First Shots

The much feared first shots...something that every mother hates, and every baby never really remembers. Once the doctor informed my wife that our daughter was to be set up for an appointment for her shots, her anxiety began. She hated needles and I knew she would not do well in the doctors office when our daughter got her shots.

My wife ensured that the appointment coincided with my work schedule, because she did not want to go to the appointment alone (you would think she were getting the shots...smh...lol). She ensured to remind me every other day "remember we have the appointment in a month," "remember we have the appointment in a few weeks," "remember we have the appointment in a few days." She kept reminding me as if I would forget lol.

The day of the appointment my wife kept saying to our daughter "don't worry, it won't hurt," more to reassure herself than our daughter. At the appointment everything went well, until shot time arrived. My wife became nervous and scared, as if she were getting the shots. As the nurse put on her gloves and readied to give the much anticipated immunizations my wife had to take a breathe.

Our daughter was a bit tired and was dozing in and out of sleep. She was kind of awake when the nurse administered the first shot. There was a pause then a cry of "whaaaaaaaaa!" then the crying quieted down. The second and third shots yielded the same results; a short cry, then quiet after being given her bottle. My daughter took those shots like a pro, my wife on the other hand...not so much

My wife was more afraid and reactive to the shots than our daughter, at one point the nurse stopped, looked at her and asked if she needed a minute before continuing. My wife took a deep breathe, said no, and braced herself for our daughters next shot. When it was over my wife breathed a sigh of relief, although our daughter was quietly sleeping and had most likely forgotten about what just occurred. Although we had to make another appointment for her next set of shots, I think the next time around my wife will fair better. She won't be as scared and anxious, and will be more prepared.

After leaving the doctor's office we went straight to Rite Aide to purchase children's Tylenol...our saving grace. Children's Tylenol helped so much! After our daughter woke up she cried a little because her legs were sore, and she started to feel a little bit warm, we gave her the Children's Tylenol and it worked like a charm, it helped her sleep and worked to soothe the pain.

One form of advice: When your children get their shots have the children's Tylenol available...ASAP, it will be your saving grace through the pain.


We survived one set of immunizations, hopefully the next time around my wife will take a page out of our daughters book and be as brave...