I will shortly be giving my wife injections for IVF. Any "do"s and "don't"s for intramuscular injections?

Answer:
I found the progesterone shots to be the only painful part of IVF. Since you take them for sooo long, they can begin to hurt after a while.Here are some pointers that helped me out:
1) Place a warm, damp cloth on the injection site for a few seconds before and after giving the shot;
2) Soak the bottom part of the bottle (don't immerse the top of the bottle of medicine) into a cup of warm water for 30 seconds;
3) Always change the needle between withdrawing the oil and inserting into the skin (the needle gets dull from going through the rubber stopper and the oil covers the needle. a clean, sharp needle will inject smoother);
4) Insert it very quickly;
5) Alternate between sides of her hip/buttock (this gives the other side time to heal before the next shot the next day).

---

Do NOT insert the insert slow. This wil cause the injections to hurt more than intended.

---

Do give it in a large muscle such as the butt, once you have dropped the needle into the space you will inject, first pull back on the syringe plunger to be sure your not in a vessel. Basically if you see blood when you pull back, your in a vessel. Do always clean the area with a alcohol swab prior to injection. Alternate injection sites to allow the previous site to heal.

---

If it's an oil based shot (like progesterone) warm up the shot first... and while many may advise to use ice on the injection site, I have found that heat actually works better. Put the heating pad on the site, and then stick the shot on top of that to warm it up for a few minutes. Remove the heating pad, use a QUICK motion (like throwing darts) to insert the needle. Pull back on the syringe to ensure you are not in a vein (you should get an air bubble, not blood) and then inject it moderately fast. Pull the needle out with a quick motion as well. Massage the area for a good 1-2 minutes as well to diffuse the liquid and avoid a big knot the next day.If it's a water soluble shot, all the same applies, but the heat is not necessary/helpful.

---