Belinda Joyce

Belinda Joyce

There are times when you may need to give your baby some medication for a variety of different reasons and this can be quite challenging. If you think of it from your baby’s perspective, they have only ever tasted breastmilk or formula and most medications are strongly flavoured and a different consistency to swallow.

Choosing the medication:

In my experience using a thicker medication in the form of a liquid suspension rather than a thin liquid is much easier for a young baby to swallow.

Try to choose a colour free option, as well as having less chemicals they are not as brightly coloured and are therefore less likely to stain clothes if they dribble or spit any medication out.

There are many different flavours available for common infant medications, including orange, strawberry, cherry and vanilla. If you have difficulty getting your baby to take one flavour, try a different flavour next time.

When choosing medications remember that there are many different brand names and preparations for the same drug. If you are unsure what you need, talk to a pharmacist or health professional, they will help you make a safe choice. They will also be able to advise you if there is a more appropriate medication available with a prescription from the doctor and then it may be worth seeing your doctor first.

Administering the medication:

There are many methods to give medications to a baby. Most are liquids so you can use a syringe, spoon or medicine cup. Many medications come with some sort of dosing device which is often a syringe, depending on brand, some even attach onto the bottle cap.

Always shake the bottle first to disperse the medication evenly throughout the bottle. Most will have a child safe cap, press down and turn in the direction of the arrow, sometimes these can be difficult for adults too.

If using a syringe, ‘draw up’ the correct amount by inserting it into the bottle and withdrawing the plunger, if you get any air bubbles, push it all back out and start again for an accurate dose. If the bottle has a plug or cap that the syringe fits into you may need to tip the bottle upside down to withdraw the liquid. Check the directions to make sure.

Cradle your baby in your arms, similar to a feeding position and then place the syringe into your baby’s mouth, try to angle it to the back of the cheek and squirt the liquid slowly, allowing the baby time to swallow. If they don’t want to open their mouth, try inserting your finger gently into the corner of their mouth and then putting the syringe in.

Talk to your baby calmly during this time and distract them with their favourite toy. This will help them to cope with this new experience and hopefully be more tolerant next time you need to give them medication.

Another option and a trick I learnt from working in the special care nursery was to put the medication into the tip of a bottle teat and hold it while letting the baby gently suck the medication out of it. Many very young babies will happily do this for you.

It’s important not to add medication into your baby’s milk or food as you can’t tell how much of it they have taken. Some medications may stick to the inside of a bottle rather than being consumed.

It’s good to offer a drink after medications to get rid of the taste, either a breastfeed or formula, for an older baby water may be sufficient or even some food.

Always follow the directions:

Always read the directions carefully, and double check the dose amount. Make sure the medication is suitable for the age and weight of your baby. Weight is more important than age as there is a large variance in normal weight for any given age and a heavier baby may require a slightly larger dose to be effective. Likewise, a smaller baby may require a smaller dose to be safe. If you don’t know your baby’s current weight, you can weigh yourself and then pick up your baby and weigh yourself again, then subtract your weight, this will give you your baby’s weight.

Check where your medications should be stored, some require refrigeration while others can be stored in a high cupboard out of children’s reach. Check the expiry date each time you use the medication and replace before expired.

Don’t forget that teething gels are also a medication and you should stick to the directions and dosage on the tube. There is a tendency to forget that they are a medication and to use them too often.

It is worth keeping a log of when your baby last had medication so that you know when they are due again. This is also helpful to provide to health professionals if you see them.

By following these steps to give your baby medication you will be more likely to have a calm experience that won’t turn into a battle. If you are having difficulty, see your child health nurse, doctor or pharmacist for further advice.

 

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