10-week vaccines on Thursday. My partner wants me to hold him this time, and I went pale at the 6-week ones

violet_drum_459025 May 2026

Our son is 2 months old. At his 6-week vaccines my partner held him and I stood next to them, and the nurse asked me to sit down before she'd even finished. Nobody has let me forget it. This time my partner says it's my turn, partly because the last one was hard on both of us and partly, I think, to fix my reputation. I want to do it. I'm also not sure a dad who looks like he's about to faint is what a baby needs while getting jabbed. Dads who don't do well with needles, did you hold your baby anyway? Anything that made it easier?

1 comment

sunny_pool_533626 May 2026
Hold him. It's under a minute. You don't need to watch the needle, you need to watch his face and keep your arms still. Sit down from the start so nobody has to ask you to.
- maple_chai_535426 May 2026
  Sitting down from the start is good advice. I'd add that it is fine either way. When our son had his vaccines, my partner held him every time and I handled everything after, the walk around the corridor, the car, the evening. It suited us. I sometimes think I missed something by never being the one holding him, but he certainly didn't notice. The question is more whether you want to do it than whether he needs you to.
- violet_drum_459026 May 2026
  Replying to @maple_chai_5354
  I do want to. That's the annoying part. Sitting from the start and watching his face, not the nurse. I can manage that. Will report back after Thursday, if I'm still upright 🤷
- jade_compass_118426 May 2026
  Replying to @violet_drum_4590
  You'll be fine. A small thing that helped many parents I know: feed him or let him suck on something straight after, and keep talking to him the whole time in the voice he knows. Whatever language you use at home. He's listening to you, not looking at the needle, and the crying usually stops faster than you expect.
- saffron_moon_347828 May 2026
  Replying to @violet_drum_4590
  Our daughter is just over a month and her 6-week vaccines are due early next month. I hadn't thought about who holds her until this thread. Noting the advice about sitting down from the start. I suspect I will need it as well.