Vitamin K « Back to Group Discussions

[Anilia]

Hi ladies!

I am planning a home birth and plan to get the vit k drops just in case it seems like the baby needs them.  I have seen animals saved from internal bleeding with it and it is amazing.  What do you think the reasons not to use it are?  I chose not to have a shot of it given to my son in the hospital because it seemed un-nessessary but I feel like this baby has a higher risk of trauma (horribly mostly from my son.)

Thoughts?

[rebeccajm]

I don't have a good answer, sorry!  I am skipping it for baby girl.  My midwife said unless you are circing, it's really not needed in most babies.  And that's just because obviously they bleed a little when they get circed. :(

[AnahataChakra]

The chances are just so slim that the baby will need it but it isn't until hindsight that you would be able to say that.  If it feels right to do it for you go with that.  My daughter came out all bruised on her head and it just felt right to give her the drops.  Then my son came and his head was like perfect and I decided not to do the drops, I also decided not to do the heel prick PKU but again I really trust my intuition and other mamas intuition.  If you are worried about your older son, you do know that within 48 hours the baby will start make his own vit k through his gut flora right?  So its only for that tender first like week that the baby doesn't have much.  I would do some research on possible drawbacks to the drops, I don't know if the same ugly stuff is in them that is in the shot.  I do know that the dosing on the oral is much more reasonable than the shot.  Also babies that do not have their cords prematurely cut(before they stop pulsating which by the way it is better to leave intact until you birth the placenta) have a much better shot because the blood volume is higher also less risk of anemia.  If you drink alfalfa tea at everyday at the end of your pregnancy some midwives say will increase not only your stores of vit k but also your babies, even though I do this I don't know if I buy it, but regardless it is good for mamas clotting at birth which is also important.  Healthy gut flora in the first few weeks is so important for newborns and mamas if you have to get antibotics in birth make sure you and your baby get probiotics immediately after antibotic treatment ends.  Ok I am totally on a tangent now but the whole over use of antibotics in childbirth is going to be something that we look back on as soo foolish!  Don't be afraid to tell them that you don't want routine use of antibotics without signs of infection.  I researched it and did you know that you and your baby are more likely to get a antibotic strain resistant infection from your hospital stay after being given antibotics than your baby is likely to acquire GBS?  Crazy  But signs that you do need antibotics are maternal fever and your bag of water being broken longer than 5 hours(especially if you have vaginal checks which you should avoid if your water breaks. Sorry for the rant
 

[seaheroine]

We did the oral drops on the first day with both of our daughters, but I'm not planning to this time unless there is a reason to, bruising, trauma, etc.  I agree that the oral dosing is much more reasonable than the injection.  Part of me can't help but think newborns are naturally deficient in vitamin k for a *reason*, too.
 

[Clarasmama]

DD had the shot in the hospital because she was a forceps birth and had bruising on her temples from those, and on her forehead from being posterior against my pubic bone for hours on end :(  I had signed a waiver not to do it, but because of her bruising I changed my mind when she was born.  They also cut the cord right away which I was NOT happy about, and was the other reason I had her get the shot....ugh can't think about it right now, her birth story makes me so sad.

For this little guy, we are having him at home and won't be doing the vit K drops or anything.  No circ, the cord will be left attached until it is completely empty, and he is in excellent position right now (and has been the last few weeks!) so I'm hoping for a smooth and quick birth with an anterior rather than posterior baby :)  If you feel like it's good to have them on hand, then by all means keep the drops on hand, but I assume you would only use them in case of severe bruising on the baby since you should be easily able to leave the cord attached until the blood is completely out of it.  Hopefully you won't need them!

[Anilia]

Thanks ladies.  Sounds like you are confirming everything I'd thought.  I will have them on hand and if we feel the need, use them.  I'm so happy to be doing this at home this round and away from the hospital and all the "standard" procedures.  We should be able to avoid all the extras and just go for birth, pure and simple. :)