It seems to me that we probably started this Vit K shot business because
of our practice of early circs on little boys. In the Jewish tradition,
boys aren't circed until day 8, which is when Vit K production kicks in
for babies. The rationale currently given for Vit K is to help fight the
rare possibility of a brain bleed, a risk which is probably more
legitimate for the fragile preemie than the healthy full-term newborn. I
personally opted out of Vit K and eye drops for my last two babies
because I knew that I had no risk for transferring STDs during birth and
that I wasn't circing them, either, which is probably the strongest
argument for Vit K.

Regarding fluoride: I agree with others who say, "if mother nature didn't
put it into our diets naturally and didn't put it into our milk, then
let's not give it to our babies, either."  Interesting that recently
concerns have arisen for damage do to *too much* fluoride
supplementation; it was bound to happen!

-Lisa


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Lisa A. Marasco, IBCLC                                /  [log in to unmask]
International Board Certified Lactation Consultant    /  [log in to unmask]

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