First Immunisation - What to expect

[hbmummy]

Good morning!

I would like some advice on what I can expect with DD at her 8 week immunisation.

Is there anything I can do, or have to be ready?

DH has to travel in week 8 ---- would be great if DD can have the injections in Wk 7 so he can be here to help. DD is not a good sleeper - she manages 2 hours if we are lucky and I am worried about how little sleep I will get when DH is away .

[Furball]

nothing much you can do, I would delay (so week 9) a week rather than bring it forward and buy a bottle of calpol, incase she gets a temperature.

[mrspnut]

Your daughter might be more sleepy than usual or she may get a slight temperature or (like mine) she may be absolutely fine and take it all in her stride.

I second the vote for calpol at the ready and if you really need your husband to be there then you have to delay - they won't do the first immunisations at 7 weeks, and there have to be 4 clear weeks between each of the first three immunisations, so you'd be putting the whole schedule back by a week.

I'd also suggest you talk to your HV about baby's sleeping pattern just incase she can suggest something you haven't tried but it does get better as they get older.

[kinkiclaus]

Delaying a week won't hurt, my surgery do them at 3,5&7 months routinely, they believe a slightly older (so generally bigger) baby responds better to the immunisations. My ds is 18 wks and still not had his yet. He had whooping cough when his were due. He'll be having his first jabs at 20 wks.

[scouserabroad]

DD2 (12 wks) had her first jabs two days ago, she didn't have a temperature but slept from 9.30 pm to 10 the next morning which she never usually does! When DD1 had her first jabs she got a slight temperature, but a dose of calpol sorted it & she was back to normal the next day.

Hope it goes OK for your DD

[hbmummy]

Thanks for all comments! Spent the afternoon trying to get the wind out of her.

Went out to get Woodwards Gripe Water. Been using Infacol for a week now. Sometimes we think it works, sometimes not. She still seems to have tremendous amount of wind - top and bottom. Can we give her gripe water and Infacol at the same time or should we wait for Infacol to work its magic? (How long should we wait?)

Everytime she passes wind during her sleep, she cries and will have to be comforted back to sleep. Any tricks on this?

Btw, is there any UK national baby farting trophy? Think DD1 qualifies!

Will definitely get Calpol. Saw advert on Calpol Night. Does it matter whether it is the normal Calpol or Calpol Night?

Spoke to MW and HV about the sleeping pattern and everyone we met - the standard reply is - this is normal for baby, and it will get better. Just wondering when it will get better - cant wait!!!

[karen999]

I gave my dd calpol 20 mins before she got hers and it had kicked in by then. She was fine and slept for hours!!

[knittingmama]

I agree, give the Calpol beforehand. My dd slept like a dream after her jabs, and it was great. Helpful hint for the actual jab- I had dd in a wrap around fabric sling, and her legs were exposed because she had just been in to see the GP (this wasn't winter, though!). When I went in for the jabs the nurse said I could keep her in the sling. Seemed a little less traumatic for her and made me feel better about the whole thing.

[derlorisMonica]

i disagree with giving the calpol bafore hand - IF (albeit unlikely) bit if she were to suffer a reaction calpol can mask her symptoms and you may not realise there is something wrong - only give calpol (normal stuff, not night one) if she is hot and upset afterwards
you will not be able to get her immunised before 8 weeks so go for 9 if you need to. Infacol should work fairly quickly - are you breast feeding her?

[hbmummy]

DerlorisMonica - yes, am bf DD1, with odds bottle (2 - 3 fl. oz at a time) every now and then. The last bottle of 2 fl oz. on Saturday night. Usually it is in the evening - we suspect she is cluster feeding and my nipples are too sore to keep feeding. The bottle gives the nipple a break and helps her to settle though not helping her to sleep longer (we have read that formula milk helps the baby to sleep longer as it is much more difficult to digest).

[derlorisMonica]

cluster feeding can give them terrible wind - if you can try to leave it even 1-2 hours between her evening feeds this can sometimes help with the wind.
Often babies take in air when feeding, they then feed again, and again...... and the wind stays there making their tummies sore.
Infacol etc before EVERY feed can help but IME leaving time for the milk/wind to move out of her tummy before the next feed works best.
BTW some people will tell you always feed on demand - and say that I am terrible for suggesting you try to space out her feeds but it is just my advice - try it if you want to but in the end do what's right for you.
I've been there with a windy, colicy baby (DS) and it is hell. Got advised to try this method with DD and it worked a treat
good luck

[EmMcK]

Hi HB, my DS just had his eight week jabs and the nurse suggested that I breastfeed him while she gave him the injections as it calms him, and it worked a treat. I had bought Calpol just in case, but the jabs don't always mean a fever or I would agree with delorisMonica. Probably better to avoid giving them anything if it is unneeded.
Have you been to any breast feeding clinics, they might help you with the sore nipples. One of mine points left (who would have thought!!) and once that was pointed out, it became easier to feed.
My DH is about to go away for a week for work leaving me with DS who is 9 weeks, so know that if you are nervous about that, then I am in the same boat!!

[Nyx]

I would also say give calpol afterwards, as that's what we did with my dd; she was fine - I think I took it worse than she did (the plaster on her wee leg! Argh!) and as others have said, she was just sleepy afterwards. None of her jabs have given her trouble, but I've always given (ordinary) Calpol at first sign of a temperature. Oh, and I would delay rather than bring forward the jag.

Question for you - how on earth do you give your baby gripe water? LOL - ours simply wasn't having it...it was a nightmare. We have a great photo - not on my profile unfortunately - of my DH trying to give her a dropperful and it just not happening. Well done you! Hope she becomes less windy soon. DD could have challenged yours on the national farting - the blanket was billowing LOL! It soon passed though (pun not intentional, btw )

Good luck on the sleeping patterns, and happy new year

[coby]

No stick with ordinary calpol (suitable from 2 months) if you are going to use anything. Calnight and Calcold (the same thing ) have an antihistimine in them too, not neccessary for immunisation pain but helps with colds (btw for future ref - Medised is exactly the same as calnight etc but usually cheaper )

I gave calpol to my first DC after the immunisations but with second DC laid off (I had more confidence then) neither needed the calpol tbh.

Dungarees are a good tip - you can pop them back up after the injection without oo much fuss and if they have swelling after the injections they don't need to be pulled down tightly over the sore bit every time you do a nappy change.

[Bodkin]

Don't forget the site where the jab was when changing your DDs nappy the next day! My DD2 had very little reaction to the jabs so I forgot all about them, until I was changing her nappy the next day and held her leg near the site! Poor thing howled and it took me ages to work out why!