Going to the doctor’s office is just part of having a baby in a modern society. Regardless of how you feel about medication or natural remedies, every parent wants what’s best for their child, which includes taking care of their physical health. Especially for babies, having regular doctor visits in the first year of life can help ensure that your child is remaining healthy, getting the vaccinations needed, and developing on course. However, knowing all the good that comes from seeing the doctor doesn’t necessarily make the visits any easier. So to help lessen the stress that you and your child might feel at a doctor’s visit, here are three tips for having smooth well-child visits during your baby’s first year.
Write Down Your Questions Beforehand
As the parent of a new baby, it’s only natural to have a lot of questions. Luckily, most of your questions can either be answered via the Internet or can wait until you go into a doctor visit. So to ensure that you’re able to get the answers you need from your doctor, Dr. Steven Dowshen, a contributor to KidsHealth.org, recommends writing down the questions you want to ask the doctor as they arise. While you might think you’ll be able to remember them, you’ve got a lot going on in your life now that could distract you or keep you from remembering. So if the question feels important to you, jot it down in a list and pull that list out before you leave the office following your baby’s visit.
Find A Distraction That Works
For the majority of your child’s doctor visits during the first year, shots will be a part of the deal. But just because we know how important vaccinations are for the health and well being of a child doesn’t mean that it’s easy to watch your child in pain from the pokes. To combat this pain and fear, Baby Center recommends finding a way to distract your baby right before the shot comes and while the shots are being given. Some things you might want to try are gently blowing in their face or giving them a sugar solution drop in their mouth. While these distractions won’t work for every baby, they’re something you can try if you fear the pain your baby may feel during the vaccination process.
Be Prepared To Give Comfort
Regardless of whether your baby needed a vaccination or not, children are often fearful in environments that they’re not comfortable in, including the doctor’s office. For this reason, Parenting.com suggests being ready to give your child the comfort he or she needs after the visit is over. This could include nursing, cuddling, using a pacifier, giving a bottle and more. By giving your baby comfort following these potentially scary experiences, your baby will hopefully not develop a deep fear of the doctor later on in life.
If you have a baby on the way and are nervous about all the doctor visits, use the tips mentioned above to help you feel more prepare so you’re better able to help soothe and respond to your baby.