Oral Vitamin K??

[Charlotte91]

I've signed the consent for bub to have vitamin k, but only in oral form.

Why do I have to have bub done more than once??
Can't I just let bub have the first dose at birth and be done with it?
Is it just better to have the injection?
After seeing DD have so many injections and procedures, I don't want Beez going through unnecessary pain.

Dose 1: at birth
Dose 2: usually three to five days later
Dose 3: in the fourth week, if your baby is fully breastfed. (If your baby is mostly fed with formula, she won't need the third dose)

Why does bub need a 3rd dose if I'm breastfeeding??

So confused.

[Little Chicken]

Because breastmilk has next to no vitamin k and it takes a long time for the gut bacteria tha produce vitamin k to colonise in large enough numbers to produce enough.

[HotI]

Because breastmilk has next to no vitamin k and it takes a long time for the gut bacteria tha produce vitamin k to colonise in large enough numbers to produce enough.

so maybe it is unnecessary ? people survived pretty well before formula and routine vit k at birth.

[Little Chicken]

I was just answering the question, wasn't saying it was necessary or not.

[LionsandBears]

so maybe it is unnecessary ? people survived pretty well before formula and routine vit k at birth.

My Mum's cousin died at birth from lack of vitamin k. Not having a go. Obviously most people are fine, but some are not. I'm the last person to play the dead baby card, so I'm not scare mongering. Just factually, it can happen. But then so can many other things. I think do your research and make the best decision you can at the time.

[HotI]

yeah, i wasn't having a go at LC either. Absolutely, for some people VIt K can be useful or crucial. I just think it is important to question any routine procedure, it is for me anyway.

From an evolutionary viewpoint, i wonder if our definition of 'normal' is wrong if the majority of healthy, breastfed babies don't produce enough to reach the 'normal' level without supplementation.

[Cherished]

DS didn't have any vit K. We had decided that if he was bruised etc we would 'consider' oral vit K but only give him the first dose. The dosage in the injection and oral is WAY over the necessary limit. We were told that if you do oral then you 'had' to give all the doses. What a load of crap! YOU are in charge of your baby no-one else!!! Don't let people scare you into anything that isn't needed.

[HotI]

i consented to the vitk injection with my dd because there was an instrumental delivery - higher chance of bruising etc. my son was not given any vit k and is fine.

[PumpkinZulu]

We did oral vitamin K. It's super easy to administer, comes in little glass vials that you break the top off of.

[Rowellen]

We chose the injection. Just get it over with in one hit was my theory and that way they can't spit it out.

[Little Chicken]

Oral and injection are exactly the same drug, just different route of delivery.