Vitamin K for newborns? - Page 2

[kismetbaby]

Originally Posted by bclare

My midwife suggests it only if the baby comes out very bruised, or if we were planning to circ (which we aren't). I would personally trust them if they said we needed to do it, but they said it is rare they make this recc.

Yep. This was my MW recommendation too. I also did a tea with RRl, nettles and alfalfa during the second two tri of preg, which I think was plenty.

I did wind up doing the shot, b/c he came out kinda bruised, but to be honest I wish I hadn't. I really don't think it was necessary and now that he has shown food sensitivities I am really second guessing any of the few interventions I did do (not that it's necessarily the cause). We have refused all other shots/vax since!

[phathui5]

I wanted to add that colostrum is rich in vitamin K, so breastfeeding should take care of it too. If you're not breastfeeding, I would probably supplement.

[Asiago]

We opted out also. It was another well researched decision, not one taken lightly, and we discussed it with our doctors.

[Ldavis24]

another "only if really necessary" mama here. My MW never ever pushed it but after a really really long hard labor and DD being quite bruised she suggested it and I said ok. Honestly if I had thought more about it I would have said no but I was so utterly exhausted I wasn't thinking to clearly.
That said DD's bruising cleared up by the next morning and i really think it was totally unnecessary and actually regret getting it...Sigh, next baby will definitely not be getting it.

[Pookietooth]

skipped it.

[boobs4milk]

we had it with all the kids, but i also had traumatic birth with #1, #2, and #4 and my son had a bleeding issue. we also had to circ my son (birth defect) and had gotten it for that before the bleeding issue showed up. after that trauma, we just decided to do the vit k shot with all future kids. the link in the op says that vit k is a vaccine?

we refused the hepb shots and the eye gunk, though.

[Pandme]

Didn't do it.

I read though that late-onset HDN can appear up to 6 months post birth. Peak incidence at 2-8 weeks. I was a little nervous at having to wait so long to be in the clear, but I ate lots of vit K rich foods like kale. I think I eat kale every day, lol.

I'm glad we didn't do it. We did do it with my son and I really wish we didn't.

I think the reason they say it is a vax is because the shot has preservatives and stuff in it like vaxxes.

[rebbecky]

I know this is an old thread, but I found it because I discovered today that my DS (7 months old) was given a Vitamin K shot at the hospital after being born. Unfortunately I was not aware that it was standard practice to do this for newborns, and I became furious when I realized after requesting itemized records from the billing department (the ins EOB was very vague) that this was done. I declined the Hep B shot in the hospital for him, but cannot for the life of me understand why I was not asked for consent about the vitamin K shot?! 

So, my question to you ladies it this: did you already know about this before hand or where you told about it by your hospital/birth center etc? I guess there is nothing I can do about it now, and I am just trying to let it go. However, I do feel like I should at least be able to ask questions of the hospital about his policy and why I was not asked. I tried to call the medical records department today to request a copy of the info for what he received so that I can at least see what was in this concoction they so quickly injected into my son shortly after birth. :(

Also, I know this is not on the topic of this thread, but I feel like there are so many things I just didn't "know" before having my son and I feel guilty about not learning more before he was born. Sometimes I feel like I am playing catch-up and find myself saying, "I wish I'd known about this before" a lot. Like I wish I would have found LLL while pregnant instead of when he was 5 months, and that I'd read the Womanly Art of Breastfeeding while pregnant too! Ok, enough of my venting on that topic. 

Thanks!

[phathui5]

Most states don't ask for your consent to give the Vitamin K shot because it's state mandated.

I noticed that I posted on this thread two years ago saying that colostrum should cover what baby needs. I've learned more about Vitamin K recently and it seems that Vitamin K Deficiency Bleeding is the one disorder where there's a higher incidence in breastfed babies than in bottlefed babies. Bottlefed babies get lots of Vitamin K from formula, where breastfed babies have lower levels of vitamin K. A baby who doesn't get either an injection or oral vitamin K has a 1 in 5000 chance of VKDB, whereas in newborns who get extra vitamin K, there are no reported cases.

[Adaline'sMama]

Originally Posted by phathui5 

Most states don't ask for your consent to give the Vitamin K shot because it's state mandated.

I noticed that I posted on this thread two years ago saying that colostrum should cover what baby needs. I've learned more about Vitamin K recently and it seems that Vitamin K Deficiency Bleeding is the one disorder where there's a higher incidence in breastfed babies than in bottlefed babies. Bottlefed babies get lots of Vitamin K from formula, where breastfed babies have lower levels of vitamin K. A baby who doesn't get either an injection or oral vitamin K has a 1 in 5000 chance of VKDB, whereas in newborns who get extra vitamin K, there are no reported cases.

Right. This is also something I've been researching more this time and I have come to the same conclusion. Personally, we will opt for the shot. I live in Kentucky, and I have to sign a consent form for it. I dont have to sign consent for the eye ointment. 

Also, just to clarify for anyone who is reading: Vitamin K is not a vaccine.

Vaccine: a preparation of killed microorganisms, living attenuated organisms, or living fully virulent organisms that is administered to produce or artificially increase immunity to a particular disease.