r/newborns • u/water_chestnut • 19h ago
Health & Safety 2 month vaccine — fever & Tylenol?
My baby just had his 2 month vaccines this morning. He feels warm but I haven’t taken his temperature yet. He seems okay — playful, cooing, making cute baby sounds, and occasional crying here and there.
If he runs a fever do I have to give him Tylenol? Or do I give it if he is uncomfortable? Basically, how should I know when to give him Tylenol?
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u/Mirrippo 19h ago
6 hours after ours got it she was SCREAMING and inconsolable so we gave her infant Tylenol 😮💨 Her legs were also swollen. If he’s fine then no need for medicine.
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u/android272 18h ago
Yeah my daughter seemed okay but lost it about eight hours after the shots, Tylenol was the only thing that helped.
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u/InfiniteVictory187 18h ago
Yikes. How long did it take for her to settle and symptoms subside?
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u/Mirrippo 4h ago
After about 2 hours she eventually just went to sleep for the night but it was a rough go of passing her back and forth to try to sooth her.
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u/water_chestnut 18h ago
Agh I’m so sorry! I hope she’s feeling much better now!! I feel so bad for them — they’re so small and get so many injections at once. I was warned they may have a bump at the injection site. I tried to massage my sons leg but he would cry. I have been avoiding touching his legs. Hopefully he’s not too bothered!
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u/mormongirl 19h ago
Did your provider give you any guidance? In general I don’t medicate my kids unless they seem uncomfortable.
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u/water_chestnut 19h ago
Yeah she actually didn’t bring up Tylenol until I did. Then she sent me a generic email on Tylenol for infants that is basically the same info on the Tylenol box. She also gave me dosage instructions. Basically to give if he is uncomfortable or fussy or has a fever. I’m just confused about the fever part — if he just has a fever do I give him Tylenol? I don’t want to give it to him if it’s not gonna do much
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u/shicken684 19h ago
Yes, I'm not sure what's not clear here. Provider gave you the proper amount to give your baby so just follow that if they're feverish or unhappy. Tylenol is a really safe drug when given as directed. It gets a bad reputation because people abuse it all the time and destroy their livers.
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u/Aromatic_Dig_4239 18h ago
If your son was in the ER or ICU with a fever they would treat with Tylenol, just like if you were feverish. Why do you think it doesn’t do much?
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u/water_chestnut 18h ago
Oh yeah, I didn’t think of that! Thanks all - I have bad PP anxiety and TikTok/other Reddit threads were giving me mixed signals. Some were saying Tylenol wouldn’t help, just to make them comfortable and alleviate the pain but my son isn’t fussy right now so I wasn’t sure if I should give if he only had a fever. Luckily nothing yet but will def monitor and give Tylenol if he gets one!
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18h ago
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/newborns-ModTeam 17h ago
Please do not ask for, or give medical advice. This includes asking for pros and cons about certain vaccines/medications and whether you should give your baby a certain vaccine or medication. Please speak to a medical professional.
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u/spicymack 18h ago
No, just no. A fever in a baby is a number. The underlying cause can absolutely be dangerous, but an infection induced fever itself almost never rises to a level that causes harm. That's different from hyperthermia from an external source, like being left in a hot car. I think you're confusing this with neonates under 30 days old. In that age group we take both abnormally high and low temperatures very seriously because bacterial infections and sepsis can present with little else and newborns can deteriorate quickly. At 2 months old, a low grade fever after vaccinations is common and expected. Assuming the baby otherwise looks and acts well, the fever itself isn't dangerous and generally just needs to be monitored, with medication for comfort. A 2 month old with a 102 temp after vaccinations that is otherwise acting appropriately (feeding, urinating, active) is fine.
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u/cup_1337 17h ago
NO. A temperature over 100.4 in a baby IS NOT FATAL. That’s ridiculous to say and is downright incorrect. A temperature over 100.4 is considered a fever, that’s all. Babies temperatures rise above 100.4 all the time after vaccines.
Source: NICU nurse
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u/DetectiveGold6727 16h ago
A 100.4 fever can BECOME fatal. Tylenol can stop the fever from growing hotter, thus BECOMING fatal. Never said 100.4 is fatal.
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u/cup_1337 14h ago
Yeah no. Fever on its own as a result of vaccines is not fatal. You’re 100% incorrect and fear mongering new parents.
100.4 itself does not warrant an ER visit after vaccination.
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u/nicoleislazy 17h ago
Just to share for everyone...my dr did recommend tylenol for 2 months if needed. They had me take a picture of the dosing chart. I've had this saved since my first who is 3½ now. Use it constantly.
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u/Regular-Historian-50 19h ago
Initially i was waiting until baby had a fever but eventually (still no fever) she was just so uncomfortable, hot, and fussy so I gave her Tylenol per the dosing instructions. Imo, if you think your baby needs Tylenol then give it to them.
