4 Tips To Consider After Baby Has Had Vaccinations

Once your baby has been born, you are going to be making frequent visits to the pediatrician to ensure that growth and development are on track and to ensure that your baby is receiving all the right vaccinations they need. Not every appointment will require vaccinations, but here are some tips to consider if it does:

  1. Keep Baby Inside for Quiet Time: After you have visited the pediatrician and your baby has received vaccination shots, you will want to take baby straight home. Don't plan for any activities after the appointment since your baby will most likely be irritable, fussy, or even drowsy. It's important to take them home for some rest and quiet time. This will reduce your stress, as well as your baby's stress levels. 
  2. Hold Baby: Vaccinations, while not entirely painful, are definitely not fun for baby. The best way to provide comfort is to immediately hold your baby afterward to help calm them down. Consider holding your baby all the way to the car instead of placing them in the stroller so that you are able to continue soothing them. While your baby is receiving the shots, you should also help to hold baby's arms down while gently stroking them or providing comforting words for them to listen to. 
  3. Feed Baby: If your baby is calm enough, you should feed your baby after they receive vaccinations, especially if you breastfeed since this is comforting for them. The fussiness is more likely to die down quickly at this point. If they didn't eat right before the appointment, you should try feeding them in the waiting room before you head out the door to go home. 
  4. Use a Cold Compress:  If the area where your baby has received vaccinations is sore and tender, try using a cold compress to help reduce the pain and swelling. You can use a cool washcloth to do this since you don't want your baby to have a negative reaction to anything that is too cold for their little bodies. If the swelling does not go down, you will need to consult with your pediatrician. It's nothing to be too concerned about, but your baby may need some kind of treatment or medication to help reduce it completely.

When you consider these four tips to help soothe baby after having vaccinations, you can be sure that these appointments with the pediatrician, such as at Willow Oak Pediatrics, go as smoothly as possible for the sake of your own peace of mind and your baby's. 


Share