Posted by My OB said WHAT?!?.
Nov
2
Posted by My OB said WHAT?!?.
“…Let Us Give The Vitamin K Shot, Because It Helps Prevent Hemophilia.”
“We really encourage parents to let us give the Vitamin K shot, because it helps prevent hemophilia.” – Certified Nurse Midwife at a prenatal during a discussion about standard baby procedures after birth.
There are 50 comments to this post.
Erica Douglas had this to say,
Nov 2, 2011 @ 11:30 am (Quote)
I discussed the vit K shot with my ob – I really wanted to avoid unnecessary interventions with my newborn. We did avoid the eye goop because Hubby and I were both negative for all STIs but because I was on heparin until 34 weeks of pregnancy, the ob felt that the vit K shot was important for my baby. I appreciate that my ob took the time to explain why she especially wanted my baby to have the shot so I had no problem with this particular intervention. It wasn’t just a meaningless routine – there was an actual reason this time.
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Jessica had this to say,
Nov 2, 2011 @ 12:02 pm (Quote)
Why only the shot anyway? There’s oral vit K too. Or leaving baby alone. If there’s no reason for surgery immediately after birth and no family history of blood disorders vit K can prevent, there’s no reason not to let baby be. At least the mw is *only* going to encourage the shot. I hope it wasn’t an ultimatum.
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Robyn Reply:
November 2nd, 2011 at 4:41 pm (Quote)
Yeah, my midwife gave me an oral vit K tincture for me to take to get it to pass through the milk. When I mentioned this to her pedi at his question of if she got the vit K shot he said that was ineffective. When my midwife went to do the newborn screening at a week old, she had a hard time getting enough blood to do it because….get this….the blood kept clotting. She had to poke her 3 times to get enough blood for it and just days earlier we had a very easy time getting the necessary blood for the blood typing (midwife forgot to test at birth and I’m Rh-). So much for the oral vit K not working.
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I’m refusing all shots AND the heel prick PKU. They can test his urine at his first appt at 1 week old.
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Heather Reply:
November 2nd, 2011 at 12:44 pm (Quote)
I’m curious, how does one get a urine sample from a 1 week old?
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Kasondra Reply:
November 2nd, 2011 at 12:54 pm (Quote)
Something about taping a bag to the area for collection I think…
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Kit Reply:
November 2nd, 2011 at 12:59 pm (Quote)
By handing it to my uncle along with a cup? Seriously, my uncle’s arms seem to have a diuretic effect on children, he has never held a child that didn’t tinkle on him.
But honestly I have no idea. But now I’ll be haunted until I get an answer.
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BeckyJ Reply:
November 2nd, 2011 at 6:52 pm (Quote)
It’s not nearly as invasive as the heel prick. From a local source, I’ve heard they took a sample from a damp diaper on their little sample paper.
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Kathy Reply:
November 3rd, 2011 at 6:38 am (Quote)
I don’t believe that is correct. That sample would be contaminated by the chemicals in the diaper. When they wanted a urine sample from my six month old, they wanted to tape a collection bag to his penis until he peed. But since we EC’d, I had them give me a cup and I cued him.
The heel prick is really not a big deal. My midwife did it in my home and I nursed my kids through it. They did squeaked once in discomfort and that was it. If you do it in the hospital, I’d demand they do it in your room and with you nursing.
I don’t know that the urine test is valid for all of the disorders they test for, but I never looked into it.
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Ruth Reply:
November 2nd, 2011 at 12:59 pm (Quote)
Oooh, can you tell me more? I would love to skip the heel stick.
Of course, can they get information on the other positive metabolic diseases from urine?
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CD Reply:
November 2nd, 2011 at 2:22 pm (Quote)
The heel prick is sent away for testing to see if your baby has any mortality- preventable disorders, without that blood test, if your baby is born with something like congenital hypothyroidism, you may well turn what could have been a very normal baby with safe medication into a “retard” who may only live until maybe 10 years old, maybe older…. Don’t just say “yes” or “no” to interventions “just because” do your research and make an informed decision, you may decide to do all, none or some depending on where your morals and personal beliefs lie. All the best
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CD Reply:
November 2nd, 2011 at 2:27 pm (Quote)
okay clearly not mortality preventable…no one lives forever, but prevent premature mortality due to mental and physical retardation from congenital abnormalities.
