6-in-1 Cocktail

The time has come, when every newborn has to go through... The TERROR of vaccination injections...

8th Sept 08:
This was the day. The day we dreaded and feared. The day that she would get her vaccination, and probably develop a fever and be "sick".

3:15pm: We brought her to the SGH O&G Clinic for her 6-in-1 vaccination. Her appointment was at 3:40pm ,but we were early (Kiasu Parents, obviously). As usual, the nurse weighed and measured her. She has grown AGAIN! (DUH!)

Vital Stats:
Length - 51cm (She grew 2 cm in 2 weeks!!!)
Weight - 4.6kg (600g in 2 weeks!)

Throughout the whole waiting period, Darling was fast asleep. She was supposed to be fed at 4pm so I started to prepare her milk, while Alvin carried her. Unfortunately, it was no simple task (as simple and easy as it sounds). I had to get the water temperature correct, by mixing the hot water (from the themal flask) with the room temperature water already in her milk bottle. As we usually mix more water to get the temperature right, the excess water has to be poured away before adding the milk powder. The easiest place to perform this "task" was obviously in the toilet, but the toilet was occupied! (It's those 1 cubicle toilet). So I had NO WHERE to "test" the water, unless I was prepared to let the water drip on the floor. Eventually, I got the temperature right, and managed to pour the excess water away in the toilet basin.

Finally, I headed back to the waiting area. I was confused. My hubby and baby has disappeared! I was looking for them (frantically), when a nice lady told me that they had already gone into the consultation room. That was fast, as I did not receive any sms notification (usually the clinic will send out an sms when the patient is 3rd in line). So I headed into the consultation room.

The Paediatrician checked Isabelle and said that she was growing fine and her responses were normal. She did an eye check, by moving a toy from left and right. She also did a "sound check", by shaking some bells on the left and right side. Lastly, she placed Isabelle face down and waited for her to lift herself.

The Paediatrician confirmed again that we wanted to do her 6-in-1 jab and also asked if we wanted to give her the Rotavirus and Pneumococcal vaccination. We agreed to the Rotavirus vaccination but not the Pneumococcal.

We went to the Treatment Room for Darling's vaccination. All the while, she was still asleep, and unfed. Surprisingly, when they gave her the jab on her thigh, she did not cry. Then they fed her the Rotavirus vaccination. They also gave us a bottle of Paracetamol syrup in case Darling gets down with fever. But the paracetamol could also be used to soothe her discomfort even if there was no fever.

Not long later, when she was fully awake, and aware that she was hungry, and probably uncomfortable from the vaccination, she started to CRY the hospital down!!! Worst of all, I had to make payment so I could not prepare her milk while Alvin carried her. When it was all done, she had toned down a bit, so we figured, it was probably better to feed her at home than at the clinic. So we rushed home. And throughout the entire journey, she cried so loudly, like she was being tortured, that I felt so bad not feeding her first.

Finally, we got home and in the shortest possible time, plopped the milk bottle into her mouth.

That night, she got a bit feverish so we fed her the paracetamol, using a syringe given by the clinic. She didn't like it very much as she kept trying to spit it out, especially when I squirt too much into her mouth.

We fed her the medication every 6 hourly over the next day, until her fever receded. She didn't like it, but her mummy loved it. Because the paracetamol kept her sedated... (Lousy Mummy eh... hehe...)

Over the next few days, she was particularly whiney but particularly obedient. It almost feels as though she felt that she was put through the pain and discomfort because she was naughty... Like she was being punished... So poor thing...

And even though vaccination was good for her, it was very bad for the mummy - Big hole in the pocket...

Vaccination Bill:
6-in-1 Vaccination ----- $443.00
Rotavirus (2 doses) ---- $183.60
Paracetamol "Syrup" -- $2.00
7% GST --------------- $44.00 (NB!)
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Total Payable ------- $672.60
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*Faint Faint Faint Faint*