redmom3 Posted October 3, 2009 Share Posted October 3, 2009 Just wondering if everyone gives their newborn Vit. K at birth. I always have, but now looking into the reason and if I will with this one. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonshineLearner Posted October 3, 2009 Share Posted October 3, 2009 I gave it crushed from a pill. It was my way of giving without a shot... and I'm totally not sure that I needed to give it.... lots of choices, and we don't circ... so if you do that before the 8th day, that may be a consideration. Carrie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverMoon Posted October 3, 2009 Share Posted October 3, 2009 I didn't with my last four. Assuming the baby is average and healthy, circumcision before the eighth day would be the only thing that would make me consider vitamin K. By day eight the baby won't need any help with vitamin K. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radish4ever Posted October 3, 2009 Share Posted October 3, 2009 We don't circ and neither of my sons got it. Without significant birth trauma or circing early, I don't feel there is a need. I do drink liquid chloryphyll each day (I'm nursing and I also took it when I was pregnant per midwife suggestion) which is supposed to help bulk up the Vit K passed through the milk to the baby as a backup :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer in MI Posted October 3, 2009 Share Posted October 3, 2009 We did with my first before I knew we could question anything! We didn't with the second as we weren't circ'ing. With our third, he got a hematoma on his head shortly after birth. The midwife strongly suggested we give him a vit K shot. The poor kid ended up with a HUGE lump on his head. (Seriously - HUGE!! He looked deformed.) But, it would've been even bigger had we not given the shot. We didn't with our fourth, but watched her head closely after she was born!! LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan in TX Posted October 3, 2009 Share Posted October 3, 2009 We didn't do this for all of our nine children but we nearly lost the last one because of it. She didn't get the shot and she got late onset vitamin K deficiency disease. This disorder is one of the main reasons why the shot is given (we didn't know this). It is very rare but often fatal. It happens around 5 or six weeks of age and the baby's blood just stops clotting so they hemorrhage. They can have a brain hemorrhage without warning and die or be severely brain damaged. Fortunately with my daughter we caught it in time because she was spitting up blood. By the time we got her to the hospital she was bleeding in her brain but it was small and caused no lasting damage. She had to have blood plasma and intraveinous vit. K and she spent the night it the hospital. There was no lasting damage but boy was it scary and I'll never skip the vit K shot again and I don't recommend anyone else skip it either. Susan in TX Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wyndie Posted October 3, 2009 Share Posted October 3, 2009 Thorne Research makes a liquid that I will take that to the hospital and administer myself in place of the K shot should we have another. I remember reading after my last child was born that Vit K shot, because it contains formaldahyde, can cause high bilirubin among other problems naturally inherent in injecting formaldahyde into the body. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smrtmama Posted October 3, 2009 Share Posted October 3, 2009 I did not and would not, unless my baby had significant birth trauma or we had a history of bleeding disorders. Vit K injects/oral drops can increase the rate of jaundice. Colostrum has plenty of bioavailable vit K, so just nurse your baby! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katiebug_1976 Posted October 3, 2009 Share Posted October 3, 2009 I am getting ready to deliver baby # 6 and have never heard of vit. K shots. Am I missing something? All of my pregnancies/deliveries have gone very smoothly w/ no problems. Does that make a difference? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patchfire Posted October 3, 2009 Share Posted October 3, 2009 We would not administer vitamin K unless there was significant birth trauma or other factors (i.e., a hematoma, as mentioned above). Alfalfa tablets are another way of increasing your vitamin K stores and the amount in your colostrum and milk. Anecdotally, both of my homeborn, non-vitamin K receiving babies (my two youngest), had to be stuck multiple times for the PKU because their blood clotted so well. As I said, I would have hated to see how long it took if they had extra K. :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HiddenJewel Posted October 4, 2009 Share Posted October 4, 2009 (edited) I am getting ready to deliver baby # 6 and have never heard of vit. K shots. Am I missing something? All of my pregnancies/deliveries have gone very smoothly w/ no problems. Does that make a difference? It's a regular thing when giving birth at the hospital. At the birthing center we did Vit K but a different form although I can't remember which one as I was not in very good shape after hemorrhaging. Edited October 4, 2009 by HiddenJewel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smrtmama Posted October 4, 2009 Share Posted October 4, 2009 We would not administer vitamin K unless there was significant birth trauma or other factors (i.e., a hematoma, as mentioned above). Alfalfa tablets are another way of increasing your vitamin K stores and the amount in your colostrum and milk. Anecdotally, both of my homeborn, non-vitamin K receiving babies (my two youngest), had to be stuck multiple times for the PKU because their blood clotted so well. As I said, I would have hated to see how long it took if they had extra K. :tongue_smilie: I've never understood the rationale of giving a blood clotting vitamin BEFORE doing a test that requires blood dripping from the heel. Why not wait a few days and give vit K if medically indicated? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nmoira Posted October 4, 2009 Share Posted October 4, 2009 No. I have a genetic blood clotting disorder and didn't think it wise. The doctors didn't disagree, or even put up a fight. The nurses on the other hand... :rolleyes: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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