[SoonToBe]

Are you doing them? Doing oral instead? What information do you have for a newbie like me?

 

[CrazyCatLady]

I've always skipped it. I figure babies are probably born with a lack of vitamin K for a reason. I have never seen a convincing argument for routinely injecting all newborns with extra vitamin K. Now if I ever needed a vacuum assisted birth, or if a baby received any other type of trauma like that during birth, then I would consent to it. In that case it seems like the potential benefits may outweigh any risks. For for the average baby/birth, I don't find it necessary.

 

[SuburbanHippie]

I bought oral vitamin K because my OB was having a fit over this part of my birth plan.

 

[Baby_Cakes]

I do the injection. Sometimes there is trauma or internal bleeding from the birth process that isn't evident right away. For me it's worth it.

 

[Italiamom]

We opted for the injection (which our midwife doesn't usually do), because I was having some liver issues in the last trimester. Those issues can affect vitamin K stores in infants, and my research indicated that my medical condition is one where it would actually be warranted.

Totally healthy, uncomplicated pregnancy -- I'd probably do the oral dose. Watching your baby get a shot is probably the worst thing imaginable in those first hours. I sobbed for about 10 minutes.

 

[Beckily]

I agree with Melaya, but am going to do the drops. I talked it over with my midwives and ND - it's a rare thing to need, but figure it's also harmless (when swallowed) so eh. I'd hate to be rolling my eyes at it this whole time and then have the poor thing bleed out randomly

We are skipping the eye drops - I even got STD testing so it's on file that I'm not going to blind my baby with by not doing them.

 

[greencarnation]

I have no strong feelings about either method, or skipping it. I doubt my mw does anything (though I didn't ask).

 

[ChemistryClass]

We're doing the oral vitamin K. I find it relatively harmless and my midwife recommends it.

 

[jillybeans]

We've always skipped it.

But I'm curious....has anyone in their research found any evidence that there is more birth trauma with super fast labors? My max labor was 4 hours. Average is 2.5

 

[Peony]

I've never done the injections or the oral. Just never felt the need.

 

[Maurine]

We're planning on doing the injection. Just in case there is trauma we can't see. I chose that over oral drops because there are other things that are more important to me (delayed cord clamping, no vax or eye drops) that I wanted to choose my battles.

 

[Baby_Cakes]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jillybeans

We've always skipped it.

But I'm curious....has anyone in their research found any evidence that there is more birth trauma with super fast labors? My max labor was 4 hours. Average is 2.5

I haven't researched it and this is just me thinking out loud, but I think there would be less. Usually the bruising and internal issues are from being in the birth canal longer or being stuck. Right? I could be wrong.

 

[ursusarctos]

Hmm ok I think I may be going with the drops. I just do not want to make my baby have a shot in the first hours of life

But I do think that in my case it would probably be good to give the K anyway. I know K1 is the one they inject, but what about K2? I thought that was more bioavailable anyway (as the K1 has to be converted in the body)?

 

[ursusarctos]

Carrie, at least my littlest brother was my mom's fastest labor, the pushing stage was quite short, and he was all bruised up from it being so fast. Just one anecdote though.

 

[Danielle283]

I've been thinking about this too, and I plan on asking my MW about it next week. With my history of shoulder dystocia, I'm leaning towards having him get it.

 

[Baby_Cakes]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ursusarctos

Carrie, at least my littlest brother was my mom's fastest labor, the pushing stage was quite short, and he was all bruised up from it being so fast. Just one anecdote though.

Hmm good point.

 

[openpollination]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChemistryClass

We're doing the oral vitamin K. I find it relatively harmless and my midwife recommends it.

Ditto to all this! I'm not particularly concerned about it either way, but I figure it can't hurt and my midwife said she did the drops with her babies, which is good enough for me

 

[synepona]

According to the info I received yesterday from my midwife (a huge binder with all the forms needed to be filled out for the hospital, as well as lists of routine, optional, possible actions at the hosp. etc., and the gov't agencies' forms about everything imaginable ...)

Vit K is optional at our hospital, but it is only available via injection, the oral dose is not yet approved here. I'm going to ask the MS about it next appt, but I'm sure DS got it as it wasn't on my list of things to argue with my docs about last time! One more thing to add to the list of things I haven't figured out yet ...

 

[*Jessica*]

This is something I'm stressing over. When Nik was born I was pretty clueless. The poor child had most of his immunizations and is even circumcised. :-( When Nate was born, I was far more informed and decided against circumcision, vaccination, etc. My birth plan said "no vitamin K injection". That was the only part of the birth plan the nurses balked at, so I said we would reevaulate after he was born. I pushed the child out during the space of one contraction and his little face was purple and bruised. I let them give him the injection. I have no idea what to do this time.