Vitamin K...to shoot or not to shoot - Page 2

[kerikadi]

Originally Posted by alegna

We didn't do the K at all and didn't worry a bit. It makes no sense for newborns to NEED to be injected with anything.

-Angela

Sometimes I think I should just follow Angela around with my True Dat sign

Keri

[alegna]

[ashleep]

: Keri

Angela, I wish you lived in my town so we could hang out.


Oh yeah, no Vit K here. I *may* have reconsidered if there had been some sort of birth trauma.

[brandy111803]

Originally Posted by tie-dyed

ITA. Some stuff makes things easier or whatever, but to *need* a chemical injection at birth just doesn't make sense to us.

This is totally how we feel too Tie-dyed. It just seems odd sometimes that so many humans have made it in this world over time w/o injections but suddenly we need to be doing it to protect our children. Grant it, birth was a bit more unencumbered wayyyyyyy back when and I'm sure that humans accepted death more than we tend to now but it seems to strange to put chem's into an hours old baby. I won't get on my with this but this along w/ the injection just seems to counterintuitive to me.

It's good to hear that there are lots of you that didn't give anything and your babies are fine. It seems that most studies show it's a problem from 1-6 babies out of 100,000 that aren't injected.

I'm still trying to decide on whether or not to give the oral.....I am pretty sure the injection has made it's way out though! Thanks a bunch guys!!

[pamamidwife]

yeah, I think nature never intended for babies to be pulled out with vacuum extractors or forceps, or to have surgery within the first week of life. Ideally, there is a good reason why babies are born without it - it's just up to every parent to decide if the risk/benefit ratio fits within their comfort level.

[Tofu the Geek]

Originally Posted by Shelsi

This also goes along with vaccines. You need to research them fully...not just decide that you're not going to do them because you don't want your kid to cry for 30 seconds. I totally understand how hard it is to see them hurt...heck even dh cries whenever our ds gets shots (selectively done btw). But you need to find out for yourself if that 30 seconds of pain is worth the benefit of whatever is in that needle.

In my 10 years of on and off research of vaccines, I have never once heard "I didn't vaccinate because the needle would cause my child pain" as a parent's reason for not vaccinating. There are too many other much more serious reasons to not vaccinate that needle pain doesn't usually come into the equation.

[cheenya]

I did choose to give both my children oral vit. K, I had to buy it myself both times (DD was born in a hospital, DS at home). I felt that it was important for us to do because throughout my life I have been low in Vit. K on and off, and when the level is low, I bleed very easily. It took my mom ages to figure out what was going on when I was little, but once she did eating foods high in Vit K always made a difference. So, since I have a tendency to have low levels anyway, I just felt better doing something than nothing. The shot however just seemed to have more risks than benefits, hence the oral Vit. K.

[pamamidwife]

you know, you can use the injectible Vitamin K orally, too, if ever in the situation. there is also tablet form of Vitamin K that can be quartered and crushed to be given to a baby. both of these are acceptable ways of administering Vit K according to our state midwifery guidelines.

[gen_here]

We put the following in our birth plan:

Unless the delivery is assisted by vacuum, forceps, or a Cesarean section, I choose to waive the Vitamin K injection for our baby.

We didn't know our child's gender at the time (we had a son), but we also stated we would not be circumcising. Since we had a natural, vaginal delivery and brought my whole son home, he did not receive the vitamin K... no regrets!

[AngelaB]

I am not comfortable with the preservatives that are in the shot. I am not sure about the vit k itself being injected but until I can read the inserts for the shot I will not be doing it.

I did a google search and this is the wikipedia link to Ethylene glycol (which is one of the preservatives in the shot, or one brand of it). That doesnt sound good to me. I had in my birth plan that I will not consent to any ointments, shots or tests until I am fully informed and have read the inserts myself. Anyways I will just ask my mw to see the insert next time I have an appointment. Depending on the trauma involved in the birth, we plan on gentle, I dont think its necessary. I will be eating and drinking more vit k rich foods before and after birth.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethylene_glycol

editinng to add this article I found that talks about some ingredients as well.
http://proliberty.com/observer/19990710.htm

[theelfqueen]

We chose to do the Vit K - as an injection, not the orally that my midwife normally offers. After reading the research I felt that the shot was more effective if we were going to do it, also I am pretty protective of the open/virgin gut, nothing but mama's milk orally. DH felt that the Vit. K was important and I didn't feel like fighting it.

Also, it turned out to be a really great connection with our ped's office. I called them and asked them to do the scrip. We hadn't really discussed homebirth with them much before that point and they were SO supportive and helpful it really took a lot of "how will the ped receive my homeborn baby" anxiety for me when I saw how hard they worked to help us find a pharmacy that would fill the scrip, etc.

Edited to add -- we did not adminster it immediately however, due to problems with the pharmacy, we held off until about 24 hours.

[Mom2Adam]

We have a hard copy of an article from Winter '96 Midwifery Today titled "Vitamin K: Is it Necessary?" - after reading the article, we do feel it is necessary (some of the research we've done shows that we used to have Vitamin K in our diets way back when...but we don't as much anymore) Also, Breastmilk does not provide the baby with enough Vit. K. The article focused on HDN or hemorrhagic disease of the newborn - unexplained bleeding or bruises in an otherwise healthy infant. There are high risk factors - but studies show that mostly full term, otherwise healthy, breastfed babyies are those who develop HDN.

We would like to do Oral - but it is 3 doses - one at birth, one at 2 weeks and one at 4 or 6 (I can't recall right now) and we are 1 hr away from Midwife. Not sure if I will be up to shuttling baby all that way to get the dosage. We are still trying to decide....oral or shot. If we choose shot - it will be while baby is nursing.