Breast milk contains countless important substances but little vitamin K, so it’s important that newborns receive supplements in their first few months. “Babies need vitamin K to prevent them from having brain haemorrhages, as vitamin K plays a central role in the blood clotting system,” says Monika Niehaus of a German paediatric group (BVKJ). Any vitamin K deficiency can be dangerous because it increases the risk of brain haemorrhages which are hard to detect in babies, Niehaus says. Initially, the baby might seem sleepy, respond slowly and not want to drink. At worst, brain haemorrhages can …