Vitamin K shot after having tylenol and valacyclovir during pregnancy

[dot1]

Originally I was going to decline the Vitamin K shot (provided we had an intervention-free birth and physiological 3rd stage and lots of early bfing...).

However, I got shingles at 34 weeks and am taking oral valacyclovir (1 mg 3x/day for a week) to try to clear it up before the birth and reduce chance of chronic pain.  Also had to take some extra strength tylenol for pain (took 4 tablets one night, 2 another and another 2 a different night) and don't anticipate I'll need more.

I wondered if there's anyone out there with pharmaceutical/chemistry knowledge who can offer insight into how these medications may or may not have affected my babe's liver?  Or any relevant personal experience?

I understand that clotting deficiencies generally arise when there is a problem with the baby's liver....however, what's not clear to me is exactly what risk of damage these medications at this stage of pregnancy actually could pose to the unborn baby's liver.

Help!  Thanks :)

[1love4ever]

well, I am unsure about the liver and all that, but the reason that the vitamin K shot is given is simply because the baby blood does not clot for 8 days after birth.  My opinion is that they are born this way for a reason, even if we dont know what it is or if it does not seem important, so I do not want to mess with that.  Of course modern medicine sees that and thinks it ought to be fixed, but I do not think it is necessary because that is how we're born, and most people who have ever been born have NOT received the shot.

[Toposlonoshlep]

I'm not sure about the effects of medications, but have you considered Vit K drops for yourself and newborn instead of the intramuscular shot? I ordered mine here, and gave my newborn son a dose at first nursing. 

http://www.birthwithlove.com/categories/itempage.asp?prodid=vitamin+k+1+(vit+k+1+)oral+vit+k

Hope that helps!

[dot1]

1loveforever - thanks for your insights.  I agree it seems strange we have to medicate for what seems a natural process.  I do wonder how much of the research on HDN has been skewed by all the interventions and medications that the mothers were exposed to during labour (and prenatally).  If you took a "pure" sample of healthy moms who had natural labours with babies without evidence of bleeding, I then wonder what the stats on HDN would actually be.  Too bad the research isn't better to help us be better informed with facts, as opposed to clinical hunches.

Toposlonoshlep = thanks for that link!  I've emailed to see if they ship to Canada and if there's any way we can get it through customs since it's not available in Canada.  About the only supplement we can get here is alfalfa, but I'm not sure of how much actual vitamin k content there is in that.  I'll post an update when i find out in case lurkers are interested.

[Toposlonoshlep]

Let me know what they say, because I am currently in Ohio and maybe could ship them to you if you need a "middlewoman"? lol

Also, if they have no leads, call some midwives in your area. They usually know of a midwifery supply company.
 

Originally Posted by dot1 

Toposlonoshlep = thanks for that link!  I've emailed to see if they ship to Canada and if there's any way we can get it through customs since it's not available in Canada.  About the only supplement we can get here is alfalfa, but I'm not sure of how much actual vitamin k content there is in that.  I'll post an update when i find out in case lurkers are interested.

[1love4ever]

Originally Posted by dot1 

1loveforever - thanks for your insights.  I agree it seems strange we have to medicate for what seems a natural process.  I do wonder how much of the research on HDN has been skewed by all the interventions and medications that the mothers were exposed to during labour (and prenatally).  If you took a "pure" sample of healthy moms who had natural labours with babies without evidence of bleeding, I then wonder what the stats on HDN would actually be.  Too bad the research isn't better to help us be better informed with facts, as opposed to clinical hunches.

Toposlonoshlep = thanks for that link!  I've emailed to see if they ship to Canada and if there's any way we can get it through customs since it's not available in Canada.  About the only supplement we can get here is alfalfa, but I'm not sure of how much actual vitamin k content there is in that.  I'll post an update when i find out in case lurkers are interested.

:)

Have you read Ina Mays Guide to Childbirth?  I know she talks about the vitamin K in there but I dont remember all that she has to say.  What my midwife said about it is that she thinks that it is harder on the babys heart if they recieve the shot because the blood is thicker.  She beleives that the newborn is born without the clotting factor because their heart is so young and just getting going and it can not easily handle the thicker viscosity?  IMO, "We must assume this is as nature intended, not a mistake of evolution "

Edited by 1love4ever - 9/15/11 at 12:21am

[dot1]

I've recall reading some of her books when pg with dd1 but don't recall what she said about vitamin k.  My midwife is turning out to be a bit more of a medwife.  I wonder how much this so called vitamin k deficiency also has to do with the practise of early cord clamping.  

[1love4ever]

Originally Posted by dot1 

I've recall reading some of her books when pg with dd1 but don't recall what she said about vitamin k.  My midwife is turning out to be a bit more of a medwife.  I wonder how much this so called vitamin k deficiency also has to do with the practise of early cord clamping.  

Thats unfortunate:(   Can you find a new MIDwife?  I dont think it has to do much with cord clamping.  You should wait til the cord stops pulsing to clamp and cut it, that is for sure.  That way your baby has enough blood in his/her body.  That is another thing that puts more stress on the newborns body is having to manufacture a lot of blood right away because they did not get enough because the cord was cut too soon.  I will post some links in a few days, I have to go to a birth class for the weekend.  I am looking forward to it! :)

[1love4ever]

Hey here is a good article I came across about the K shot.  http://www.proliberty.com/observer/19990710.htm

I love this quote from the article “...how could God or nature have erred so badly as to give all newborn babies only an infinitesimal fraction of their required vitamin K? Surely the human race could not have survived to this point if all newborns were born with this deficiency and none being administered at birth until very recently.”