Vitamin K and Newborn Babies in Grand Rapids, Michigan

Vitamin K is an essential vitamin that helps human blood clot properly. Without enough vitamin K, even small cuts can bleed for a long time and minor bumps can cause large bruises. In more serious cases, dangerous bleeding can occur inside the body, including in the brain.

For families in Grand Rapids, understanding why vitamin K is recommended for newborns is an important part of early infant care. Local hospitals such as Corewell Health (formerly Spectrum Health) Butterworth Hospital, Trinity Health Grand Rapids, Metro Health – University of Michigan Health, and Mercy Health all follow evidence-based guidelines to protect newborns from vitamin K deficiency bleeding.

Why Newborns in Grand Rapids Need Vitamin K

How older children and adults get vitamin K

Older children and adults get vitamin K from two main sources:

  • Bacteria in the gut (intestines) – these “good” bacteria naturally make vitamin K
  • Food – especially green leafy vegetables and certain plant oils

By contrast, newborn babies:

  • Are born with very low vitamin K levels
  • Have no gut bacteria yet to make vitamin K
  • Do not receive enough vitamin K through the placenta before birth

Because of this, all babies—whether born in Grand Rapids or anywhere else—start life at higher risk for vitamin K deficiency.

Breastfeeding, Formula, and Vitamin K

Vitamin K in breast milk

Breast milk is the ideal nutrition for most babies, but it naturally contains very small amounts of vitamin K. In Grand Rapids, where breastfeeding is encouraged through programs at Kent County Health Department, WIC clinics, and local hospitals, it’s important to know:

  • Breastfed babies can remain low in vitamin K for several weeks
  • It takes time for normal gut bacteria to develop and begin making vitamin K

Vitamin K in infant formula

Infant formulas sold in Michigan have added vitamin K, but:

  • Even formula-fed babies have very low vitamin K levels during the first few days of life
  • This early period is when some babies are at highest risk for serious bleeding

What Is Hemorrhagic Disease of the Newborn (Vitamin K Deficiency Bleeding)?

When babies do not have enough vitamin K, they can develop a serious condition known as:

  • Hemorrhagic Disease of the Newborn (HDN)
    or
  • Vitamin K Deficiency Bleeding (VKDB)

This condition can cause:

  • Bleeding from the nose, mouth, or umbilical cord
  • Bleeding in the intestines (blood in stool)
  • Bruising with very minor bumps
  • Bleeding in the brain, which can lead to:
    • Seizures
    • Long-term brain damage
    • Developmental delays
    • In rare cases, death

Even in a city with strong healthcare resources like Grand Rapids, vitamin K deficiency bleeding can be sudden and severe. Prevention is much safer than trying to treat bleeding after it starts.

Vitamin K Injections for Newborns in Grand Rapids

For more than 20 years, hospitals across the United States—including those in Grand Rapids—have routinely given vitamin K to newborns by injection shortly after birth.

Research and decades of real-world experience have shown that:

  • One vitamin K injection is safer and more effective than vitamin K given by mouth (drops)
  • The injection greatly reduces the risk of vitamin K deficiency bleeding, including bleeding in the brain
  • Vitamin K injections have been used in the U.S. for decades without evidence of long-term harm

In Grand Rapids maternity units (such as at Butterworth Hospital or Trinity Health Grand Rapids), the vitamin K shot is a standard part of newborn care, similar to eye ointment and recommended newborn screenings.

What About Vitamin K Drops (Oral Vitamin K)?

When questions were raised years ago about the safety of vitamin K injections, some parents were offered vitamin K by mouth (drops) instead. The usual schedule for drops was:

  • One dose at birth
  • A second dose at 3–5 days of age
  • A third dose in the fourth week for breastfed babies

However, during the period when many babies received vitamin K only by drops, several infants in the United States developed severe bleeding likely due to vitamin K deficiency.

Based on this experience, doctors and researchers concluded that:

  • Vitamin K injection is more reliable than oral drops
  • Drops may be less effective, especially if doses are missed or spit up
  • The injection provides longer-lasting protection with just one dose

Because of this, major medical organizations and local providers in Grand Rapids strongly recommend the injection over drops.

