First, go read about
babies bonking their heads, it helps put this in
perspective.
We went to the
pediatrician about a month or three after our first
child was born (hey, I'm the
father, I can't be expected to remember the date of his first shot!)
Anyway.
So they tell us that not only do they have 3
shots they normally give
babies the first time, a new shot has come out which, they've found,
reduces the chances of the
common cold in babies (side note: after nine months he's not had a single cold or
ear ache, and only a
runny nose once, aside from
teething). So they're going to
poke him with not one, not two, no, not just three but four
needles his first real
doctor's visit!
Four!
So they do all the
usual stuff,
weight,
general physical check (
mobility,
muscle tone,
reaction, etc), then they ask one of us to hold him during
the shots. I've heard him
cry before, it can't be too bad, so it doesn't matter who holds him. My
wife and I decided she will hold him. The
nurse (obviously experienced) takes all of the needle caps off the shots, sets them aside, takes 4 little
BandAids(tm) out of the
packaging and sets them up so they can be placed immediately, and then picks up the first
syringe. I cringe. Not because I don't like shots (I
tolerate them), but because there is no way that I can
communicate to him what is happening and why.
Suddenly, from this little
creature weighing less than 8
pounds
erupted the most
terrifying,
urgent,
painful scream that I had ever heard.
Ever.
It
shattered reality for an instant as I realized that this was the first time he was actually in
pain.
The first time in his life...
And I could just
feel it from my
head to my
toes, as the
scream permeated every
fiber of my
body.
Then it was over. It took maybe 20
seconds (She was quick!!! Yowza!), and that same
instant that she was done my wife was
holding and
rocking him. He started
nursing almost
immediately (as opposed to a
head bonking, where he screams for awhile, then nurses), but he was still
sad (almost a
frightened saddness) and
grumpy the rest of the day, needing
constant comfort. He was fine the next day, and I've not been with him to the
doctor when he's received other shots, though my wife indicates that he still likes it about as much.
I remember the first time well enough.