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Original poster

How to get calpol into 8 month old

30 replies

CrazyKitkatLady · 13/03/2021 15:56

My 8 month old refuses to take calpol and will arch her back / twist around / clamp her mouth shut to escape it. I don’t want to pin her down and force it on her but is there a more gentle way to get her to take it? She’s often sick straight after if we do manage to get a tiny bit in.

For context she’s a bottle / dummy refuser. Won’t accept a spoon at all and when we tried mixing in some vitamin drops with some water to give her she vomited.

I’d be grateful if anyone has any ideas we can try!

OP posts:
Serenschintte · 13/03/2021 16:02

I used a syringe that comes with the baby Calpop. Pop it in their mouth plus the plunger quick. Some of it will go down.
If she really won’t take it them suppository form is the solution

Swifey40 · 13/03/2021 16:06

I'm sure this will be frowned on, but a paediatric nurse taught me how to do it. Put your baby's back to your front whilst they are sitting on your lap. Have a loaded Calpol syringe ready. Hold her nose so that baby has to open their mouth then pop the medicine in. Don't let go of their nose until they swallow. Sounds barbaric, but it's really not. You have to do what you have to do to make your baby well again.

Livingmagicallyagain · 13/03/2021 16:06

We always used suppositories, quicker so seemed kinder when they were in pain.

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Mabelann · 13/03/2021 16:09

Yep, I second suppositories. Then you know it’s gone in and they can’t puke / spit it out again!

Other medicine we’ve mixed with yoghurt but if she is a spook refused I’m guessing that won’t work.

I don’t get it - I used to fake headaches to get calpol as a kid!

Soubriquet · 13/03/2021 16:09

Mix it in with yoghurt?

And I’ve had to do the force feeding of medicine for dd before. It feels awful but you know you gotta do it sometimes

Soubriquet · 13/03/2021 16:09

Sorry missed the spoon refusal part!

Original poster
CrazyKitkatLady · 13/03/2021 16:13

I didn’t know suppositories existed, I’ll definitely have a look into that!

@Mabelann I don’t get it either Grin I still think it tastes delicious!

OP posts:
OhLordyWhatNow · 13/03/2021 16:15

Use a syringe but place it inside the cheek outside of your baby's gums/ teeth and squeeze.

Even if your baby clamps their mouth shut it still runs to the back of their mouth/ throat and then they swallow.

Heyha · 13/03/2021 16:18

DD was like this at that age (although as she wasn't a bottle refuser so we shoved the syringe in a test and pushed it through gently) but just wanted to say when she turned 12 months ish she realised it wasn't poison and was actually quite nice so started being very cooperative! No help right now but just wanted to give a bit of hope!

kwaziseyepatch · 13/03/2021 16:22

I have a calpol refuser, 5ml just seems like an impossible amount. Definitely suppositories. We had to get them prescribed but so much easier

Mumdiva99 · 13/03/2021 16:32

I was also going to say squirt it into their cheek.

WeatherwaxLives · 13/03/2021 16:35

I used to squirt it into DDs cheek too. But I did it a bit at a time so if she did spit some out it wasn't the whole lot.

A complete gamechamger was using Tesco own brand - think it's strawberry flavour rather than cherry. Never had any problems after that!

AlwaysLatte · 13/03/2021 16:36

When my boys were babies they had pacifier-type medicine dispensers a big like this:

How to get calpol into 8 month old
AlwaysLatte · 13/03/2021 16:37
  • a bit
WirKindervomBahnhofZoo · 13/03/2021 16:38

Nurofen orange flavour tastes a lot nicer!

agteacht · 13/03/2021 16:39

I just put it in the bottle and mix it in with milk...

Heyha · 13/03/2021 17:21

Oh yes Asda sickly sweet helps here too! And it's half the price!

covfefe2 · 13/03/2021 22:46

Nurofen orange flavour tastes a lot nicer!

hiccupgate · 13/03/2021 23:56

Nurse at my surgery told me to blow gently in DS's face. Apparently that makes babies swallow?! 😕

zingally · 14/03/2021 14:25

A no-nonsense health visitor just told me to hold their nose closed! So that's what I did when my 2 were younger. Gets it over and done with quickly!

AnoDeLosMuertos · 14/03/2021 14:26

Just before her milk shove the medicine in, then replace with the milk as soon as possible. She’ll forget about the calpol taste 😂

MrsS92 · 14/03/2021 14:29

We had to get suppositories prescribed for dd (1yo) when she had tonsillitis recently. She hates calpol and even if we get it in and swallowed she will just gag and retch until she vomits!

Itsjustaride8w737 · 14/03/2021 14:32

I pinched the nose too, not the nicest but saves faffing about when baby needs it.

AdriannaP · 14/03/2021 14:32

Suppositories 100%. In other European countries they only give those to small children and babies. Had the same issues with Calpol with my DD, suppository takes 4 seconds and it’s gone in.

Shandilarr · 14/03/2021 14:39

Deffo buy own brand paracetamol. Usually tastes nicer and isn't bright pink thereby not alerting the child visually to the fact she's about to get given it.

Is it still bright pink btw? Not had small children for years.