Are you doing the Vitamin K shot?

[winginit]

Since we're getting down to the wire just wondering what "interventions" people are planning on taking with their babies and how they came to those decisions.

#1 Are you planning on doing the Vitamin K shot? Why or why not?

[whalemilk]

Yes, because from the reading I have done I am satisfied that it is low risk, is effective against what it prevents, and what it prevents is serious. My baby will also be at somewhat elevated risk of anemia so I think it makes sense to take that precaution for that reason as well.

[treehugginhippie]

I'm not happy with what I've read about the vit K injection but we are doing the oral vit K.

[alyssatuininga]

We may do oral vitamin K if it is a rough birth but we don't plan on a vitamin K shot. I think vitamin K tends to be unnecessary unless it is a traumatic birth or the baby is not allowed to get all its cord blood.

[nia82]

We opted for the oral vitamin K.

[ssolberg99]

I will only if the birth is rough or there is any other medical reason we feel it should be done.

[violets8]

We are opting for the oral version of Vit K

[sarbear]

If you are doing the oral, where did you order the drops, or are you requesting it in the hospital? Also, what dosage do you plan to give?

[frontierpsych]

We're planning on doing the drops. My midwife carries them.

[RunningMama]

oops, i hit the wrong one- we are going to see how labor goes, and i hit undecided....

[Alcyone]

Originally Posted by whalemilk

Yes, because from the reading I have done I am satisfied that it is low risk, is effective against what it prevents, and what it prevents is serious. My baby will also be at somewhat elevated risk of anemia so I think it makes sense to take that precaution for that reason as well.

Bang on for me too.

[PassionateWriter]

no. i dont see any reason for additional Vit. K. Even though we live in a Northern environment, we plan to expose baby to sunlight daily.

[ryansma]

No

[whalemilk]

Originally Posted by PassionateWriter

no. i dont see any reason for additional Vit. K. Even though we live in a Northern environment, we plan to expose baby to sunlight daily.

Vitamin D is what you get from sunlight.

[guestmama9920]

We're doing oral if birth is easy, shot if traumatic

[Lexi_029]

Likely, yes. We did with our DD.

[jenmary]

Originally Posted by PassionateWriter

no. i dont see any reason for additional Vit. K. Even though we live in a Northern environment, we plan to expose baby to sunlight daily.

vit K in made in the gut by intestinal bacteria. the baby doesn't have any until he/she is colonized after birth, hence the shot to prevent a rare bleeding disorder in the first few days.

vit D is the one you get from sunlight, as whalemilk mentioned.

we are probably going to do the shot, unless my mama instincts tell me otherwise at the time. the oral form is not really an effective substitute, so if we decide against the shot we are not doing any vit K supplementation.

[dimibella]

I've been on the fence about this one, both my babes had pretty traumatic deliveries, so we'll just have to see how this one goes. My midwife is super awesome about only doing what mom wants though so I don't feel like I have to decide right now.

[mommathea]

As it stands right now we are not doing it. It there is a tramatic birth with lots of bruising around the head then we will make the decision of what needs to be done at that time.
In my mind giving an unneccesary Vitamin K shot, or oral dose is the same as giving vax. And I don't want to give the baby anything it doens't need.

[winginit]

It's interesting reading all of the replies. I've always been "lets wait and see" on the Vit. K...did the oral with number one...and none with number 2. At my appointment this week with my super non-intervention midwife, when I mentioned I'd wait and see about the birth she came back quite strongly suggesting the shot. I was super surprised (she had told me not to bother with the GBS because it can complicate things, not to bother with a second ultrasound, and so on). Anyhow, she went on to tell me how she personally knew of two babies who had suffered "dire consequences" from not having the Vit. K shot. One apparently had a genetic disorder that affected blood clotting and the other had no outward appearances of anything wrong and the labor was rather "normal". Her very strong opinion was that all the other interventions you can do something about at a later date (such as the eye ointment), whereas this one you don't know until it's too late. This has frightened me, and I have to admit I'm now questioning my normal decision. What do you all think?