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March 2015 Moms
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Vitamin K shot at birth

claireanne89claireanne89 member
in March 2015 Moms
First off- this is NOT a vaccination debate. Just a simple question-

are any of you moms out there planning on refusing the vitamin k? The more I read about it the more I get pulled to the middle on this one. I still have some research to do and just wanted some thoughts on what you all were going to do?

I do plan on refusing the hep vax at birth just because my daughters pediatrician told me that the hospitals only reason for that is just in case the mother has it and I know that I don't. I would rather no unnecessary shots when my baby is only hours old.
Anyway... Thoughts on the vitamin k shot?
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Re: Vitamin K shot at birth

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  • claireanne89claireanne89 member
    Awesome, thanks! Going to read now
    :)
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  • claireanne89claireanne89 member
    edited October 2014
    I don't want that either but I also believe in operating out of knowledge instead of out of fear when it comes to child birth and parenting.

    *edited for spelling :)
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  • janda426janda426 member
    thejucheidea said:
    No one should EVER refuse the vitamin K injection at birth. Babies need vitamin K to help with clotting, as their bodies cannot clot blood the way that adults' bodies can. I for one do not want my newborn to bleed spontaneously from a vitamin K deficiency.

    This.
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  • claireanne89claireanne89 member
    stine28 said:

    claireanne89 said:

    First off- this is NOT a vaccination debate. Just a simple question-

    are any of you moms out there planning on refusing the vitamin k? The more I read about it the more I get pulled to the middle on this one. I still have some research to do and just wanted some thoughts on what you all were going to do?

    I do plan on refusing the hep vax at birth just because my daughters pediatrician told me that the hospitals only reason for that is just in case the mother has it and I know that I don't. I would rather no unnecessary shots when my baby is only hours old.
    Anyway... Thoughts on the vitamin k shot?

    This is one of my most trusted science & medicine resources. They do a very good job of describing why babies should get the vitamin k shot.

    https://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/separating-fact-from-fiction-in-the-not-so-normal-newborn-nursery-vitamin-k-shots/

    ETA: And now that I realize that you're multivitamin girl, I want to encourage you AGAIN to trust your doctor. Whatever googling you've done over the years IN NO WAY COMPARES to the years of study and the understanding of the scientific process that your doctor has. Seriously.
    Lol. Just because I'm inquiring about the vitamins I'm taking and shots that my children will be getting after birth does not mean I'm going crazy on google and worrying myself to death. Haha thank you though. Your source was actually really informative and I appreciate that... But no thank you on the condescending advice that is suggesting that just because I'm looking at all sides and taking the time to educate myself on things my children are subjected to that it means I'm going crazy on google for medical knowledge.
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  • Rmsoccer83Rmsoccer83 member
    Vitamin K also takes a little while to work so they can't just give it when the baby starts to bleed. They will have to go to more drastic measures to stop the bleeding. Or what if the bleeding is in their brain and it doesn't get noticed right away?
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  • claireanne89claireanne89 member
    That is what the sources I have read said as well. I do think the vitamin k shot is necessary! I saw on another forum that a woman doesn't plan on giving it to her baby bc it was unnecessary. I didn't know if there were any women here that felt that way because I am curious as to why... Because it definitely happens. Women refuse it every day.
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  • claireanne89claireanne89 member
    edited October 2014
    Well I am wary of anyone who listens and believes everything just because it is standard medical advice. The hep vaccination they give at birth is standard too... My pediatrician himself
    told me he didn't let any of his babies get it because it's to protect them from
    the mother and it was unnecessary. He said he is always surprised in a good way when parents figure that out for themselves and refuse it. And that came from a doctor that was my daughters pediatrician in the hospital when she was born. So I will continue to educate myself and not blindly follow. We think differently and that's okay. Not everyone that thinks different than you needs your advice.

    Edit for words*
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  • starsailorr26starsailorr26 member
    This is one of those things where I'd rather err on the side of caution by giving baby the vitamin K shot, than the possibility that something will go wrong and major medical interventions like surgery become necessary. That's not acting out of fear, it's having the knowledge that a single shot at birth can make a huge difference in your newborn baby's health. So yes, the new baby will be getting it just like DD did.

