Vaccine Pain

I am often reminded of the adage, this is going to hurt me more than it hurts you before beginning infant vaccinations. I can remember my own parents saying that to me before a spanking (the preferred discipline of my childhood) and that statement never made any sense to me until I too became a parent. 

As I discuss infant vaccinations with new parents, I somehow know that they are wishing they could take the needles for their own child. I really do believe that those first vaccines at 2 months of age hurt the new parent, more than the infant. It is an early parenting hurdle to get through those first immunizations and realize that your baby handled the vaccines without much ado and somehow the next set of vaccines at 4 and 6 months are a bit easier. Pain is not anything that a parent wants their child to endure, and if there is any way to mitigate the pain associated with immunizations I am all for it. 

Many parents come to my office prepared with sucrose to let their baby suck on during the immunizations.  I recently read an article in Pediatrics that showed the 5 S's - swaddling, side/stomach positioning, shushing, swinging and sucking on a pacifier significantly reduced the pain associated with vaccines in 2 and 4 month old infants. In fact the 5 S's worked substantially better to reduce post vaccination pain than sucrose alone. 

So, if you are concerned about the pain associated with your infant's vaccines, come ready to swaddle, shush, swing and let your baby have a pacifier as well. A little tummy time after the immunizations might be good medicine too. 

But more importantly, remember that by vaccinating your baby you are protecting them from disease for their entire childhood and into adolescence (when I am not sure the immunizations are any easier). 

The 5 S's seem like an easy solution for parent and baby, and a lollipop or ice cream cone goes a long way for pain relief in the 4-11 year old set as well. Vaccines are a moment of pain for a lifetime of gain for sure!