Calpol before or after baby jabs

[newmumtobe1998]

My newborn is due to have their 8 week immunisations next week - Calpol before or after? Health visitor said entirely up to me how I do it but what did people find worked better.

I’ve done before and after, I found that half an hour before was better

I was told to give it after - but it would have been much easier to get it into her before!

Before definitely

Some nurses won’t administer the vaccines without checking temps first, and so if you’ve given Calpol before they might not do it. My baby was rechecked before one of his vaccines, might have been the 12 month ones. Might be worth phoning your surgery and seeing if they have a surgery specific policy.

why was it better before?

Because then it's already in babies system for the injections kicking in and also generally a dose of calpol on it's own isn't too traumatic but if you wait and try to give along with injections in a clinical environment i think it just adds stress. My first baby the nurse gave calpol at the appointment, I always gave myself before we went after that

Also tip, give the additional calpol doses when they're due. I didn't want to wake DD to give and thought would be fine when she woke. She woke screaming and continued to scream until i got calpol into her and it started to work

With the MenB they get at 8 weeks they are advised to have 3 doses of paracetamol after they get them, with the 1st dose soon after and the others 4-6 hours after each other

To help prevent or treat a high temperature, it's recommended you give your baby child's paracetamol after their MenB vaccinations at 8 weeks and 12 weeks old.
You'll need to give your baby 3 doses of paracetamol. Give them 1 dose as soon as possible after being vaccinated, give them a 2nd dose 4 to 6 hours later, and a 3rd dose 4 to 6 hours after that.
Make sure you leave at least 4 hours between each dose and do not give them more than 4 doses in 24 hours.

Advice is after the immunisation not before. In fact they could refuse to give the immunisation if given before incase it descized an unwell child.
The above poster has put in a link please follow the NHS advice.

Definitely before, takes away a bit of pain for the injection itself and has a head start on preventing any fever x

With both DC I’ve always done it straight after.

I’ve always done after….

with my first dc I was still in the new born haze and stupidly gave double the dose on the bottle cue made panic and call to 111 to which I was told I would get a phone call back for a doctor, he then proceeded to give me a proper telling off for giving calpol without a temperature present all while I was holding the nhs leaflet in my hand that tells you to do exactly that. All turned out fine but I was an absolute mess and quite annoyed that although it’s well known guidance obviously not well known enough for some doctors

anyway moral of the story….check dose and check again it’s really easily done especially when you are already flustered following the jabs themselves and I have certainly not made the same mistake again