Miriam Stoppard advises on parent immunisation fears
For concerned new mums about to embark on routine baby injections, they should take heart from some new research just out.
New findings show that it is perfectly normal for parents to worry about taking their child for routine immunisations.
In fact, taking their baby for routine jabs causes anxiety in a huge 48 per cent of mums.
Motherly concerns about inflicting pain or suffering on their baby hits younger mums the hardest.
But worryingly, 16 per cent of young mums delay having their baby treated for this reason.
Getting emotionally wound up about the event left 43 per cent of mothers believing the immunisations affected parents even more than their children.
Now, in light of these findings, baby expert Dr Miriam Stoppard has stepped in to offer some good advice for mothers worried about themselves and their babies during the process.
Dr Miriam Stoppard says: “As a doctor I feel immunisation to be vital but as a mother and grandmother I understand the distress and anxiety mums can experience during the immunisation process. I am concerned that younger mums in particular seem to experience more anxiety around the health of their child and immunisations in particular, and call for more support and information to be made available to mums on ways to help deal with this potentially difficult situation.”
Miriam has the following top tips for mums taking their child for immunisation:
1. Distract your child so they look the other way and aren’t concentrating on the needle. Try blowing bubbles at them or taking their favourite puppet or toy.
2. Hold your child securely, and ask the nurse to approach from behind so they do not notice the needle.
3. Different treatment options are available to help cope with immunisations. For example, a numbing product can help minimise the pain of the injection.
And for those 43 per cent of mothers quaking on behalf of their baby, Miriam suggests:
1. Mums are always very busy, but it is important to allow yourself plenty of time for your appointment. This will help you feel less pressured and mean that you can take time to reassure your child and familiarise them with the surroundings.
2. Talk to the nurse. They are used to seeing anxious mums before immunisations and will be happy to answer any queries. They would much rather you ask questions and feel calm as this can help to keep your child calm.
3. Have a numbing product available for use before the injection as well as analgesics to help with any fever afterwards. Being prepared will help you feel more in control.
To benefit from more of Miriam Stoppard’s advice including why parents should immunise their children and how to make the process less stressful, visit YouTube where she covers this and more in a video especially for worried parents.