Reasons for not giving the Vitamin K shot

[kdf]

I have a new MW with this baby and she is young and does everything by the book so next week we are talking about the Vitamin K shot. We aren't doing it b/c our homeopathic dr said that it is like a vaccine and since we don't vaccinate we aren't doing it. My SIL who is my doula was against the shot but now that she is more into prenatal classes and done more research she thinks that it is necessary. So I have my reasons for not doing it but I am wondering why other moms aren't going to give it to their little ones.

[ilovebabies]

I'm not because of everything I read when I thouroughly researched it awhile back. We weren't given a hard time at all for refusing. We refuse eveything anyway (except for PKU) so I don't think they were too surprised!

The only exception I would make is if something happened during birth and it ended up being traumatic for the baby, but that would be the only reason. We don't circumsize our boys so that's not a reason for us either.

I do try to increase my consumption of vit. k in the third trimester just to make sure the baby is getting it from me.

[Multimomma]

We don't do it because it is only given to everyone in the very rare chance that your baby is the one in ten thousand that would have clotting issues. The professionals say there is no harm done, but to be honest, they haven't done any studies to prove that and there have been some studies to associate it with childhood leukemia. 1/10,000 is not enough of a risk for me...and if my son DID turn up to have bleeding troubles, it is easily handled at that point with other medications.

We also prolong cord cutting, so again, there is no issue with low red blood levels due to trapped blood in the placenta.

[RGsMom]

Wow, thanks for this info and bringing this up. I had questioned it first time around but everyone I "talked" to said it was essentially harmless, but will definitly be doing more research this time around. Any specific good links because I would have to convince the hubby.

Also, what foods are good to eat to uptake Vitamin K?

[Multimomma]

Here is the insert for the shot, read esp the contraindications.

I've never done anything in particular to increase my own vitamin K, but I've heard a month or two before birth, to take alfalfa (not sprouts or seeds) or stinging nettles to increase.

[JJ'sMom]

We do the oral Vit K here. The baby just gets a couple of drops at day 2 and week 2 and we are done. No intramuscular injections, just an addition to the gut flora.

Is the oral vit.K offered where you are? It may be an acceptable alternative.

[texanatheart]

I knew already that I didn't want to do it this time around (did it with hosp. birth for ds1 ). My sister didn't do it for her boy who was born 1 year after ds1 (and neither of our boys are circumcised), and her son turned out okay.

I asked mw about me taking alfalfa, and she said that while some mw's recommend it, she doesn't necessarily recommend it. She said that if the birth is 'rough' and baby looks a little 'beat up'/bruised, then she will give the Vit K shot. Otherwise, she thinks it's not necessary. ...I'm still on the fence whether I'll take the alfalfa...probably will...just need to get to the hfs to get it.

[liliaceae]

Originally Posted by Multimomma

Here is the insert for the shot, read esp the contraindications.

I've never done anything in particular to increase my own vitamin K, but I've heard a month or two before birth, to take alfalfa (not sprouts or seeds) or stinging nettles to increase.

I read the insert and the first thing on there is a warning that you shouldn't do an intramuscular shot because severe reactions, including fatalities, have occurred. Then it says later:

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that
vitamin K1 be given to the newborn. A single intramuscular
dose of AquaMEPHYTON 0.5 to 1 mg within one hour of
birth is recommended.

Does anyone know what's up with that??

[liliaceae]

Originally Posted by Multimomma

We don't do it because it is only given to everyone in the very rare chance that your baby is the one in ten thousand that would have clotting issues. The professionals say there is no harm done, but to be honest, they haven't done any studies to prove that and there have been some studies to associate it with childhood leukemia. 1/10,000 is not enough of a risk for me...and if my son DID turn up to have bleeding troubles, it is easily handled at that point with other medications.

We also prolong cord cutting, so again, there is no issue with low red blood levels due to trapped blood in the placenta.

