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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Any nurses on here that can help me regarding vaccinations!!

34 replies

Humpthree · 30/04/2019 14:44

Apologies for posting here but I'm desperate for the traffic and the vaccination board is a slow mover ime.

DS (13m) has his vaccinations tomorrow. I've got him some Emla cream but realised I don't actually know where to put it!

I rung the nurse at the surgery where we are going tomorrow and she wasn't very helpful and said she didn't recommend using emla cream and to just be brave. It would depend on which nurse is administering the jabs if they do arms as well as both legs and it's a precise, small circle near the hips where the injection is made.

Is there anyone who can help, or even better, show me a diagram of exactly where to put it?

I know I can't take the full pain away but it might help a little and will certainly help me! I am planning on leaving the cream on for 2/3hours - inline with the pharmasist's instructions for the best effect .

OP posts:

Lougle · 30/04/2019 14:49

I (as a parent of 3 and nurse) really wouldn't bother with the emla cream. It's a 2 minutes situation and within seconds/minutes he'll forget about it. The needles are tiny and the amount of liquid is tiny.

You won't be able to target the cream accurately, and it will make him more agitated, not less.

dementedpixie · 30/04/2019 14:49

I've never heard of anyone using emla cream for jabs. You'd have to slather it on the tops of both arms and thighs in order to cover all the places it could be injected (how many do they get these days at that age - is it 4?)

SnowyAlpsandPeaks · 30/04/2019 14:51

Had two children done, don’t bother. However YOUR anxiety is going to cause a problem. You need to calm down and I mean that nicely. It will be over in seconds, a little cry and done. Both mine were smiling with the nurse afterwards.

QueenofmyPrinces · 30/04/2019 14:52

Emla doesn’t really help with injections as the pain the babies feel is generally from the needle going into the muscle and then pressure of the fluid being forced into the muscle. I.e all the pain happens within the muscles as opposed to pain being a result of the needle pricking the skin.

At work we give some antibiotics via muscular injections but we mix the solution with local anaesthetic so that the tissue within the muscle is numbed as the immunisation fluid is pushed into it.

We never use emla/ametop when we give injections because although it may not hurt as much when the needle goes into the skin it doesn’t actually stop injection pain.

BurpingFrog · 30/04/2019 14:53

I wish I’d thought of that. My DC had two on each upper thigh but when we went with a friend, she had upper arms too.

Could you call the practice again and ask where they will be, saying you want to know so you can dress dc in convenient clothes if they don’t want to answer re EMLA?

(I presume the pharmacist has confirmed EMLA cream is safe/appropriate for a baby of that age.)

It really is over very fast. Hope it’s ok for you both.

GruciusMalfoy · 30/04/2019 14:53

I'm in agreement with the other replies, for it to be any use you'd have to cover the thighs and top of his arms. And it's such a quick procedure that it seems unnecessary. He'll quickly forget it.

Jebuschristchocolatebar · 30/04/2019 14:53

I’ve never heard of anyone doing this before. Are you worried about your ds reaction because if you are over so quickly they barely have time to get annoyed. Bring a treat for afterwards

Wifeofapostie · 30/04/2019 14:53

Paediatric nurse here... I really wouldn’t bother. Having the cream on for 45 mins before the injection will be more distressing than the injection it’s self. The most distressing part for babies is being held/restrained, Emla won’t help with that I’m afraid. Best thing to do hold him tight, lots of kisses and distraction afterwards, some food or a chocolate button or two.

Littlecaf · 30/04/2019 14:54

It takes 30 seconds and they won’t remember. You won’t need it.

BillywilliamV · 30/04/2019 14:54

What you need is a packet of chocolate buttons for afterwards. One for baby, the rest for you.

BurpingFrog · 30/04/2019 14:54

Typed slowly...sounds from PPs that it’s easier not to bother!

tmh88 · 30/04/2019 14:59

Wouldn’t bother with cream it’s over as quick as it starts! Have you thought about taking someone with you for support instead?

rainbowunicorn · 30/04/2019 15:00

You really don't need it. The jags are over in seconds and the nurse is usually very good at distracting and making the baby happy afterwards. Worse case they will cry for a couple of minutes.
Before you know it your little one will be running about skinning knees, bumping heads and goodness knows what else. In the grand scheme of things a couple of jags is really nothing to get het up about.
I would say that the child is more likely to pick up om your own anxiety and be upset by that than anything else.

Darkstar4855 · 30/04/2019 15:06

Emla doesn’t really help with injections as the pain the babies feel is generally from the needle going into the muscle and then pressure of the fluid being forced into the muscle.

This. It’s more likely to confuse him and make him anxious than it is to make it less painful.

cptartapp · 30/04/2019 15:07

Practice nurse here. In 30 years nursing I've never had this asked before vaccinations. Really, don't bother. You need dressings over the top of the cream anyway, you don't just rub it in. They can be given two in each thigh now the Men B isn't a black triangle drug. Just grit your teeth. The more faffing about the worse it tends to go IME.

Troels · 30/04/2019 15:12

Nurse here, never used Emla cream on any of mine. Distraction or breasfeeding while it happens works best. Mine used to give the nurse a dirty look when they got jabbed, but rarely any tears.
Have them on your knee for it. Works better than on a table, thats when we had tears, as soon as their bum hit the paper on the table they'd cry.

Omzlas · 30/04/2019 15:14

I wouldn't bother and nobody (not a single person) I know has bothered with it.

Your being anxious is more likely to cause an issue than the injections themselves. I suffer from anxiety and cried a little when my kids had theirs but I didn't all out bawl my eyes out, and didn't let on to them that I was upset. It's all over and done with in a matter of seconds. As PP said, take a small treat for your LO and try to relax

JellycatElfie · 30/04/2019 15:17

I wouldn’t bother too - I’m a paediatric nurse and mom of 2. Emla can be good for venepuncture and cannulation, but the pain from a needle is generally the medication objected (it’s stingy) and emla won’t help that. It needs to be on for up to an hour too, and can cause the skin to become itchy (this can be normal but v irritating) whereas the needle will be over in seconds. Hope it goes ok!

redstapler · 30/04/2019 15:17

Emla has to be covered with an occlusive dressing, the pain of taking that off will be not that much less than the injection in a baby. Honestly, you're over-thinking this.

ItsLikeRainOnYourWeddingDay · 30/04/2019 15:23

Don't use the cream.

Please work on your anxiety so you don't pass it onto your child.

Faster · 30/04/2019 15:28

Practice nurse here as well.
The pain from the immunisation is due to injecting into the muscle, the emla only works on the skin. It’s entirely pointless to be frank.

Happyspud · 30/04/2019 15:29

Don’t bother with this.

ethelfleda · 30/04/2019 15:29

OP, is there someone else that can take him in? I was anxious before my boys jabs so DH took him in while I waited outside ready to give hugs and reassurance.
By the time he came out to me he was over it though so I was surplus to requirement.

Bless you for trying to make it an easier/less painful experience for him but I agree with what everyone else has said.

kaytee87 · 30/04/2019 15:31

I've never heard of anyone doing this. It's only some jabs, at his 1yr vaccinations ds cried out for a second then was fine as soon as I cuddled him.

MrMakersFartyParty · 30/04/2019 15:33

Won't help, they're intramuscular injections

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