Kid's shots/drawing blood

[sidmand]

Am I the only Mom who ends up in more tears than their kiddo? I'm so thankful that it's not more serious, but whenever DS just has a shot (or today they drew blood and had a lot of trouble!) I think I end up crying longer than he does. This isn't the first time either. I called DH and told him he may have to bring him to his next appointment that involves needles.

The lab technician looked at me (didn't even know I had tears streaming down my face 'cause I was concentrating on holding DS) and said, "This is your first, isn't it? You can tell."

I *think* I would be crying even it if was my 10th, but that's just me. I can cry at a commercial. But I'm going to cry if you're poking my baby and he's crying!

Debbie
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[Emmas Mom]

I can't say I actually cry but I totally tear up. I HATE it when my little ones are crying because of shots. Going to the doctor for immunizations is my least favorite thing to do. I just have to keep telling myself I know she's only going to cry for a minute & I'd rather her have the immunization than not. I always take a bottle or nurse or give a little treat afterwards (for my older DD).

[pb&j]

I guess I'm the mean mommy! It really doesn't bother me. He only cries for literally a minute, and then he's back to his happy self. I figure he gets his cues from me, so if I'm calm about it, he will be too. So far, so good.


-Ry,
mom to Emma, stillborn 11/04/04
and Max, 01/05/06

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[sidmand]

I think that's why I did okay the last few--because he only cried for a minute and then was fine. And the shots weren't so bad. I probably teared up a bit, but I was mostly okay. But the drawing blood--they had to try three times between both arms and he was screaming (screaming!) for probably a good five minutes. I think I started off okay, but by the end I was a mess.

I cried like this early on (like 1 month or 2 months) and I figured a lot of it was sleep deprivation! I think if it hadn't taken so long and they hadn't had to keep trying and have me hold him still while he was crying I would've been okay. I can just hope that next time is better, right?

Debbie
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[mamato1]

No, you are not the only one. Tears streaming down my face too. You should have seen me when they did my DS's allergy testing, I was a mess. The good news is the Bugs Bunny made my DS feel much better, me, not so much!

Chris

Mama to Brendan (aka Boomer) 01/04


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[CharmedOne]

I agree with the PP. If you're calm, your DC will be calm.

I don't know if my DS has a high pain tolerance or what, but shots don't seem to bother him at all. It's like he doesn't even feel the needle. He has always been calm since day one. I cried at his first checkup thinking he would cry. Heck, he cries because he can't stand the nurses holding down his arms or legs for more than a few seconds. I guess I'm just lucky.

Caroline

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[pb&j]

My DS slept through his circumcision! I guess I got one with a high pain threshold. ;)

-Ry,
mom to Emma, stillborn 11/04/04
and Max, 01/05/06

http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/32812.gif
http://b1.lilypie.com/aKGqm5/.png[/img] ([img)

[overcome]

After my dd got her first set of shots and we got home I walked into the living room to find my DH holding her with tears streaming down his face! I said "what's wrong, what's wrong" and he said "i don't want anything to hurt her".

The only other time I saw him cry was when Jerry Garcia died and when they closed the casket on my grandfather.

What can I say? He's in love with her :-)

I cry when we attempt to let her CIO at bedtime. Notice I said attempt. Sigh.

Write it in the baby book!

[sidmand]

Oh thank you! I was beginning to think I *was* the only one! I understand the staying calm and they'll stay calm part--we do it when he falls, etc. But he was already screaming and crying way before I was. It's not like I start off crying and then he sees me and cries. He wasn't even facing me during the drawing blood. I was just holding him calmly.

He does seem to have a fairly high threshhold for pain, but maybe he's just like his mom and doesn't like seeing those needles. I think he also didn't like being held still, but I can't imagine it felt very good to be pricked over and over while they were trying to draw blood.

Maybe I will send DH next time!