I'm also interested in where the 1/10,000 stat comes from. I see that quoted a lot but I haven't found it in my research. Here's what the AAP says:

Vitamin K deficiency may cause unexpected bleeding (0.25%–1.7% incidence) during the first week of life in previously healthy-appearing neonates (early vitamin K deficiency bleeding [VKDB] of the newborn [formerly known as classic hemorrhagic disease of the newborn]).

http://aappolicy.aappublications.org...rics;112/1/191

[Multimomma]

Originally Posted by liliaceae

I'm also interested in where the 1/10,000 stat comes from. I see that quoted a lot but I haven't found it in my research.

http://www.vaccination.inoz.com/VitaminK.html is where I got it.

[Devaskyla]

I haven't done it with either of my kids. In general, I believe nature knows more than we do & if babies are "deficient" it's because they're supposed to be for some reason. I was going to do alfalfa for the last month I was pregnant with ds2, but he came at 37 weeks. I never did anything with ds1. Can't decide what I'm doing this time around, although I was thinking of trying to get some nettle tea.

[AGierald]

Im not in your DDC, but I had the SAME questions you have about vitamin K last year (March 2008 mama), and we werent going to get it. However, when he was born, he got STUCK trying to come out with his head to the side, and he had a bruise on his little head, so we did get the vitamin K. I would leave the option open, just in case something particularly traumatic does happen in labor. My very crunchy un-mainstream CNM (no CPM in IL) said if it was her child, in this situation, she would probably have gotten the vitamin K, even though she didnt usually do it.

Good luck with your decision! If you're not circ'ing, and nothing traumatic happens, theres really no need for it, from a nutritional/blood clotting standpoint.

[G&B'sMama]

It is very important to me that my baby is welcomed to as much comfort and love as I can provide. With our DS we didn't do any injections, blood draws (including the 1st PKU test), eye goop, or even a bath. As others have stated, for a healthy baby and uncomplicated birth, I don't see any benefit in doing any of those things- including the vitamin K.

[CookAMH]

Not in your DDC, but we don't plan to give the shot unless the baby has bruising at birth. We are not circing, so no need there if a boy.

[CookAMH]

Originally Posted by ilovebabies

I do try to increase my consumption of vit. k in the third trimester just to make sure the baby is getting it from me.

I've heard this doesn't do anything...anyone else? I may be wrong.

[CookAMH]

Originally Posted by Multimomma

there have been some studies to associate it with childhood leukemia.

From what I have seen, the leukemia link has been debunked.

[ilovebabies]

Originally Posted by CookAMH

I've heard this doesn't do anything...anyone else? I may be wrong.

Maybe. But I don't see the harm in it just incase. I mean, all the vitamins and minerals I eat benefit the baby so why wouldn't vit. k? Also, I'd like to think that my baby will receive it through my breastmilk as well.

[Amila]

Check out Anti-D in Midwifery by Sara Wickham. To my knowledge it is the only book out there about this. I found it helpful.

Also, parsley has ridiculous amounts oof Vit. K

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?t...spice&dbid=100

[ilovebabies]

Originally Posted by Amila

Check out Anti-D in Midwifery by Sara Wickham. To my knowledge it is the only book out there about this. I found it helpful.

Also, parsley has ridiculous amounts oof Vit. K

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?t...spice&dbid=100

Wow, thanks for this! Parsley... who knew? I'll definitely be adding more of that to my diet!

[SaraC]

I did it with DD#1 at birth simply b/c she had a rough birth complete with a vacuum extraction and honestly they took her off and I am betting they did it first thing before even DH could get to the nursery. We transported from a HB so we were not planning on getting it but I know she got it. I am ok with it since she did have a rough start.

With DD#2 we did the oral simply b/c our ped was very pro Vit-K and I really didn't have any objections to it as long as it was done orally.

With DD#3 we didn't do it. We had a HB and our (different) ped is pretty laid back about stuff like that. We don't vaccinate anyways so he kind of knew we were declining it. Plus he doesn't want to see them until 2 weeks PP anyways and by then it would be too late.

We will not be doing it with DD#4.