No parent likes to see their child in pain, but taking immunizations is necessary and lifesaving.

Your baby may need some extra love and care after taking an immunization. Sometimes a baby will have a mild reaction to an immunization, and might have trouble sleeping as a result.

You might also find your baby is more fretful and restless and refuses to eat following an immunization.

The information below should help you know how best to care for your baby after immunization.

1. Ensure your baby is comfortable and well-rested

To help decrease your baby’s discomfort, you should ensure that he/she is comfortable and well-rested before each immunization visit.

2. Breastfeed your baby after each visit

Breastfeeding can help reduce pain and calm a baby as it distracts your child and gives him or her comforting skin-to-skin contact.

A mother’s milk also contains sugar which is known to have pain-relieving effects.

3. Be observant

Though reactions to immunizations are rare, you should call your doctor if your child has any of the following symptoms within two days of the immunization.

High fever, crying for more than 3 hours, seizures or convulsions, behavior changes such as excessive sleepiness, trouble moving an arm or leg or unresponsiveness and allergic reactions.

(READ: New parent? See the revised Nigerian immunization schedule)

Signs of a serious allergic reaction include a fast heartbeat, dizziness, difficulty breathing, weakness or swelling of the throat.

4. Give a pain reliever

If your child develops a slight fever, a non-aspirin pain reliever such as infant paracetamol can help reduce the fever and alleviate any pain felt in the location of the shot.

If the injection site becomes red and swollen, a cool compress or ice pack applied to the site for approximately 10 to 20 minutes can also provide relief

Try to keep in mind that if your baby does become a bit restless after an immunization, this discomfort is only temporary, and he or she is most likely to get right back on track with his sleeping and eating schedule soon.

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