FAQ's if considering declining Vitamin K

There are some parents who are interested in looking at alternatives to giving their baby Vitamin K supplements. It may be that they are not keen to have interventions or medications or that the woman prefers the idea of supplementing herself, rather than her baby. A few parents hold philosophical beliefs about pregnancy and birth, feeling that newborn babies are normally healthy and that it is 'unnatural' to give medications or interfere unless absolutely necessary.

Occasionally parents will conscientiously object to accepting Vitamin K for their baby (after reading all about it and VKDB) and weighing up the benefits and risks. The following are some frequently asked questions of parents considering declining Vitamin K for their baby.

QI.	What if the woman eats foods rich in vitamin K during the pregnancy?
QII.	What if the woman takes vitamin K supplements during the pregnancy?
QIII.	What if the woman takes vitamin K supplements while breastfeeding?
QIV.	What if my baby is being bottle-fed?
QV.	What if the baby does not appear physically affected by the birth?

Considerations when declining vitamin K

QI.	What if the woman eats foods rich in vitamin K during the pregnancy?

Dietary sources of Vitamin K play a very minor role in how we obtain the total amount that we need to develop an effective blood clotting mechanism. The amount of Vitamin K from the mother's diet transferred to the baby via the placenta, has a gradient of about 30:1. This means that only about 3 to 4% of Vitamin K eaten by the mother will actually reach the baby.

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