Pregnancy & Birth
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- Vitamin K
- Water in pregnancy & birth
- Week by week pregnancy guide
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Vitamin K
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Vitamin K
Vitamin K helps blood to clot in your body, babies have been found to have low stores of vitamin K in their body which are thought to be used up in the first few days of their life. This may on rare occurrences lead to severe bleeding which is a condition that is known as Vitamin K deficiency bleeding. Because of this the Government recommends that all newborn babies are offered Vitamin K.
The Vitamin K can be given as an injection into your babies thigh or by oral drops which are given over three does (normally birth, one week and then at one month).
- It is important to remember that the decision is yours as to whether or not your baby has the injection, drops or neither.
- One study has found that there is a possible link to childhood cancer from Vitamin K being given by injection.
- Premature babies are at more risk of developing Vitamin K deficiency bleeding as are babies who have a ventouse, kiwi or forceps delivery which commonly causes bruising to your babies head.
- Babies whose mothers have taken medication in particular for epilepsy are also more at risk of having babies that develop Vitamin K deficiency bleeding.
- It is not very nice the thought or watching your new born baby have an injection.
- Babies may not like the taste of the Oral Drops therefore they may not take all of the drops.
- The injection gives more effective protection than the drops in the early days of life.
- Breastfed babies may be more vulnerable as Vitamin K is found in formula milk, however you may be able to increase your levels of Vitamin K by making changes to your diet, it is found in Liver, Cows milk and olive oil for example.
If you are in doubt about what to option to take do discuss it with your midwife she is the best person to advise you.
See what other mums have decided in our Coffeehouse.
