Be Sweet to Babies at Vaccination Time: older than 6 months
How to reduce crying and pain during older babies' needle pokes
About this Resource
The team at Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario created this great video that demonstrates simple strategies for reducing pain and distress for babies (and parents!).
Research shows – for infants less than 12 months old, breastfeeding before, during and after a needle poke reduces pain and stress in babies. For the most impact, begin breastfeeding 2-5 minutes before the needle. If your baby requires another poke in the other leg, change is up and position your baby on the other breast. Make sure the your baby has latched and is sucking well before the next needle poke. If you are not breastfeeding, giving small amounts of sugar water before and during pokes reduces pain in babies. You learn more about that strategy in this video.
A really big shout and thank you to Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO), CHEO Research Institute, University of Ottawa Be Sweet to Babies team (led by Dr. Denise Harrison)
Who This Is Meant For
This resource is meant for parents and providers.
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