Local Anasthetic cream for injections

[GeorginaA]

I've just bought a tube of local anasthetic cream for ds1 and ds2 as they both have injections tomorrow, however, buying the stuff has given me more questions than I started with and the pharmacy wasn't very helpful. Hoping wise mumsnetters will have the right advice

According to the pharmacist, I'm supposed to put it on their arm 1 Hour before hand then cover with a dressing?! Sounds unbelievably complicated (especially as I'm sure the nurse said apply 5 mins before in the waiting room and made no mention of a dressing at all). Have I bought the wrong stuff? Or will it also work fine if I just apply 5 mins before? How did other mumsnetters use local anasthetic cream before jabs?

Also, how do I know where to apply it? Should I pop in before hand and ask the nurse? Bit worried if I have to apply it an hour before and make all this fuss about it, it's just going to wind ds1 up more and it'd actually be better for him to have the quick jab and it all be over with.

(oh, it's EMLA cream)

DS had this cream when he had a line inserted into his arm in hospital the other day. It took an hour to have an effect. He had it applied, then had a dressing put over it (just a clear plaster). Hadn't occured to me to use it for a jab - seems a bit of a palaver.

It does - rapidly regretting buying the stuff now (and ds1 was with me so he knows he's "supposed" to be having this stuff). Might not bother now, tbh.

I had it for my amniocentecis, and didn't feel a thing - amazingly.

Have done a deal with ds1 that he gets a sweet in his mouth during the injection and then the second the injection's done he gets a mouthload of sweets, but no local anasthetic cream.

He's grinning his head off in agreement because he's not normally allowed that many sweets and definitely not before dinner, lol.

that sound like a better idea. ime the injections are over so quickly that neither of my ds's were that bothered by them and the nurse usually gives them a chocolate button or sticker afterwards and that distracted them from fretting too much.

Emla is fantastic for those who are new to waxing! I used to use it when I first started waxing. Don't need it now.

Dd had a drip put in a few years ago at hosp and they put the cream on the back of his hand with cotton wool over it and some sticky tape to hold the cotton wool down with the cream on it. They done this about an hour before.