like they do as they get older. A pediatrician told me this is because their nerve endings aren't fully developed yet. I have heard about giving tylenol before the shot before, but you really don't need to. I think it is worse for the parents than it is for the baby:)

Good Luck,

S.

i have heard and done a dose of tylenol but haven't hear of sugar water sorry

I have 3 children and had not heard of the sugar water, but was told from my first child to go ahead and give them tylenol BEFORE the appt and it would help with the pain. I also held them close while they were getting the shots- studies have shown this helps them greatly also. Good luck!

Like everyone else, I suggest tylenol, but more importantly is for you to be calm for your baby. She knows your body language by now. Try to make sure your body language is relaxed so that she relaxes. It's more painful is she tenses up. Sometimes, my daughter cried, but got over it soon. Other times, it was was just a startled whimper and it was over. I know it's tough, but try not to focus on the temporary pain it causes, but on the act that you are protecting your child. If you get into that mindset, it might be easier. The nurse in my office was awesome. She just let me hold her like normal and did the shot in the leg so fast. I find that if you hold the baby down or restrain her, she is already in panic mode. So, put on you best poker face and good luck.

You have a lot of advice already, and you'll get more. So, I just want to leave you with the advice my sister gave me: You are her mommy. No one knows her better or loves her better. Trust your instincts. You're better at this than you realize.

God Bless
H.

Sugar water is not an appropriate method for pain management. Before you take your daughter to her doctors' appointment, swing by the grocery store and pick up some Infant Tylenol. At the appointment, the staff will weigh and measure her. Ask your provider how much Tylenol she should take, and how often, based upon her age and weight. Then give her a dose before she gets her immunizations. It's also a good idea to dose your daughter throughout the first day. In the future, dose your daughter with Tylenol before you set foot in the doctors' office so the Tylenol has a chance to kick in.

just the baby tylenol is all the doctor's recommend. they usually have you give it to your baby just before coming in. this is to prevent high fever in case of an adverse reaction to the shots.

from what I understand, if you are not comfortable with having so many shots at once, you can break them up (two different appointments) but it is your decision.

best of luck...rubs those thighs and get the knotts out so she isn't so sore for the next couple of weeks!

Never heard of the water, but just give her some baby motrin or Tylenol and love, she will be just fine, SMILE!