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Tee Reply:
November 2nd, 2011 at 2:30 pm (Quote)
I like the overall idea of what you had to say but there are two things I’m wondering. First of all, was the use of the word “retard” really necessary? Because the inappropriate use of that word negated all the logic behind your words. Second of all, who’s to say that this mother hasn’t done the research? Just because she came to a different conclusion than you doesn’t mean she hasn’t done the research.
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Kasondra Reply:
November 2nd, 2011 at 2:31 pm (Quote)
Yep. The heel stick was the only thing that we did…it was the only thing my midwife recommended. It was a minute of pain twice for peace of mind. I was especially glad when my son’s first result came back abnormal. The second was fine (other factors can cause the result we had…it triggered some hormonal thing that could have caused sterility and other, more serious, problems if left untreated) but IF there had been a problem we would have known immediately and been able to deal with it properly.
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Sara Reply:
November 2nd, 2011 at 4:32 pm (Quote)
I agree.
Plus, just breastfeed during the prick! I did this with babies #2 and #3 and they never cried at all (with #1, I didn’t think of this but the midwife had her own method that worked really well – warm water and years of experience).
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Sigrid Reply:
November 3rd, 2011 at 7:31 am (Quote)
I am a newborn nurse and perform heelsticks daily at work. Sara is correct– research shows that breastfeeding (from both the milk/colostrum and the skin to skin contact) reduces painful stimuli in newborns. When heelsticks are performed, ask your nurse to put a heel warmer on first (can use a diaper filled with warm water) to increase circulation. The nurse should not squeeze or milk the heel- that causes bruising. A well-warmed foot should bleed enough for the sample (only a tiny amount of blood is needed.) It is not hard to do heelsticks while the mother is breastfeeding, and these infants rarely flinch or cry.
Please do the universal screening for your baby! In NYS, they test for 40 genetic and metabolic disorders. Many of these disorders are treatable, but not symptomatic at birth. See huntershope.org to learn about Hall of Fame Buffalo Bills Quarterback Jim Kelly and his son Hunter. Hunter died of Krabbe Leukodystrophy– a disease that could have been treated if picked up on a universal screening heelstick. Their organization promotes universal screening in all newborns. It’s a simple heelstick and could save your baby’s life.
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Amy Reply:
November 3rd, 2011 at 2:00 pm (Quote)
Before you agree to PKU screening *please* be aware of the risks associated with it. Read this article and especially note that they can and do keep a record of your baby’s DNA and think of the future implications of that.
http://www.homebirth.net.au/2010/02/new-born-screening-2.html
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Karen Reply:
November 3rd, 2011 at 9:29 am (Quote)
Not all interventions are bad. Depending on what state you live in the heel stick and resulting blood tests may be looking for up to 40+ different metabolic disorders, many of which are easily treatable but may be devastating if left untreated. A brief instant of minor pain is worth having a normal life, don’t you think?
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Susan Peterson Reply:
November 4th, 2011 at 8:58 pm (Quote)
I do know someone whose baby had galactosemia which was caught because of the heel stick. The baby at three days old, just beginning to get true milk, was already becoming lethargic, but it would probably have taken the mother another day to go for help, and more days to diagnose it properly, by which time the baby could have had brain damage. The baby had to be put on a meat based formula as there is lactose in all forms of milk and in soy formula. The baby grew up fine and intelligent probably due to having this test. It made me wonder why my doctor who came after my home births, didn’t suggest that we do this testing. I certainly wouldn’t have said no, but it didn’t occur to me to ask for it.