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  • mangomimosamangomimosa member
    claireanne89 said:
    That is what the sources I have read said as well. I do think the vitamin k shot is necessary! I saw on another forum that a woman doesn't plan on giving it to her baby bc it was unnecessary. I didn't know if there were any women here that felt that way because I am curious as to why... Because it definitely happens. Women refuse it every day.
    Cool. I was a postpartum nurse -- it was pretty uncommon that anyone refused vit K shot (or the eye goo). I'm sure it's regional -- but for us it was extremely rare. More commonly they would refuse Hep B or bath.
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  • rilgrl1rilgrl1 member
    This is a good resource for lots of things birth related and I refer my doula clients to this Vit. K article often.  https://evidencebasedbirth.com/evidence-for-the-vitamin-k-shot-in-newborns/

    Also, I completely agree with continuing to educate yourself.  There are LOTS of things that doctors continue to routinely recommend (especially in pregnancy/birth) that the research just doesn't support for normal, low-risk pregnancies.  Doctors know a lot and they are a great resources and you should absolutely find one that you trust who will be open to your questions about routine procedures and will have no problem with explaining their reasoning for various recommendations.  Unfortunately, steering things to a more evidence-based direction is a slow, slow process because it takes time for people and institutions to change their habits, policies, and "that's just the way we've always done it" mindset sometimes.
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  • rilgrl1rilgrl1 member
    happymamax2 said:
    Hey @mangomimosa‌ is it possible for the husband's to be there for the baths? My husband didn't even get to cut my dds umbilical cord and neither of us was present during the bath. Do you know if it's possible that he can do that?
    I know you didn't ask me, but I've worked in OB as a nursing assistant (it was our job to do baths) and have been a doula for over 30 births.  At the hospital where I worked it was policy for the bath to be done in the nursery.  Parents were certainly welcome, but not always invited.  The hospitals where I primarily doula more commonly do the baths in the room, but I often encourage my clients to request to give the first bath themselves whenever they're ready.  Two reasons - then it's a special bonding moment for the parents/baby, rather than just someone's job and also because there is evidence that delaying the bath for even a few hours and allowing the vernix and amniotic fluid to soak into baby's skin is beneficial to babe and to establishing breastfeeding (if you're planning to do so).
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  • tatilopeztatilopez member
    The whole bath stories are very informative thanks for asking that question @happymamax2‌ I'm a nurse also but not and ob nurse or post partum so to hear these things that I didn't know is awesome! Great feed back ladies. I'll be sure to be on point on delivery day about the first bath I didn't even know they did that. Me and my husband would of course want to be present if not be there! Now what I do know I. Response to the initial thread post is vitamin k is so important for baby! I will be getting that for sure.
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  • AlinnJoAlinnJo member
    We declined all shots and the eye cream at birth. My midwife offered her advice and I agreed with her. She did say that she recommended the Vit. K shot for boys that will be circumcised since it helps clot bleeding. I ended up having a Csection with a different doctor but my midwife was there and the doctor supported my decision.
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  • TwinsCitiesMommaTwinsCitiesMomma member
    I'll be doing the Vitamin K shot but not the Hep shot.
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  • JCWhiteyJCWhitey member
    edited October 2014
    Ok *technically* there is a way to get the vitamin K to the baby without a shot, but it usually requires breastfeeding with some nasty tasting stuff on your nipples and even then the amount they get cannot be tracked as well.  And IMO that just sounds like a recipe for making BFing even more difficult.  We got the shot.  Hep B we didn't get (I got tested specifically for that just to be sure, even though I was low risk for it you never know) and oddly the eye gunk wasn't offered?  I did have it in my birth plan that I wanted to be informed if anything was happening to my baby, and then said I did want Vitamin K but refuse Hep B.  Maybe because I didn't mention it they didn't bother.  *shrug*

    @happymamax2  You can always hold off on the first bath if you feel too exhausted again after this birth!  My son was born at 7:15 and I think it was 3 or 4 in the afternoon when we finally said we wanted to give him a bath.  There was no meconium involved with his birth, just regular birth gunk and I didn't mind that at all.  My hospital only had a policy that they had to be bathed before you left.  I actually slept through it but DH got to give it to him and my mom helped.  I'd for sure throw that into a birth plan since it's important to you!

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  • DragonflyDreamingDragonflyDreaming member
    I just started a birth plan (on my phone) thanks to this thread. At least two things I didn't even know or realize! So glad you ladies have so much great info. :)
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  • WhitfryWhitfry member
    We will be doing vit K, no hep b vaccine. I wish I could refuse the eye goop, but in my state if you refuse it they automatically bring in CPS to harass and threaten you while you're still in the hospital. I've heard horror stories. So I'll just wipe it off immediately, that's what most moms do around here.
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  • TwinsCitiesMommaTwinsCitiesMomma member
    What is this eye goop about? Hadn't heard of it before?
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  • koshveilykoshveily member
    It's a Vaseline-like antibiotic that they put in the baby's eyes to protect the eyes in case the mother has Chlamydia or gonorrhea. Those conditions can cause blindness in a newborn born vaginally.
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  • lib1974lib1974 member
    Really helpful info ladies. Thank you! I feel like I am getting more prepared everyday. All the information out there is really overwhelming for a FTM. As much as you try and educate yourself there are always two, sometimes three sides to look at a decision about your child's health. Again thanks for all the input!
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  • colleen4019colleen4019 member
    The eye goop kinda annoys me. But I understand why it's common practice.
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  • crunchymamaof2 crunchymamaof2 member
    @stine28‌ thank you for that link! I never realized just how important the vitamin k shot is.

