Is your newborn have vitamin K jab?

[Sarah13]

Just wondered if anyone had any opinions or info about vitamin k jab? I'm guessing we have to decide pretty much as soon as baby is born about it? There seems so much conflicting info out there it makes my brain burst all this stuff about various jabs, hard to decide what to do sometimes! Think I'll probably allow baby to have it but just interested what your thoughts were?

 

[lesleyann23]

They do offer you the option to give it orally if you prefer. I gave my Lo it and will be giving my new baby it too.

 

[Esoames]

I don't even remember bring given the option to not have it!

 

[Constantstar]

Owen had it x

 

[LucyAnn]

i am planning on yes, as evryone medical has made it sound like we are lucky to have it offered etc. Would still like to gain abit more knowledge on it though xxx

 

[Sarah13]

Was wondering about the oral version, as might be slightly safer all these surveys do confuse you though!

 

[OzGirlNat]

I think we're going to go with the injection over having it given orally. Just because it's over with then, whereas (I think) with it being given orally they have to have another dose again later on. Just because I have a bit of a trust issue with medical people, I'll feel like I have to remember exactly when the next dose is to be given so I can remind them if they don't do it and, tbh, I'll have enough to worry about.

 

[AugustMum]

My LO had the injection. They just said 'Were going to give her this now. Is that ok?' I just figured it got it over and done with and the risks with it are so small. I only briefly looked into it and just went with it.

 

[Iriki]

Gave it orally to baby No1, so will do the same with this one too.

 

[positivity :)]

what is it?

 

[Sassysugar]

Colby had the injection as it's a one off so then over and done with. Think the oral version is taken over a period of time (weeks I think)

He had the injection pretty much straight after he was born and not had any side affects etc think the benefits outweigh the risks

 

[DW1978]

Lennon had the injection and we will be opting for the same again this time. I think the injection offers better protection, you cannot always work out how much baby has ingested orally (if they are sick soon after or dribble it back out) and if taken orally it needs to be administered 3 times over the first month I think whereas the injection is just a one off and it's all over and done with.

 

[i.love]

no, we are not going to give our baby Vitamin K, unless he is in a risk group (delivered with C section/forceps, is premature etc, touch wood!). If needed, he'll have the vitamin orally.

The main reason for this is that both me and my mum had very strange allergic reactions to any jabs when we were little. I mean really bad. So we want to try to avoid giving our LO any medication unless it's really needed.

Secondly, they give babies huge doses of Vitamin K, I think it's more than 5000% comparing to what normal newborn babies get naturally with mother's milk, and it just doesn't feel right. All doctors say that breast milk contains everything that the baby needs in perfect amounts, but for some reason the only exception is vitamin K??

And the last thing, they say that the injection is really painful for a newborn baby, is a big shock to their system, and can traumatise them. I think that this argument is maybe a bit over the top, but still, if I can spare the LO some pain, I'm happy

Instead of having the injection, I will try to eat more Vitamin K reach foods closer to my due date.

 

[meggymum]

we have decided to have the jab, over in seconds and you know they have had the proper dose.

 

[ft90]

My LO will definitely be having the injection... If you do it orally they give the first dose then you have to go and get a prescription for the next two doses, one after a week and one after a month.

There was a small study done that showed a correlation between the jab and childhood leukaemia, but the sample was small and they never replicated the study again with the same results, so the British Medical Association doesn't recognise it as valid.

We produce vitamin k in our stomachs, it's to do with the bacteria in there, and because babies' stomachs are sterile at birth they don't make any... They get hardly any from breast milk as well, and a vitamin k deficiency can lead to haemolytic disease of the newborn, where they haemorrhage internally, but it's really rare.

Personally the thought of that terrifies me, and I wouldn't trust myself to remember to get the prescriptions and administer the medication myself, or to monitor how much LO had ingested! So the injection is the right decision for me...

xx

 

[JensBump]

Breast milk is full of vitamin K - especially if you eat Vitamin K rich foods in the last few weeks.

The fact that all babies are born with low (compared to adults) levels of Vitamin K has led people to speculate that they are meant to have low levels - and not that there is a fault in design or evolution. The reason behind having lower levels of Vit K are that it means the babies blood can travel faster around the body to help fix areas that may have been hurt during birth. In addition it helps the stem cells that the baby gets from the placenta transfer across the brain barrier.

Vit K has to do with blood clotting ability - if the baby is born by force i.e. forceps etc then Vit K is def recommended as these procedures can lead to bleeding and therefore clotting ability is important. Otherwise by day 8 of breastfeeding babies Vit K levels are back up to "normal" levels. I will look up the peer review articles and link them in later.

True if you opt for oral doses you have to administer them at intervals but also true that the "correct" dose given via the injection is in the region of 1000 times higher than the levels adults have in their systems - this can inhibit the transfer of new stem cells so it is definitely an area of interest.

 

[Sarah13]

Thanks for the info and opinions girls. Not sure whether to go for the jab or oral option, think I'll chat to midwife about it next time I see her. Does seem odd to have it when breast milk should contain all baby needs!

 

[LucyAnn]

did you didnt you have the jab in the end? xxxx