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Jessica had this to say,
Nov 2, 2011 @ 12:59 pm (Quote)
I can’t reply to you Heather but for your question they have little adhesive baggies they can place over the genitals to catch urine. They just stick it to the skin and diaper baby like normal. Otherwise, if it’s an emergency they have to use a cath, like if baby has a high fever and they want to rush the sample to the lab.
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WOW!
I mean WOW!!!
Vitamins prevent genetic disorders!?
Sign me up!!!
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makalove Reply:
November 28th, 2011 at 5:11 pm (Quote)
While the Vit K-hemophilia link is wrong, vitamins can help prevent genetic disorders. A good example is spina bifida, which is genetic, but which folic acid (Vit B-9) can help to prevent. You don’t inherit a genetic disorder, you inherit a predisposition toward a disorder. That means there is potential for preventing it. 
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Details Reply:
November 28th, 2011 at 5:49 pm (Quote)
No No No, you are confusing a genetic disorder with an inherited tendancy or maybe a birth defect. Not all birth defects are genetic. Some are caused by a vitamin deficincy or explosure to a toxin.
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Sheva Reply:
November 29th, 2011 at 1:25 pm (Quote)
Vitamins taken by the pregnant mother may help prevent certain things, but once the baby is born, giving it to the baby will not prevent those disorders. So, while giving a mom folic acid may help prevent spina bifida, giving it to the already born baby is pointless.
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doula_char had this to say,
Nov 2, 2011 @ 1:54 pm (Quote)
man- my husband’s best friend will be THRILLED to hear this! He can quit paying for $8000 a month in blood products and just take a Vit. K shot!
If she doesn’t know the difference between Hemorrhagic Disease of the Newborn and Hemophilia, she should lose her license.
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Why always with the shot?? Oh I know why, so it can be administered by a doctor!
We had a medical reason to want the vit k done, I had a complicated pregnancy that ended in an induction at 37 weeks due to cholestasis, all of this I was told put the baby at higher than normal risk, especially because I suffered from hyperemesis and was myself deficient in numerous vitamins. The midwife compromised and didn’t push the hep b provided we did vit k, but we organised to do the oral dose rather than the shot. There was little difference in risk if I remember correctly. We also didn’t do the third dose at two weeks, only the 1st day and… either 3rd or 5th day, can’t remember.
As a side note, eye goop is never used in Australia. We did do the heel prick though as we saw very little chance of harm, I had blood tests throughout my pregnancy.
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Sara Reply:
November 2nd, 2011 at 4:34 pm (Quote)
The two-oral-doses route is standard practice here in Germany. No babies bleeding to death left and right! Just imagine.
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Kristy Reply:
November 2nd, 2011 at 5:12 pm (Quote)
It must be something that is affected by longitude and latitude or some such. In the US something magically stops the Oral Vit K from working… cause they won’t ‘let us’ do it where I am. I mean… they would never just make this stuff up now… would they?
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christine Reply:
November 12th, 2011 at 6:21 am (Quote)
Vit K shot is given by the nurse, not the doc, in the US. The nurses don’t get to charge for the procedure. I suspect the pharmaceutical companies don’t see any profit margin in testing the oral dosage and getting it approved. Oral vit k in the US is usually bought online, and from Canada. 
Tests to get it certified by the FDA cost money, and lots of it. Nurses, for one, would love to get to skip the birthday shot.
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Yes, because catching hemophilia is so prevalent nowadays. ?!?!?What?!?!?
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Kristin Reply:
November 2nd, 2011 at 9:41 pm (Quote)
And a quick injection prevents a genetic defect AFTER the baby is already born.
???
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Sheva Reply:
November 2nd, 2011 at 9:50 pm (Quote)
Right.
I wonder if there’s an injection for this midwife that cures ‘stupid’.
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Kat Reply:
November 3rd, 2011 at 12:16 pm (Quote)
Sadly, there is not yet a known cure for stupidity. Mostly because there is not yet enough economic interest for research into a cure, and those who most need it are least likely to purchase it if a cure were to be found. They are all too busy going around touting their own intelligence, or else driving 4-wheel-drive trucks while shouting “Hey Bubba! Hold my beer and watch this!”
