So, Olivia is going in for her 6 month checkup on the 15th.  Victoria is going with me because they are both getting flu shots.  This will be the first time she has gone to the doctor and had a shot where I feel she will remember and make the association.  I am not sure how to prepare her for it.  Heck, I am not sure if I even want to.  Any advice?  I know a lot of you have been through it and I would love to hear your advice.  I am really worried about it.  The last thing I want is for her to start to freak out every time she has to go to the doctor.

Honestly kids that young will not remember getting shots. I think its more difficult on us parents then the kids. Use to make me want to cry when my kids got thier shots.

 

When Nolan had his kindergarten shots we made a lil' special day.  After he got the shot we took him to lunch and he got a lil' toy.  He quickly fogot about the shots!

I worried about the same thing. I always bring a favorite toy with us to the dr and let gabriel (18 months) play with it.  I distract him while the nurse is getting everything ready and then give him kisses all over his cheeks and forehead while the nurse is giving it to him.  by the time he realized it hurt a little, it's over. By the time we are at the check out desk, he's laughing again. Good luck!

Thanks!

 

Did you guys tell them in advance that they were going to get a shot or did you just let it happen??

I told him ahead of time.  BE HONEST- but tell only once don't dwell on it! 

Thanks again everyone!  I am still nervous about it but I feel better now.  It is going to be an emotional day for me with both of them getting the shots.

I personally have not started to tell them before hand that they are going to the dr., but gabriel is a few months younger than your child again. I will probably start telig him ahead of time soon.

I have a 13 year old and a 7 year old, my older one is so incredibly afraid of needles.  So, usually, I will have the little one get hers first then the older one because if the little one sees the show put on by her sister it will be all down hill from there.  Let the braver one go first, the little one will probably follow her lead.  That's my advice, oh and I don't tell them ahead of time, when I do, they dwell and dwell until we get there and have horrible stomach aches by the time we walk in. 

I dont think I told ahead of time for immunes as babies... However since we had bigger more serious issues I quickly learned to be up front  tell my eldest what was coming  yes it would pinch  or yes it would hurt for awhile but buck up  be still cause it would be over faster and LESS pain /hurt if still n quick.. That Never worked for IVs  I STILL had to help hold her still every time  and as she was stuck 27 days in one moth all because she WOULD NOT BE STILL so kept comin out sighhh  But She Did accept shots  quite well ever since ... Sammi didnt freak for shots till adult lol And I DID give rewards and Lots of love after always   Sammi did better because I told her each time and held her hand  They Loved SQUEEZING mommas hands HARD LOL

I don't know how old Victoria is, but when my oldest was three I started explaining to her exactly why she was getting shots. Everyone told me it was silly to try to explain something like that to a kid, but I told her that this shot was going to make her body stronger to fight off germs and sickness and that it would hurt for a second, but then her body would be even stronger.

She did understand and ever since then she asks do we have to get shots this time and if the answer is yes, she says, "but I'm going to be tough because this will make my body stronger."

 I figure that's a good association to make.

I never told my kids ahead of time. I knew that would make it worse. I did explain later why they needed the shots and that they were brave for being so good while it happened. Joshua is 19 months so he has been getting quite a few the last year. The clinic always made sure that a different nurse did the shots every time so he would associate shots with that particular person, and by the time we got back to the front desk, he was giggling again.

I wanted to post an update.  I took both of them to the doctor and it was crazy but not as I expected.  I decided to tell her in advance that she was going to the doctor too.  I did not mention the shot at first though.  When they gave her the shot you could see her expression change and she was about to explode.  Then the nurse put a cool bandaid on it and she stopped.  Then she tells the nurse "thank you for making it feel better".  We laughed and the nurse said it was not often that she got a thank you after giving the shot.  haha 

 

Thanks again to everyone that posted to help me on this one.  I was worried and it all turned out okay.  I just hope next time we go to the doctor she does not freak out.