Checking the medication type is especially important if your baby takes a few different medications. Never inject medication that’s out of date. Contact your doctor for a fresh prescription.
The only exception is for premature infants, who need a 16 mm needle.
If there are air bubbles in the syringe, point the needle up and tap the side to bring the bubbles to the top. Then press the plunger forward a bit to push the air out. Some syringes come pre-filled with medication. In this case, you don’t have to fill it yourself. Always follow the instructions on the medication bottle for filling the syringe if they’re different.
You could also use an alcohol swab to disinfect the spot. Just make sure the alcohol dries before you give the injection. This spot is technically called the anterolateral thigh, so you might see that term on some instruction lists. [6] X Research source
You don’t have to wear gloves when you give the injection, but you could if you’d like an extra layer of protection.
You could give your baby a toy or book to distract them during the shot. This can help keep them calm and prevent them from feeling too much pain. Having someone else there to play with or talk to your baby will also help distract them.
Don’t press down hard. Just apply enough pressure to keep your baby still. If you have someone there to help you, they can keep the baby still instead. This makes your job easier.
The ideal injection site is just about halfway between the hip and knee. This is where the muscle is thickest, so aim for this spot.
Don’t squeeze the skin. This makes the spot thicker and will make the shot more difficult.
Doing this faster will make the shot hurt less, so try to be quick. As long as the needle is the right length, you don’t have to worry about going in too far.
Don’t pull back on the plunger before pressing it. This is only needed if there are big blood vessels at the in the area, and there aren’t any in the outer thigh.
If the spot keeps bleeding, put a bandage over the cotton ball to keep it on.
Never throw the syringe into the regular garbage with putting it in a container first. You should check if your local trash collection services have any special rules on getting rid of syringes. They might want you to use a special container.
