Blood Test for 11 moth old - advice! Emla cream

[5unshine]

Hello 👋
Can anyone explain how bloods are taken from babies around 11 months? I know going to be a needle in the arm, but I just want to mentally prepare myself for how long it may take and will it involve me pinning down my child or will I be able to hold her for the test, whilst still obviously wrestling her to keep still.
We have been given numbing cream to apply an hour before the test so if anyone has any advice on how to apply this to an 11 month old and wrap in cling film and keep it in place for an hour I would appreciate that also! 😅
Thank youuuuu! X

p.s the blood test is being taken because she has a lump in her neck.

Put her in the highchair or something so she can't escape to put the cream on and clingfilm then put a long sleeve top on her to stop her from pulling at it, lots of distraction after the top is on.
At the appointment she will be allowed to sit on your lap, they will get you to put her non-creamed arm behind your back or across her chest with your arm wrapped over the top. Of course she will struggle when she feels the nip of the needle so it's a case of just holding on to her body tightly, the nurses will hold her creamed arm steady themselves. Little plaster on then lots of cuddles, job done. It's actually easier when they're younger and don't comprehend what's going to happen to them, there's no fear beforehand (except for mummy!) good luck!

My daughter had bloods done with Emla last year and didn’t feel a thing. She’s ten and would definitely have whinged if it hurt. They really should have given you a dressing to hold it in place. Maybe ask them, otherwise cling film is ok. I’d take some chocolate buttons to distract her

Mine had bloods done a couple of months ago at 13 months old (also for a lump on the neck). We weren't given numbing cream and I was sat in a big comfy chair with him in my lap. They showed me exactly how to hold him and he didn't realise anything was happening until the needle went in. He did cry, but it was comparable to the routine injections for him. He calmed down and cheered up before we were even out of the room

They should have told you how and where to put the cream. When dd was under 3 she got bloods taken from the back of her hand and I was given two dressings and told to put it on the backs of both hands an hour before. On the day she just watched them take blood- but she has always been a calm little soul. I think that maybe they will do it on a cuddle kind of hold where the wee ones arm goes round your back like you’re feeding them a bottle almost- and they can take the blood then and you’re kind of holding the arm in case they struggle… a pharmacy might be able to help give you appropriate dressings or your Gp surgery?

At that age I'd be taking blood out of the back of the hand, not from the elbow - much easier to hang onto a hand, and almost impossible to keep the arm straight.

Our local hospital have a play therapist and use a local anaesthetic spray . 4 year old granddaughter who is very stressy was absolutely fine .

If you have time you can order tegade dressing from Amazon but if not go to pharmacy and get a decent sized dressing and put it over the clingfilm to hold it in place.

Clint film is tricky, I use a cut up food bag and then tape around the four edges with dressing tape. Clint film moves a bit especially on a wiggly baby! It doesn’t stick as much as a plaster so shouldn’t hurt to take off xx