Medicating a newborn

H Schinske wrote:

I always just did it the quick, mean way :-)
Put the syringe far back in the mouth, squirt the dose in, and then hold the
mouth shut until the dose is swallowed.

Ditto. Except I would also stroke the throat to encourage swallowing.

--
Brigitte aa #2145
edd #3 February 15, 2004
http://www.babiesonline.com/babies/j/joshuaandkaterina/

"Readers are plentiful; thinkers are rare."
~ Harriet Martineau

x-no-archive:yes Daye wrote:

On 29 Jul 2003 19:50:52 GMT, (H Schinske) wrote:

Put the syringe far back in the mouth, squirt the dose in, and then hold the
mouth shut until the dose is swallowed.

What about choking? I would be afraid to do it that way because I
would be afraid that it would choke the baby.

My babies managed to survive my breast squirting milk out at high
pressure into their mouths when my milk let down, so I wouldn't think
a little syringe would be a problem. They would choke a bit sometimes
at the beginning before they got settled in (if they weren't there to
receive it- it would go across the room), but they would continue in
spite of anything (if they wanted to) including a case of the
hiccough.

In any case, you are right there and can deal with it if it IS a
problem.

grandma Rosalie

"Lina" wrote in message
rs.com...
| oht...
|
| What's the best way to medicate a newborn? The medicine is liquid,
but she
| tends to spit it all back out. Any tips would be greatly
appreciated.

Having to give my daughter propranolol 4x a day, I feel like a pro at
this. ;-)

Wash your hands well, let her suck on your left index finger. Get a as
a thin syringe as you can find/buy (mine is a 1cc syringe) and with
your right hand (if you're right-handed) slip it in her mouth beside
your finger, releasing the medicine slowly. Having it beside your
index finger ensures you don't insert it too far back in her mouth,
and while she's sucking on your finger, she's swallowing the medicine.
This has worked well for me. I usually give her a milk "chaser" to
wash the taste out of her mouth (it's best taken with milk anyway).

If your DD still spits it out, you might mix it with a tiny bit of
formula or EBM for a while, and give it to her in a bottle, but I
would personally keep trying to get her to take it "straight" so she
gets used to it (if it is to be a long-term medication). Lower
maintenance that way.

Best wishes,
Bip

Lina wrote:
oht...

What's the best way to medicate a newborn? The medicine is liquid,
but she tends to spit it all back out. Any tips would be greatly
appreciated.

I had luck by giving it *while* breastfeeding. I just slipped the syringe
in while the baby was suckling and squirted tiny amounts in and the baby was
none the wiser. I don't know if that would work with a bottle or not? If
they had to be given on an empty stomach that would be a problem as well.
When that didn't work I resorted to bully tactics that have already been
described ;-)



--
Nikki
Mama to Hunter (4) and Luke (2)