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Oral Vit. K  

post #1 of 32
6/5/08 at 3:46pm
Thread Starter 
I am actually having a hospital birth with MW and a doula, but I want to give oral Vit. K.

I asked my mw about oral vit. K. and she said that the nurse administers injectable vit. K orally if the parents request it.

I ordered the natural vit. K online-- it's derived from plants, not synthetic like the injectable one. I will bring this to the hospital and I want to give it myself to the baby.

How does one administer it? (Put the dropper in the baby's mouth, drip it down your finger, etc?)

How much do you give? I have heard 1-2ml.

When do you give it? Right after birth? Is a couple of hours after birth ok? Is the next day ok?

Thanks!
If you think there's a better place to post this question please let me know.


Lorette
post #2 of 32
6/5/08 at 3:51pm
If you ordered the vit. k from birthwithlove, you give one drop. It is super-potent. It is also oily and relatively easy to just suspend the bottle above baby's mouth and then let the drop fall in.
post #3 of 32
6/5/08 at 3:59pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lorette View Post
I ordered the natural vit. K online-- it's derived from plants, not synthetic like the injectable one. I will bring this to the hospital and I want to give it myself to the baby.

I have been wondering about oral vit K...where did you get yours and what is the name brand?
post #4 of 32
6/5/08 at 4:20pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by treehugginhippie View Post
I have been wondering about oral vit K...where did you get yours and what is the name brand?
http://www.birthwithlove.com/categor...s%2DOral+Vit+K
post #5 of 32
6/6/08 at 1:11pm
I'm so glad you asked this question!
post #6 of 32
6/6/08 at 2:05pm
Thanks i was wondering the same thing !!!!!
post #7 of 32
6/6/08 at 4:06pm
I read on the site that sells the Vit K and it says that in 2007 Canada stopped a shipment. Is that still an issue or is it ok to order it now?
post #8 of 32
6/6/08 at 6:30pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by swissmiss2584 View Post
I read on the site that sells the Vit K and it says that in 2007 Canada stopped a shipment. Is that still an issue or is it ok to order it now?
Mine got here safe and sound from Canada.
post #9 of 32
6/6/08 at 8:02pm
oh good. There isn't anything cheaper?
post #10 of 32
6/8/08 at 9:06am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by swissmiss2584 View Post
oh good. There isn't anything cheaper?
I think that may be the only source.
I got mine for $21 and now I see the price is raised to $30
post #11 of 32
6/8/08 at 2:55pm
Our midwives had some and just gave it to my son while they checked him all out. I don't know how much though.
post #12 of 32
6/8/08 at 3:19pm
put one or 2 drops you your finger and let the baby suck it off-- much easier to do that than to try and time your drop---
post #13 of 32
6/8/08 at 7:45pm
I emailed my MW asking her about oral instead of shot and she said to get it from my Pediatrician which I will be meeting with next week. When I see my MW this week for my prenatal I will get more details on it because I want to make sure that it is the plant based Vit K and not synthetic.
post #14 of 32
6/13/08 at 3:54pm
I mentioned the oral Vit K to my MW and told her that it was plant based and she questions the effectiveness of the plant based vs the synthetic. Does anyone have any stats or info on that? Thanks!
post #15 of 32
6/13/08 at 5:19pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by swissmiss2584 View Post
I mentioned the oral Vit K to my MW and told her that it was plant based and she questions the effectiveness of the plant based vs the synthetic. Does anyone have any stats or info on that? Thanks!
Read the info here about the natural vit k:
http://www.birthwithlove.com/categor...s%2DOral+Vit+K

Why would something synthetic be better than something natural?
Human beings are meant to ingest natural substances.
From my research, it seems most HB mws give the newborn the natural vit. k.

Natural is better, IMO.

Lorette
post #16 of 32
6/13/08 at 5:24pm
We did oral vitmain k. We administered it in a syringe and just squirted it at the back of babe's throat.

We did one dose about 2 hours after birth, next dose at 1 week old and final dose at 6 weeks old.
post #17 of 32
6/13/08 at 6:59pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lorette View Post
Read the info here about the natural vit k:
http://www.birthwithlove.com/categor...s%2DOral+Vit+K

Why would something synthetic be better than something natural?
Human beings are meant to ingest natural substances.
From my research, it seems most HB mws give the newborn the natural vit. k.

Natural is better, IMO.

Lorette
Oh I agree that natural is better. I guess she is thinking that synthetic is stronger? I'm not sure what her thinking is. She uses the Vit K shots and I would have to provide the oral if I wanted it. She told me to get it from my pediatrician but I assume that she only has the synthetic oral vit k.
post #18 of 32
6/13/08 at 7:05pm
It's easier to measure the actual quantities of the vitamin K made available to the body when you're dealing with a synthetic. Natural ingredients are susceptible to a multitude of discrepancies, from the soil it's grown in, to when it was harvested, how it was processed. You know more about what exactly you're getting when you use a synthetic.
post #19 of 32
6/13/08 at 7:19pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by nashvillemidwife View Post
It's easier to measure the actual quantities of the vitamin K made available to the body when you're dealing with a synthetic. Natural ingredients are susceptible to a multitude of discrepancies, from the soil it's grown in, to when it was harvested, how it was processed. You know more about what exactly you're getting when you use a synthetic.
Ok, but with something like Vitamin K, don't you think it would be preferable-- or at least as good to give the natural form?
Do you think it would really make a difference?
I know with something like prenatal vitamins it is better to take the naturally derived vitamins (rather than synthetic) because they are more easily assimilated into your body. Wouldn't it stand to reason that giving natural vit k to a newborn would be better assimilated too?



Lorette
post #20 of 32
6/13/08 at 7:29pm
I'm not going to comment on "preferable". That's a personal choice. I just wanted to point out that there's more than one aspect to consider.
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