Eye Ointment - Share your secrets.

[Pilsy]

Conjunctivitis in the house.  [groan]

Any tips for applying the ointment to a 9-month-old's eyes?  It's been pure torture for both of us - well, all three of us, as I haven't attempted it without my husband's assistance.  

The poor baby is miserable while we wrestle her, and I fear poking out her eye.  Is there a secret method to making this easier?  

[catsarecute]

We had to do drops with DD. I swaddled her as tight as possible to get her hands and arms from fighting me. She was on the changing table each time. It wasn't fun and I often had to do one drop at a time and then wait a few minutes to put the other drop in. Not sure how ointment works but getting her arms swaddled might help. Good luck!

[Pilsy]

Didn't even think of swaddling. Excellent idea. Thanks! (And hi!!)

[elocrates]

Bummer. Hold arms down tight. Hold the head still if you can. (Easiest with two people.) Pull the lower lid down and put the ointment just inside the lower lid. When she blinks the ointment will go into/ coat her eye.

[sparty04]

Jan 30, 2015 20:41:01 GMT -5 elocrates said:

Bummer. Hold arms down tight. Hold the head still if you can. (Easiest with two people.) Pull the lower lid down and put the ointment just inside the lower lid. When she blinks the ointment will go into/ coat her eye.

This is what we did when they gave us the stupid ointment. I could do it one handed but that's also how I put my contacts in. The next time (like a month later), we got drops and that was much easier

[mannah]

If you have some disposable gloves use those and put the ointment on your finger and then into her eye so you have more control but if you end up poking her it's just with your finger not a pointy sharp applicator.

[minzy]

Pilsy When I did it alone, I wore her in the Ergo and tilted her face up. She would clamp her eyes shut so I started putting the drop on her eyelashes and then tilting her head around so it went in her eye when she opened them. Sorry you are dealing with this!

[CloudBee]

Ointment? Man, I wish they had given you drops.

[auntie]

I always ask for drops.

The trick for a cooperative child is to lay them on their back with their eyes closed. Apply the drop to the corner of the eye and ask them to open. The sense of control they have makes it a whole lot easier.

For ointment, I wrap them exactly as I do my cats when they need eye medicine. I had a pair of himmies who routinely ulcerated their corneas- I got good at it.

[Pilsy]

THERE ARE DROPS?!


You have to be f---ing kidding me.