Is the Vitamin K Injection Safe?

Extensive studies and long-term follow-up have shown that the vitamin K shot:

  • Is very safe
  • Has been used routinely in the United States for over 20 years
  • Has no proven link to childhood cancers or other long-term problems

Possible short-term effects:

  • Mild soreness, redness, or swelling at the injection site for a day or so

Grand Rapids pediatricians, family doctors, and midwives continue to recommend the vitamin K injection because the benefits of preventing brain and internal bleeding far outweigh the small risk of temporary discomfort.

Parents in Michigan, including those in Grand Rapids, have the right to:

  • Receive clear information about vitamin K injections and oral options
  • Ask questions before deciding
  • Consent to or decline the vitamin K injection for their baby

Healthcare providers at Spectrum Health/Corewell Health, Trinity Health Grand Rapids, Metro Health – University of Michigan Health, and Mercy Health are expected to:

  • Explain why vitamin K is recommended
  • Discuss the risks of not giving vitamin K
  • Document your decision in your baby’s medical record

While parents can choose to decline, local and national medical experts very strongly recommend allowing your baby to receive the vitamin K injection to prevent potentially life-threatening bleeding.

Recording Vitamin K in Your Baby’s Health Record

Any vitamin K given—by injection or by mouth—should be documented in your child’s health records. In Michigan:

  • New parents receive a Michigan Child Health Record (often called a shot record or immunization record) free of charge after birth
  • Vitamin K administration is usually recorded:
    • In the hospital newborn record
    • In your baby’s primary care chart
    • In the Michigan Care Improvement Registry (MCIR), the state’s vaccine and preventive care database

Be sure to:

  • Ask your nurse or doctor to show you where vitamin K is recorded
  • Bring your child’s health record to all visits with:
    • Your pediatrician or family doctor
    • Grand Rapids Public Health or Kent County Health Department clinics
    • WIC and other maternal–child health programs

Local Context: Why This Matters in Grand Rapids and West Michigan

Grand Rapids and West Michigan have:

  • Cold, long winters with more time spent indoors
  • A significant number of families who breastfeed, supported by local lactation programs
  • A growing and diverse population, including families who may have different cultural beliefs about injections and medications

Because vitamin K levels are low in all newborns regardless of season, race, or feeding method, every baby in Grand Rapids is at risk without supplementation. Even with excellent emergency care at local hospitals, preventing bleeding with a simple, safe injection is far better than trying to treat bleeding after it starts.

Where to Get Help and Information in Grand Rapids

If you have questions about vitamin K for your newborn, you can talk with:

  • Your doctor or midwife
    • Obstetricians and midwives at local practices and hospitals
  • Your baby’s pediatrician or family doctor
    • Many are affiliated with Corewell Health, Trinity Health Grand Rapids, Metro Health, or Mercy Health
  • Maternity hospital staff
    • Labor & delivery and postpartum nurses at:
      • Corewell Health Butterworth Hospital
      • Trinity Health Grand Rapids
      • Metro Health – University of Michigan Health
  • Maternal and child health nurses
    • At the Kent County Health Department
    • At Grand Rapids Public Health and local clinics
  • Local public health resources
    • Kent County Health Department: education on newborn care and vaccinations
    • WIC and community health programs throughout Grand Rapids

Key Takeaways for Grand Rapids Parents

  • All newborns are born with very low vitamin K levels
  • Without vitamin K, babies can develop dangerous internal bleeding, including bleeding in the brain
  • One vitamin K injection at birth is the safest and most effective way to prevent vitamin K deficiency bleeding
  • Vitamin K injections have been used in the U.S.—including in Grand Rapids—for decades with an excellent safety record
  • Parents have a choice, but healthcare providers in Grand Rapids strongly recommend the vitamin K injection for your baby’s protection
  • Make sure your baby’s vitamin K dose is documented in the Michigan Child Health Record and your child’s medical chart

If you’re expecting a baby in Grand Rapids, consider discussing vitamin K with your healthcare provider during pregnancy so you feel informed and prepared when your baby arrives.