Vit K and other vaccinations

Vit K is awesome - babies bleeding to death from rare baby bleeding disease after birth is not.
Immunisations; side effects are extremely rare and generally not life threatening - the diseases that they protect the kids against - life threatening with hideous side effects.
I had a teacher during High School that had had polio as a child and had lost the use of one of his arms and legs. There are countries in the world were polio is still devastating generations of young people. I feel lucky to be in NZ where we haven't had the effects of such horrible diseases for decades.
I'm also in awe of the medical professionals developing vaccines against things like the human papilloma virus. Just think - by the time our daughters are 11 or 12 this vaccine may be in full circulation and reducing their chances of getting cervical cancer down to almost nothing (my grandmother died of this when my dad was 10, leaving 7 kids orphaned from ages 14 to 4 so I have a vested interest in getting rid of this yukky disease).
Smallpox innoculations rid the world of smallpox. There isn't any anymore. No immunisations against that and we could still have it.
Anyway - yay medicine is my response. I think that anyone making these decisions should research it themselves (using reputable studies - not just fly-by-night internet conspiracy links) and make an informed decision. Talk to Plunket, talk to your midwife, talk to your parents - just be comfortable with the decision you are making. Oh - and if you want to see the Ministry of Health information on these things - http://www.moh.govt.nz/immunisation.html

Zaara had a Vit K Jab just after she was born and she had no side effects. So I'd say it is safe. As far as all the other jabs are concerned, Zaara had all of them so far and she is fine...I would say yes to all

theres some obscure research linking vit k to some cancer (not sure which or any other facts) but even more research to discount that research.

I chose not to give vit K to both my kids and they are both fine. it is given to reduce the risk of HDN - which can occur in 1 in 10000 births. instead i ate foods high in vit k and passed it on im my breast milk.

i think there is a discusion or two on here already re this topic.

Both my kids had the vit K at birth, and are fully immunised to date (including the 4th meningecoccal(?) jab for Josiah).

As there is a 50/50 chance that each of my children could inherit my blood disorder, we wanted to make sure that they got a head-start on not bleeding! so that's why we had them given the vit K.

Maree, I'm in full agreement with you about the importance of vaccinations!

I gave Joey Vit K orally as I wasn't too keen on having a lovely relaxed birth and then ruining it with a big needle in his hip!

Private kindies and day care centres have the right to refuse enrolment of kiddies who are not fully vaccinated now too.

my2angels - was that directed at me? I didn't want to come across as saying that I think injections and imm. is wrong - Joey is 100% immunised and up to date and I would have definitely allowed the vitK injection if the birth had been traumatic at all.

ah yes, the Immunisation Awareness Society Inc - except they're not. My midwife gave me a pamphlet from them too - and they came across looney and unresearched. One of hubby's step aunts refused to immunise her kiddies - now they have to stay home from school everytime there is a community outbreak from all of the other non-immunised kiddies.


This site is pretty good - it's from the Uni of Auckland. http://www.immune.org.nz/?t=604

Before I start Arna is fully immunised up to date (15 months) - just in case what I say comes across the wrong way!!
Immunisations, antibiotics etc all have side effects, possible cancer links, possible long term disability links etc etc but at the end of the day these medicines have only been around for a matter of a decade or 3 (some less some more) and there is no concrete links to any of the above - there can be concerns that we may give our babies the Vit K but then get leukemia, but the chances are minute and it is a world of unknown.
In my opinion cancer is on the rise and I hate it but that can be put down to environment (cellphones, emissions etc) and not just solely on the medicines we use..
So in a roundabout way I think I just said that I am fully for immunsations but we have to weigh up the risks, how big they are and how precious our children are for us...

Novel over (and confusion!)

but you wear a seatbelt to reduce injury, right?