Vitamin K injection - what's your plan

[ForestLas80]

Mmm dilemma, want to breast feed so will maybe just supplement myself? What to do?

 

[nikki8092]

Im letting LO have the injection as my other 2 had it and as others have said the results were never replicated.

 

[JensBump]

I don't even know what this is? Not heard of it Help! x

Phew glad it's not just me. I've heard about vit k injections but didn't know the whys or way ford.

The Vit K injection is given to new borns as they are low in Vit K when they are born (compared to adults) - Vit K helps the blood to clot and there is a risk - about 1 in 10,000 - that the baby will have a bleed and the blood will not clot. The numbers equate to about 1 baby every 2 years but it does happen.

The issues (for me) are that if every baby is born low in Vit K could that not suggest that there is a reason for it?

After doing some research into delayed cord clamping and the fact that the transfusion from the placenta to the baby is like a babies first stem cell transfusion - I have read that some doctors believe the reason for the low ability of the blood to clot is to help the spread of stem cells through the babys body quicker, especially over the brain barrier. This is to help heal up any damage done by travelling down the birth canal.

It is very confusing though as there has been no research into the long term efffects of giving new borns such high doses of Vit K - I am leaning towards oral doses or supplementing myself because the baby will be getting the Vit K via the breast milk (and colostrum is high in Vit K) but it will not be such a large dose at one time.

My midwife at the hospital is pro injection - it is just for everyone to make up their own mind - if you take it the baby will receive it as soon as he/she is born after the cord has been clamped.

 

[redbear]

I was given Vit K 22 years ago and im fine Im going to let them inject - i honestly dont think the NHS would waste all that money on jabs if they didn't think it was needed and i have never breastfed before so if i don't like it i wouldn't want to mess about having to give it another way.