Not sure whether to agree to vit K jab

[victoria1987]

Hi ladies,

I have done my research and am still unsure about the Vit K jab/oral drops. I have made my decision about other standard treatments after birth (will be doing PKU test, declining antibiotic eye ointment and plan to adhere to most of the standard immunisation schedule aside from a few of the newer ones), but have yet to decide on Vit K.

Obviously if I have a traumatic labour or require forceps/ventouse I will agree to the vit k jab due to my worry of a traumatic brain bleed. If, however everything goes smoothly I am not sure.

I was wondering if some of you could give me your opinions on this and whether or not you chose to have the vaccine (why or why not). This would be a great help to me!

 

[smallhelen]

I had decided to ask for the vit k drops, rather than the injection. However, ended up having a ventouse delivery, so LO had to have the jab anyway. I was disappointed, but the medical considerations had to come first.

 

[misspriss]

I declined the eye drops and the vitamin K. They just came and shoved some forms at me before my c-section along with the Hep B vax form and I just went ahead and declined it all. I knew I wanted to decline the other 2, and the vitamin K just went with it. He had no bleeding or any issues.

 

[minties]

Are babies given a vaccination at birth where you live misspriss?

 

[misspriss]

Are babies given a vaccination at birth where you live misspriss?

Yes, Hep B, declined.

 

[victoria1987]

Yeah I don't have to worry about the hep b jab fortunately, we do them around age 12 here. The only time they give it is at birth is if the mother has not had it (which I have) so no need to worry about that one. I think it is just the US that does them at birth.

 

[sevenofnine]

We declined the vit K shot at birth. The nurse told me there wasn't much risk unless you're having a boy that is going to be circumcised, or if there is a traumatic birth.

 

[misspriss]

It's funny no one even talked to me about it, they acted like it was totally normal to decline it? Or maybe they just assumed I would?

But I made it clear to my doctor that DS was not to be circumcised, so I wonder if that was why they acted like it was no big deal? And it was a c-section, so not much trauma on the baby I guess.

 

[Srrme]

I declined the eye drops and planned to decline the Vitamin K injection, but the Doctor talked me into it after she had to use a vacuum during delivery.

 

[Irish Eyes]

I declined the vit k for both my babies. It was never questioned. My midwife for my daughter said I was the first she had seen decline it but she wishes more would.

 

[Feronia]

I declined the vitamin K for DD and will do the same for this one (assuming the birth goes smoothly). Instead, I took vitamin K supplements myself and ate foods rich in vitamin K to help pass it to her through breast milk.

As my midwife told me, vitamin K levels in newborns are only abnormally low when comparing them to adult levels. For newborns, they are absolutely normal!

 

[Rags]

I had planned to go with oral vit k but after a forceps birth went with the injection. In the Uk we don't do eye drops/antibiotics or indeed any immunisations at birth. I decided to delay all immunisations until 12 months old rather than starting at 8 weeks, I then had them given over a much longer period of time (finishing up at 24 months). I continue to evaluate each immunisation as it is offered and decide what works for us.