Shot Through the Heart
That's how I felt when I woke up this morning, knowing full well it was the day that Baby Loquacious would get her 2-month shots. Needles! Pain! Tears! My heart began aching the moment I thought about it.
Little did I know that I bore a real trooper. I was armed and ready, Infant Tylenol and my Brest Friend pillow and her favourite singing star toy in hand. I figured I'd have to pull out all the stops. Hubbs was also prepared for the worst; he was bracing himself for the inevitable scenario of having to comfort both his wife and child. We both listened at the clinic at the wailing babies, and figured we'd have one of our own soon enough.
Well, when we were called in, we were led to a private office with a friendly, older nurse who looked like the type of grandma who might frequent markets on weekends and support local artists. She was incredibly encouraging and reassuring, and remarked at how alert Baby L seemed to be. Our child, for the record, was taking everything in with excitement, smiling and cooing with abandon. It made me feel a billion times worse, knowing what lay ahead would be anything but fun.
She gave Hubbs a few tips on how to hold Baby L, and I steeled my nerves while I got ready to nurse. I then grabbed the musical star and switched it on, and Hubbs hugged her close to him with her chubby little thigh exposed for the needle to pierce.
Of course she cried. It was loud and it was unpleasant, and it lasted a whopping 7 seconds total. You see, she cried after each needle, but with her favourite star singing and Hubbs' cuddles between shots, she only managed a cry or two before being distracted. After the last needle, she was immediately passed off to me and I began to nurse her, during which time she mustered another couple of cries that got quickly extinguished by my breastfeeding.
The nurse was impressed. She basically told us that we were well prepared and our relaxed attitude (ha!) helped keep Baby L calm, and we should come to the booster clinic to show other parents how it's done. Oh, if only she knew the internal turmoil I had been experiencing for the past 24 hours...
So, here were the things we did right (according to the nurse):
* brought her favourite toy
* brought a nursing pillow (or something for her to drink immediately afterwards)
* stayed positive and calm (well, Hubbs did)
That was it. A gold star for my baby girl, and relief for Mommy.
As for side effects, she was extra-sleepy today and didn't eat as much as she normally does. That's about it. At present, she is playing with Hubbs on the activity mat, enjoying her musical star, and smiling and cooing away. The shots are over, at least for the next two months. And my heart survived!
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Well, when we were called in, we were led to a private office with a friendly, older nurse who looked like the type of grandma who might frequent markets on weekends and support local artists. She was incredibly encouraging and reassuring, and remarked at how alert Baby L seemed to be. Our child, for the record, was taking everything in with excitement, smiling and cooing with abandon. It made me feel a billion times worse, knowing what lay ahead would be anything but fun.
She gave Hubbs a few tips on how to hold Baby L, and I steeled my nerves while I got ready to nurse. I then grabbed the musical star and switched it on, and Hubbs hugged her close to him with her chubby little thigh exposed for the needle to pierce.
Of course she cried. It was loud and it was unpleasant, and it lasted a whopping 7 seconds total. You see, she cried after each needle, but with her favourite star singing and Hubbs' cuddles between shots, she only managed a cry or two before being distracted. After the last needle, she was immediately passed off to me and I began to nurse her, during which time she mustered another couple of cries that got quickly extinguished by my breastfeeding.
The nurse was impressed. She basically told us that we were well prepared and our relaxed attitude (ha!) helped keep Baby L calm, and we should come to the booster clinic to show other parents how it's done. Oh, if only she knew the internal turmoil I had been experiencing for the past 24 hours...
So, here were the things we did right (according to the nurse):
* brought her favourite toy
* brought a nursing pillow (or something for her to drink immediately afterwards)
* stayed positive and calm (well, Hubbs did)
That was it. A gold star for my baby girl, and relief for Mommy.
As for side effects, she was extra-sleepy today and didn't eat as much as she normally does. That's about it. At present, she is playing with Hubbs on the activity mat, enjoying her musical star, and smiling and cooing away. The shots are over, at least for the next two months. And my heart survived!
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