    We also refuse the hep b vaccine at birth, and I always go into it planning to refuse the erythromycin but end up forgetting.

    @happymamax2 as the parent you always have the right to be with your child, barring a medical emergency. You may need to be clear and firm about your wishes but if you don't want to miss that bath you don't have to. You can prolong it or do it yourselves.
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  • cesquercesquer member
    I recently discovered I have Heb B antibodies and my doc and I don't know why. Did I actually get Hep B at some point and didn't know it? Or did my parents give me a Hep B vaccine when I was a child? Needless to say, I am getting a full liver panel blood draw next week to try to get to the bottom of it. I still don't know what this means for the baby, but I'll trust my doc on what to do. Weird part is that my ob didn't discover it. I only found out during my annual checkup. My mom died of Hep C. So I don't play around with this..... Bottom line- even your doctors miss stuff. Your health care is a partnership. You have to do your part, too, to help them connect the dots.
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  • crunchymamaof2 crunchymamaof2 member
    cesquer said:
    I recently discovered I have Heb B antibodies and my doc and I don't know why. Did I actually get Hep B at some point and didn't know it? Or did my parents give me a Hep B vaccine when I was a child? Needless to say, I am getting a full liver panel blood draw next week to try to get to the bottom of it. I still don't know what this means for the baby, but I'll trust my doc on what to do. Weird part is that my ob didn't discover it. I only found out during my annual checkup. My mom died of Hep C. So I don't play around with this..... Bottom line- even your doctors miss stuff. Your health care is a partnership. You have to do your part, too, to help them connect the dots.

    I had the same thing happen (how I discovered I have hep c). My doctor told me it was either due to the vaccine or being exposed to it and my body clearing it. Get the panel done for sure.
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  • BitsyBelle84BitsyBelle84 member
    I thought newborns couldn't focus well yet anyway. After a few hours it is gone and their vision would be clear then wouldnt it? Also just because you get tested for STIs and are negative at the beginning there is no guarantee that you can't get them later if you are still having sex while pregnant. Yes it Is unlikely, especially if you are in a committed relationship, but even then people can cheat, symptoms can be mild or nonexistent. I guess I just don't understand the major reason behind refusing it. If I am missing something I would welcome information on why it is worthwhile to opt out of.


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  • BitsyBelle84BitsyBelle84 member
    @aylacbw‌ Thanks for the article!


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  • koshveilykoshveily member
    edited October 2014
    aylacbw said:

    koshveily said:

    It's a Vaseline-like antibiotic that they put in the baby's eyes to protect the eyes in case the mother has Chlamydia or gonorrhea. Those conditions can cause blindness in a newborn born vaginally.

    True, but if you get a full std screen when you get pregnant and test negative, there is no need for the ointment. It totally blurs the baby's vision. I think it's an antiquated routine* practice, at least for women getting good prenatal care.

    Eta: Because obviously if you have gonorrhea or chlamydia, you're going to want the ointment.
    Oh, absolutely. I was simply explaining facts about the erythromycin to @TwinCitiesMomma.

    I get tested before every delivery (to ease the physicians' fears, mind you) and respectfully decline the STD preventative measures. I understand why they are in place, but I do not agree that they are a required policy for all babies. Vaccines and antibiotics have been improving our infant mortality rates, but we (the US) still have one of the lowest mortality rates of all the developed countries. It's time more of us understood what we are doing when it comes to our babies and our bodies.

    That all being said, I am NOT anti-vaccine. No, no, no. Just needed to clarify.

    ETA- more words...
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  • bumpuser10572325bumpuser10572325 member
    I have heard some of the cons of the vit k shot, but my lo will probably be needing surgery right away so we will get it. If you are not confident in your doctor's advice have you considered a midwife? They can probably be a support for you in situations where you have questions about medical norms.
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  • bumpuser10572325bumpuser10572325 member
    edited October 2014
    Nm, didnt mean to offend. I wont response anymore
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  • koshveilykoshveily member
    Oh lighten up. At least she went through the effort to find a source to back up her opinion and I give her props for that. One may not agree that the source is credible but that's no reason to get all ragey about it. Your point about chiropractors not being credible medical sources is perfectly valid all on it's own... It didn't need quite that level of incredulous snark.
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