Vitamin K?

[monkeymamma]

I'm just filling in birth plan thingy from the NHS which arrived yesterday (on my EDD!).

It asks about vitamin K but it isn't something I have discussed with MW. I'll ask her when she comes round next week for my sweep (eek!) but just in case I go into labour between now and then, I feel like I should fill this in or at least have a think about it.

Does anyone else have any information or views on it? There just seem to be SO MANY decisions to make at this stage and my head is spinning!

Hi, there was a thread about this yesterday that might help, look in this topic to find it.

we got the vitamin K injection for both dd and ds as it seemed to be the easier option compared to giving it orally.

www.babycentre.co.uk/baby/health/vitamink/

Vitamin K is given to newborns to prevent something called haemolytic disease of the newborn. It sounds scary but it's very rare, but as all babies are deficient in vitamin K it's routinely given. It can be given orally, in which case 3 doses are needed, as an injection or iv if the baby is on the neonatal unit. Hospital policies vary on the method of administration, I wanted dd to have it injected so that I could be sure she'd had a sufficient dose and not just spat it out or vomited but the hospital refused.

We have agreed to it for both DC, however we opted for the oral vitamin K simply because I don't think being jabbed with a needle is a particularly nice way to be welcomed into the world!

Thanks everyone for your replies!

I did have a look to see if this topic had been covered, but couldn't see one - if you have a link or the name of the thread IheartIona, that would be really handy!

In terms of feelings/opinions on this it sounds like everyone felt fairly positive/pro the vit K? I guess if the hospital gives it routinely it must be good. I just hate it when they give you a choice as it immediately makes me doubt if I'm doing the right thing (not that I'm a crazy hormonal overdue pregnant lady or anything) :-)

Sorry, on iPhone so bit tricky to do links but I'll try!

m.mumsnet.com/Talk/pregnancy/1392731-vitamin-k

It is on page 2.

Here is also some info from NHS website that might be useful:
www.nhs.uk/Planners/pregnancycareplanner/Pages/Babystests.aspx

My DS had oral vitamin k at birth, then at 5 days and again at 28 days as he'd had nothing but breastmilk.

There was no problem at all!

My DS had oral vitamin k at birth, then at 5 days and again at 28 days as he'd had nothing but breastmilk.

There was no problem at all!

Does anyone know if most hospitals offer the option of giving it as drops? I really don't want DD to have the injection if it can be avoided in any way.

I opted to give it orally to my DD - I also didn't want her welcomed into the world with a jab! As of she hadn't just been through enough! The hospital gave me the first dose to give her, but then it was up to me to get it from my GP after one week and at 4 weeks. The receptionists were very confused about my request - I'm guessing they don't do it much! I was also surprised that it was left up to me as opposed to MW or HV. Which of course I didn't mind...my baby, my responsibility! But I made sure I set reminders on my phone as my head was a bit bleurgh at the time!

MrsHuxtable I would have expected the choice to be offered by all trusts.

Belle The MW bought DDs second dose to me but she was FF before dose 3. Wonder if I'd have been told to get that sorted myself or if the HV would have arranged it...

My hospital automatically gave him the drops (no jab offered) but although they did birth and 5 days I had to sort dose 3 myself. We had to take him back to the post-natal ward

Oh, I had assumed I would be able to have the jab - I'd prefer that to drops so I know it's definitely gone in and not somehow dribbled out! I'll check with my MW to see what they do where I'm having the baby.