Comparative Survey of Holding Positions for Reducing Vaccination Pain in Young Infants.

. Infant holding position may reduce vaccination pain. However, the optimal position for young infants remains controversial. . To compare the effectiveness of holding infants in the supine position and the effectiveness of holding infants in upright position for relieving acute pain from vaccine injection. . This prospective cohort study enrolled 6-12-week-old healthy infants. We examined infant pain responses by evaluating the following three categories: (1) crying, (2) irritability, and (3) facial expression. . In total, 282 infants were enrolled, with 103 and 179 held in the supine and upright positions, respectively. At 30 s after vaccination, the infants in the supine position showed a larger decrease in crying ( < 0.001), irritability ( = 0.002), and pained facial expression ( = 0.001) than did those in the upright position. However, there was no significant difference in pain response between two groups at 180 s after intervention. . In 2-month-old infants, the supine position may reduce acute pain more effectively than does the upright position. Our findings provide a clinical strategy for relieving vaccination pain in young infants.