What meds/vaxs are being given to newborns these days?

[tarahsolazy]

You need to do research on your choices, know what is standard for a c-section at YOUR hospital, discuss things ahead oftime with your OB and tell your preferences to people on the day of your surgery. IME I was much more effective bucking standard procedures by just asking my OB for 2 things ahead of time (which they conveyed to the hospital for me and had in my chart) and then talking to the actual people on the day of the surgery.
JMO of course.

I agree with Beth here, which is far from a rare occurrence. Since I worked in the NICU of the hospitals I delivered at (both times), and I knew what the standards were, I could figure out how to approach things I wanted to do differently. In Oregon, everything in SnuggleBuggles' plan is standard, except you'd have to remind them about announcing the sex. So it may be offensive (not that this matters, you should get what you want) to have a multipage plan of stuff that they were going to do anyway. You can talk to your OB, and arrange to meet with the charge nurses for the L&D, OR area, and post-partum area at the hospital you are going to deliver at, and ask her all the questions that are important to figuring out how to optimize your experience. Then you don't need to focus energy on the things that will be done the way you want as part of procedure, and make sure your wishes are clear on any items that vary.

In Oregon, there was nothing to change, nothing to ask for. The hospital did waterbirth, was the biggest center for homebirth transfers in a big metro area, etc. Their c-section stuff does not include removal of the baby from the room, delayed nursing, any of that stuff. Where I work now, they typically remove the baby to the nursery until the mom is out of recovery. It drives me insane, and I've been banging my head against a wall trying to change it for four years, but haven't been successful.

So for my section here, after a failed VBAC attempt, my #1 priority was not being separated from DD. I'd discussed this with my CNM in event of section since the beginning of the pregnancy, and made it clear when the c-section decision was made. It worked out fine, because I knew what the issue was ahead of time, and they (nursing staff) could prepare for it.

[elephantmeg]

In most places the PCA is standard though. I guess my only thought is that if you put into a birth plan (which often causes eyerolls anyway) a lot of things that are already standard procedure, then you're lessening it's effectiveness. JMO.

With Amy I didn't have a written plan, but I told anyone and everyone in earshot exactly what I wanted and I gave DH a written cribsheet so that he knew too, but didn't have to remember. Being clear and well prepared are key.

Again, sorry to hijack....

my midwife group didn't do a PCA with either. I had a spinal with both c-sections. And then toradol IV afterwards. I think toradol is a great pain medication for all abdominal surgeries. I see virtually no side effects in the patients that I take care of (vs the sleepiness, itchiness, nausea of morphine). Toradol really did great things for me post op. I also had percocet or tylenol with codeine (one with one, one with the other) for pain.

[tnrnchick74]

I recently had a full term patient who did not receive Vit K at birth. 24 hours later he had severe brain hemorrhages and internal bleeding. His prognosis for a full life is slim. He will have brain damage. In my professional opinion, 1 shot of vitamin K is nothing compared to the real risk of bleeding to death or suffering long term complications from bleeding. One shot. 99.9% of babies scream for less than 1 minute. Then its over with. And the risk of bleeding complications is GREATLY reduced.

[elektra]

What would be a reason not to get the Vitamin K?

[brittone2]

What would be a reason not to get the Vitamin K?

religious or philosophical opposition to vaccines would be one reason.

[Ceepa]

I recently had a full term patient who did not receive Vit K at birth. 24 hours later he had severe brain hemorrhages and internal bleeding. His prognosis for a full life is slim. He will have brain damage. In my professional opinion, 1 shot of vitamin K is nothing compared to the real risk of bleeding to death or suffering long term complications from bleeding. One shot. 99.9% of babies scream for less than 1 minute. Then its over with. And the risk of bleeding complications is GREATLY reduced.

Oh no. That is so horrible.

[JBaxter]

I saw no reason to give vit K my labor was 13 hrs induced baby was pushed out with 4 pushes he didnt have much head distortion ( 15 1/2 head) We lived for millions of years with out injecting our babies with 20,000 times the normal vit k levels. It was our choice not to do it. It takes days for it to become effective anyway. IF we had a traumatic birth then we would have considered it ( or premee birth) Vit K production kicks in naturally by day 8.

My sister was accidently give 2 injecctions of vit K at birth and was transfered to a nicu for 2 complete blood transfusions at birth.

[kdeunc]

When I had DD in July I refused Hep B but had the Vit. K and the eye ointment. I was told (and also checked general statues for N.C.) that the eyes are a state law. I suppose I may have been able to fight it someway if I was so inclined, which I was not.

[elektra]

My sister was accidently give 2 injecctions of vit K at birth and was transfered to a nicu for 2 complete blood transfusions at birth.

How horrible. The hemmoraging stories sound horrible as well.
Thanks for sharing why you chose to pass on the Vitamin K shot. I had not heard much about it either way, and since it's not really a vax I wasn't sure why someone who might be opposed to vax's would be opposed to this shot.
I had the Vitamin K shot with DD but am still figuring out what I want to do with DC #2.

[brittone2]

There also was a 1992 study that indicated a possible link between intramuscular vitamin K and childhood cancer risk. Subsequent studies did not find an association. If you are digging into it though, that's one thing to consider in your research.

eta: and if I remember correctly, there are factors that may occur with the mother prenatally that make it more likely for the baby to experience vitamin K related hemorrhaging. Certain medications taken prenatally, and maternal liver conditions are two of the factors if I'm recalling correctly.

I'm not advocating other people skip the vitamin K shot, but sharing how we arrived at the decision to opt for a series of doses of oral vitamin K for our particular circumstances.