Debbie
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[anamika]

My DD has to have blood drawn from her *neck* every 3 months or so. She has RTA and needs to be tested periodically.
I have never watched them do this test - my poor DH has to be the one holding her down. I'm usually outside crying!!
And yeah, I cry over commercials, cheesy movies...you name it (only after becoming a mom though)

[JTsMom]

A blood draw like you described is WAY worse than shots IMO. DS had to have an IV put in for a test back in January, and it took 3 attempts with them digging around in his arm for about 2 mins each time before they got it in. He was SO upset, and just looked so betrayed, like "How can you hold me down and let them do this to me?!" I thought I would die of a broken heart.

The first 2 attempts I sucked it up for- trying to keep him calm. After the 2nd attempt failed I started crying, and I kept crying until they got it in.

Now we've been through open heart surgery, so I'm not an emotional basket case over most medical things, but that about killed me. The shots are bad, but multiple attempts at getting a vein is a whole different ballgame.

[crl]

Well, I don't cry, and am generally calm about medical things with DS. But DS still has an absolute fit. Shots are really not so bad. But blood draws and allergy testing were horrid. He is really, really strong so it is actually very hard physically for me to hold him still. And he HATES being held still so I think it's that more than the pain from the needle stick. He definitely starts freaking out before the needle goes in.

And I don't blame you at all for crying. I'm always exhausted by the ordeal when we have to do blood draws.

[buddyleebaby]

I'm lucky in that Abigail never cries when she gets shots. She sort of looks with interest and then up at the Doctor like "What was THAT for?"
That being said, I refuse to let them draw her blood. The lab has used me as a pin cushion one too many times and she is just too little to go through that,imo.

[sidmand]

It never even occurred to me to have them not draw blood, yet now that I think about it, why did they even need to do that? The doctor told me what they were checking for, but that makes so much sense. If there isn't a good reason, I shouldn't have even let them do that. They were just checking to see if he was anemic and something else that escapes me at the moment.

This board has been a great resource and that's just one more thing to think about. I know I have a tendency to think authority figures (i.e., doctors) should always be listened to, but I've done my own research about other things I choose to disagree about. I just never even though of that. I think in the future, unless it's medically necessary, that makes total sense to refuse that they draw his blood.

Alicia, thank you for saying that. Wow, I honestly feel like a lightbulb moment!

Debbie
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[Emmas Mom]

Now that has me wondering....can't they test for anemia or whatever by just getting a drop of blood from your DC's finger?? I'm no doctor but how much blood do you actually need for some of those tests? You'd think they'd try to make it as pain free and "un-invasive" as possible for our little ones!

[buddyleebaby]

I'm shy , especially when it comes to voicing disapproval. However, I have found that the longer I am a mom, the easier it is for me to say "no". Motherhood makes you brave! ; )

[o_mom]

If you don't let them draw blood, do you just not have any testing done? Or, was there another way to do tests?

Both my boys have had blood draws at 9 mos to check for lead among other things. It was no big deal for either one, just a couple seconds of fussing. Since I get blood draws every month, I don't find them to be a big deal anymore.

[buddyleebaby]

If I don't think the test is necessary, I don't have it done.


I did let them take pre-op blood when she was first born. The Doctor himself did it, and he was great! I have to give him credit for getting a clean stick, at that age her veins must have been like string.

[o_mom]

Ok, I guess I see that. I just I haven't ever had a ped suggest a blood draw that I didn't think was necessary (lead tests since we live in an older home and once in the ER for dehydration).

[KBecks]

I don't cry, I try to be strong and calm for DS, because I don't want him to be further upset by my response to it. I try to reassure myself that the shot or blood draw is needed for his health, and that the pain will go away in a few minutes.

It is always hard though!! We just got done with almost all of DS#1's shots, and now I'm going to have to start all over again with DS#2!

What I dread is knowing that at some point, my sons might actually get really hurt -- and I'll have to be the strong one that handles damage control and getting them to the ER or whatever. I pray that we get through childhood without anything too gory, and that whatever comes, I'll be able to react effectively to get help and not lose it or be ineffective because of my emotional response.

I hope I'm the kind of woman that could lift a car to help a hurt child, you know?