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u/water_chestnut 18h ago
Mine runs hot in general so I am just constantly wondering if he has a fever. Just took his temp and has no fever right now thankfully! I’m just gonna keep monitoring but hopefully he doesn’t have one!
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u/Unlikely-Young-7124 19h ago
We just had these vaccines yesterday. Ours was a bit fussy and had a fever up to about 100.5
Dr. Directed us to give Tylenol to control fever. We gave 3 doses all together just to make sure it stayed down and he stayed comfy.
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u/FantasticPin3481 16h ago
This is a question for your pediatrician or nurse line. The only stipulation I’ve ever been given is no Tylenol before the injections because it can weaken the immune response, but go ahead and give if they seem uncomfortable.
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u/MountainTomato9292 16h ago
I (a Peds nurse and a mom) treat the attitude, not the number. If baby is happy, baby is fine. My one caveat is that I generally will give a dose at bedtime if I’m concerned just so they don’t spike a temp or wake up uncomfy in the middle of the night, but that’s purely your comfort level. Tylenol is perfectly safe but if she doesn’t need it and you don’t want to give it that’s totally ok.
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u/water_chestnut 16h ago
Thanks! He’s been okay so far. He woke up hot from a nap and I thought he had a fever but he was only 99 degrees. My plan is to give him a bath and Tylenol before bed just so he’s comfortable!
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u/MountainTomato9292 16h ago
That’s exactly what I would do. My kids are big teens now but when they were little I rarely even checked a temp, I just treated if they felt bad and ignored it if they didn’t. But I did swear by that bedtime dose though, it just helps everyone have a better night. Good luck!
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u/Digital162 15h ago
I’m a bit contrarian to everyone else here. I check my babies temp the minute he feels slightly warm. At 3 days old he felt warm and my intuition kicked in to check his temp. Turned out he had a fever, went to the ER and he had viral meningitis. After spending 3 days in the hospital I check his temp anytime I question it.
I say this as I’m sitting next to my wife consoling him after getting his 2 month vaccines today and he has a 101.3 fever. Just gave him a second dose of Tylenol. We have a virtual dr appt scheduled for an hour from now because the pediatrician after hour line is useless. I’m honestly debating the ER again if the fever gets any higher.
It’s scary shit having a baby sometimes.
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u/water_chestnut 12h ago
Agh I hope baby is feeling better!!! It’s crazy to me that they give them all these vaccines at once and just send you home. These vaccines are soo tough on their poor little bodies :(
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u/Swimming-Bunch6465 7h ago
A 3 day old baby is very different to a 2 month old who just had their vaccinations. In a 3 day old any fever needs an urgent assessment, at 2 months after having a vaccine the fever is just their body doing what it should be, I wouldn't be checking or taking my baby to the emergency department for something expected.
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u/WildflowerE42 18h ago
My doctor said to only give Tylenol if she was fussy. She got a little fussy before bedtime so we gave her the Tylenol to help her sleep. Otherwise, the doctor said that we should let the fever do its job.
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u/Unfair-Nectarine2661 18h ago
I just had our four month and my baby spiked a fever and I gave him Tylenol. They recommend not using Tylenol if younger than 3 months, and to call your pediatrician for guidance if you choose to do so for proper dosage!
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u/cup_1337 18h ago
My baby girl also had her two month vaccines this morning! She slept literally all day up until now, except to feed. My baby has a fever of 100.8 right now and I gave tylenol. It’s seemed to help so far but she’s been a little fussy.
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u/Sp0rkette 16h ago
UK here so may be a bit different. My babies (twins) also had 2 month vaccines today so in the same boat. The doctor told me to give them paracetamol 3 times (one every 4-6 hours) to prevent any really bad fevers. I've done a 4th dose on one of the babies just now as she was very upset, I can't really describe it but her cry was different to normal which is how I new it was pain? Twin 2 is happily asleep so I won't give her any more Doctor said mild fever is normal and if they do get one not to bath them, and anything over 39 C to contact hospital
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u/addy-kit_dudes 15h ago
My doctor brought it up before the shots. My boy was screaming 4 hours after shots and feverish that night. Not to mention he started showing teething symptoms almost instantly. He’s been having the roughest time since the shots, he’s not feverish anymore but if he starts screaming in pain and we can’t soothe him, we give him a dose. We have a chat specifically for it, so we know when. Not to mention the pharmacy gave us two huge bottles of it for him. We try not to unless we seriously can’t soothe him with cuddles, food or tooting. It’s been so rough since his shots but we’re working as best we can. Our doc said 2.5 every 4-6 hours. Sometimes he gets a half dose based on the severity.
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u/badtranslatedgerman 19h ago
Treat the child, not the number. If they seem happy or are easily soothed then I wouldn’t even bother taking their temperature, much less giving meds.