Perhaps someday someone will declare “Stupidity Awareness Month” and start selling ridiculously overpriced “awareness” ribbons and other completely unrelated merchandise. But for now, we must rely on word-of-mouth awareness and show compassion to those suffering from this incurable debilitating condition, while also attempting to avoid placing ourselves in a position to be harmed by them.
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Newborn screening is the one we totally do every time. We don’t have reason to believe that there’s an increased risk for any of the conditions they test for – if one ever came back positive I’d probably go buy a lottery ticket – but, IMO, risk assessment supports it. When evaluating risk, you need to consider two factors: probability and impact. Yes, the probability that our child will have one of those conditions is extremely low. However, the impact of such a condition could be nothing short of devastating – serious brain damage, premature mortality, etc. Based on that, and the fact that the heel stick is really not that bad, especially when mitigated by proper technique and nursing (oh, and – having done it both ways – NOT getting the vit K shot if it’s not otherwise needed), we choose to do it. Others may come to different conclusions, of course. I’ll respectfully disagree.
As far as Vit K, you know they have to give it routinely because we all circ our children at one or two days pp… >:-p
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christine Reply:
November 12th, 2011 at 6:30 am (Quote)
Well said. And heelsticks can be mitigated. The genetic info storage by the state is an issue but in some states (Texas for one) you currently can opt out of storage of the blood – your kids sample is run, resulted, and the extra destroyed. Unless it is positive – then it is run, verified, resulted, and any extra destroyed. Parents brought about this change, by demanding the state change the way they did things. Lawyers were involved. Check your states procedure by searching the state department of public health. You can also find your states list of tested disorders. It is different for every state. Also, it is a mandated practice, so be aware that you will not be asked if it is okay when in the hospital – you will either be told “Is it okay if I take the baby now for some tests?” or, if the baby is in a nursery when it is time you will just find out when you see the band aid! (BTW and OT – I pity the people who have no choice but to deliver at a hospital that doesn’t practice couplet care rooming in and instead has a newborn nursery. Talk about wrong!)
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Perfectionist had this to say,
Nov 10, 2011 @ 3:00 pm (Quote)
Oh, this is mine!
I had total pregnancy brain and didn’t even think about it until I got home. Then I remembered that I learned about hemophilia in middle school, and that it isn’t something to be deflected with a shot!
Another crazy thing? We already knew we were having a girl… So looking back I don’t see why they pushed it so hard. Routine, I suppose.
They still gave the shot without my consent, along with the newborn shots I didn’t consent to :angry face:. They did several other things without my consent, but that’s another submission for another day.
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Christine Reply:
November 12th, 2011 at 6:33 am (Quote)
Did you ever have a chance to ask her about it? Is it possible she just misspoke? Because that is really weird. Hemophilia? Really?
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Perfectionist Reply:
November 16th, 2011 at 12:24 pm (Quote)
I never did. I didn’t really get to speak to her again until postpartum. I saw her for appointments, but only for about 5 minutes, and I didn’t get to say much.
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So close but you missed it. I helps to improve blood coagulation but hemophilia is a hereditary genetic disorder that is not preventable. Sigh. Maybe I should go to nursing school. I seem to have a leg up on the gems we find here.
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Nica Reply:
November 2nd, 2011 at 12:34 pm Nica(Quote)
Same here… Before I even got to the comments, I said to myself “WHAT? Hemophilia is a genetic disease.” I know that and I am NOT a medical professional. Yikes.
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Cattaca Reply:
November 2nd, 2011 at 3:32 pm Cattaca(Quote)
Check out http://bubblewrappedbirth.blogspot.com/ this blog shows that even severely hemophilic babies don’t need to get Vitamin K. Most severely hemophilic babies make it to 4 months without a serious bleed if the birth is handled properly.
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Sarah Reply:
November 19th, 2011 at 4:31 pm Sarah(Quote)
That’s right, Cattaca. Vitamin K has nothing to do with hemophilia. Thanks for suggesting Bubble Wrapped Birth!
)
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