Babies don’t come with instruction manuals. They are brand-new humans that have just started on their journey of growing up, learning, and becoming independent individuals. So, as a parent, it is your responsibility to look after them and make sure they are happy, healthy, and well-fed. Giving them their medicine can be hard at times – especially if they refuse to take it! But there are some strategies you can use to make things easier on you both. Here are some tips on how to give medicine to a baby who refuses it:
How To Give Medicine To A Baby Who Refuses?
1. Try to give medicine at the right time of the day
It is not always possible for a baby to take medicine before going to bed. When this happens, you can try giving medicine at a time when you know that your baby will be sleeping. If you are unable to do so, try giving your baby medicine after nursing them until they fall asleep.
2. Try feeding your baby on an empty stomach
Giving babies their medication on an empty stomach is a great way of making sure that they take it and not having any issues with it. Before feeding them their medication, wait at least half an hour after eating or drinking anything else (including food). This will make sure that they do not get sick from taking their medicine while still feeling hungry!
3. Give your baby water before giving them their medication
If your baby refuses to take his or her medication, try offering him or her some water first before trying again with the pill or syringe in hand. This is a great way to make sure that your baby does not become dehydrated.
4. Try giving your baby a little bit of medicine at a time
If you can’t give them the entire dose all at once, try giving them the medicine in small doses. For example, if you know that your baby has to take two pills every day, give them one pill and then wait until they fall asleep before giving them the second pill. You can also try doing the same thing with syringes – just give each drop a little bit at a time!
5. Try giving your baby their medication in different ways
If you know that your baby does not like getting his/her medication through syringes, try using an eye dropper instead of a syringe for their eye drops. This will make things easier for both of you as it will be easier to administer the medicine without making any mistakes!
6. Try using a medicine dropper
If you are using a medicine dropper, give your baby just enough medicine to make him or her feel slightly drowsy. This helps them to fall asleep faster and it will also ensure that they don’t end up taking more than they should.
7. Try giving your baby the medication by mouth (with the help of a syringe)
If you are not comfortable with giving your baby pills or syringes, try giving them their medication by mouth – with the help of a syringe. This is also a great way to make sure that they take the medicine and do not get sick from it! It is best to use an eye-dropper for this purpose since you don’t want to give them too much of their medication at once!
8. Try offering some food first before giving your baby his or her medicine
Try eating something before trying again with the pill when giving your baby medicine to prevent constipation.
9. If your baby refuses his or her medicine, try to not panic
It is natural to be worried when your baby refuses his or her medication, especially if you have tried all of the above tips and they or still refuse it. However, try not to panic as this will only make things worse for you both – and make sure that you don’t give up on trying again in the future!
10. Try giving your baby his or her medication a little bit at a time
If you are unable to give them their entire dose of medicine at once, try giving them just a little bit at a time over a period of two days (e.g., one pill one day and then two pills the next day). This will make sure that they don’t become sick from taking their medication too soon after it was given!
Other beneficial tips to give medicine to a baby
Try giving medicine before a meal
If your baby is fussing about taking their medicine, you can try feeding them something before you give it to them. The idea is that the food will take their attention away from the medicine so they just have to swallow it. It may sound silly, but it really does work! Some parents find that giving a baby a feed before giving them medicine can be a helpful way to distract them. The taste of the food or drink will be in their mouth, so they may not even realize that you are giving them medicine.
Mix it with food and do not stop feeding
If your baby is super unhappy about taking their medicine, try mixing it with a spoonful of food. That way they’ll be less likely to notice the taste and texture of the medicine, making it easier for them to swallow. Make sure you feed them the whole meal and don’t stop halfway through. This way you’ll make sure they get the entire dose of medicine as well as the food.
Shake it up
Some babies are picky about taking their medicine and won’t take it unless it’s in a different form. If this is the case with your little one, try shaking up their medicine with some water, either in a cup or in a medicine syringe. Put a few spoonfuls of the medicine into a cup, add water, then stir it with a spoon. Alternatively, you can use a syringe to squirt the mixture into your baby’s mouth. Once they’re used to this new taste and texture, you can try giving them the medicine in its original form.
Try finger feeding
If your baby is old enough to be fed with a spoon, you can try finger-feeding them the medicine. To do this, take a couple of teaspoons full of their medicine, put it into your mouth, and then let it go onto your baby’s tongue. This may sound gross, but it’s better than letting them choke!
Give it to them while they are sucking on something else
If your baby is happy to take their medicine while they are sucking on something, you can try giving it to them this way. This can be especially useful if your baby is breastfeeding. You can find medicine syringes online that are specially designed to give infants medicine while they are breastfeeding.
Let them play afterward
Babies and young children often don’t like the taste of medicine and try to resist taking it. To make things easier on you, try giving them their medicine when they are already engaged in an activity that they enjoy. For example, if you need to give your baby antibiotics, try to get them to play with a toy or read a book while they’re taking them.
Conclusion
Giving medicine to a baby can be a stressful experience for both the parent and the baby. However, with some of these tips, you can make it easier on both of you. The most important thing is that your baby gets the treatment that they need. If your baby won’t take their medicine, don’t get frustrated. Just try one of these techniques and chances are you’ll find something that works.
