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Original poster

How on earth do you get your baby to swallow Calpol?

29 replies

bizziebee · 02/06/2007 17:06

We have been using a baby syringe but it just comes straight back out. Dd is 23 weeks old and hasn't ever eaten anything other than bm. Think its a shock for her! Any tips?

OP posts:
beansprout · 02/06/2007 17:09

I used to squirt it, a bit at a time, into the side of ds's mouth, i.e. aim at the cheek. Just a bit. It could take 6 goes to get 5ml in. Good luck!

AbRoller · 02/06/2007 17:12

has she fed from a bottle?

When we had to give any yukkie meds we mixed with a small amount of cooled boiled water and 'fed' it.

hth

Original poster
bizziebee · 02/06/2007 17:12

thanks beansprout(for both threads)! Have resorted to calpol for the teething. We both just get so sticky!

OP posts:
divastrop · 02/06/2007 17:13

i have found with all of mine that they dont like the syringe but will happily suck it off of a spoon for some reason.

Original poster
bizziebee · 02/06/2007 17:13

yes - she has a bottle sometimes - might try that - cheers!

OP posts:
kid · 02/06/2007 17:15

Don't know if she has a dummy, but I have seen a medicine dispenser type dummy. Never tried it on my kids, but did think it looked good.

PinkTulips · 02/06/2007 17:17

spoon.

dd never had a problem but ds took a while to get the hang of it

they can suck it off the spoon at their own pace whereas with the syringe it's a bit more forceful and the instinct is to spit it out

lilymolly · 02/06/2007 17:32

my dd would NEVER take medicines......

We had to head lock her and force it down her throat with a syringe.

One day we tried the sugarery calpol on a spoon and she loved it!!

if she has medised we have to hide it in milk.

The dummy things that kid was describing I think has been discontinued, as boots do not stock it anymore

missgriss · 02/06/2007 17:35

My dd took it quite happily off a spoon, until recently. SHe refuses it totally now. DS was always more tricky, and had to be force fed it from a syringe. I tried to aim to the back of his mouth, but towards the side IYKWIM, to try and stop him spitting it now. He's just turned 2 now and absolutly the taste so you might find it easier the older your baby gets.

NAB3 · 02/06/2007 17:36

Put it in small bursts from a syringe in to the side of the mouth. Less likely to be spat straight out.

Enid · 02/06/2007 17:39

syringe pointed into the cheek, a bit at a time

but dd1 NEVER took it

she didnt mind nurofen though

kid · 02/06/2007 17:42

they are available here. Never used it myself so don't know how good or useless they are!

belgo · 02/06/2007 17:43

we use paracetamol suppositories made especially for babies. very quick and easy to use, and works faster then calpol. A lot less fuss and bother then medi-cine

mears · 02/06/2007 17:43

If spoon doesn't work then suirt into the cheek. If still spitting it out them press her cheeks and she will have to swallow because she won't be able to spit it out. By pressing cheeks I mean tilt her head up and gently squeeze her cheeks with your thumb on one side of her face and your fingers of the same hand on the other cheek.
She won't like it but she will swallow.

Original poster
bizziebee · 02/06/2007 17:54

Just gave her some from the syringe - bit by bit into her cheek. She def took more than before. Scooped up what she spat out with a spoon and she seemed to take a bit of that as well. Def improvement. Still very sticky though!

OP posts:
Original poster
bizziebee · 02/06/2007 17:56

can some of you helpful ladies take a look at my teething thread I started? More advice needed!

OP posts:
christywhisty · 02/06/2007 17:57

I had to beg my paediatrician for paracetamol suppositories, they are a ridiculous price ocwer £30 for 2 or 3 days supply.

christywhisty · 02/06/2007 17:58

sorry that should say "over" £30

belgo · 02/06/2007 19:12

cristy, they are a lot cheaper and more commonly used in Belgium.; They were invaluable when my dd1 lost conciousness and had a febrile convulsion , there would have been no way of getting calpol in to her then, but the suppositary worked very quicekly, bringing her temperature down by the time the ambulance arrived, therefore shortening the convulsion.

belgo · 02/06/2007 19:12

sorry christy

Toothyboy · 02/06/2007 19:15

Ds2 (15 months) will not take medicine from a spoon. We discovered recently that he will suck Calpol from the sachets!

PaleHeadedBrushFinch · 02/06/2007 19:19

an oral syringe from the chemist. easy to measure out right amount, then you can squirt into mouth, either back of mouth when screaming, or allow them to choose when to take to mounth (let them hold your hand)...can quirt in little bursts too, so more manageable for them to swallow.

my 3 dc each have their own particular quirks on how they will allow medicine to pass their lips, and even thats dependent on how they are feeling...

ds1 sucks from the sachets sometimes.
spoons are almost always messy and frustrating i find

mrsharrypotter · 02/06/2007 19:49

DD will only take it if I put it through a teat, I don't water it down though as there's just more for her to spit out!

SummertimeBluesuedeShoes · 02/06/2007 20:41

My ds would never take anything - even diluted in a whole bottle of milk he would taste it and refuse.

The only thing we could do was use soluble baby disprol diluted in a tiny amount of water in a bottle of milk and he would usually take that.

He and dd still won't take calpol but she at least does like the cherry flovoured stuff from Tesco.

shhhh · 02/06/2007 23:49

we had huge problems with dd till a few weeks ago when she gladly gave it herself off a spoon (now aged 2..)and even said Mmmm...! If only we had known that 90% of the battle was because she wanted to do it herself..!!

BUT...ds (14 weeks) is exactly the same and due to being ill has had a few medicines..after several attempts a neonatal nurse suggested putting it into a teat with a little milk before a feed. Touch wood..we haven't looked back!! .

BTW those "dummy" dispensers..a waste of time and money. Well ime.!!!

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