I have a four month old son and I just realized I don't know his blood type. I know they told me when I was in the hospital after he was born but everything from that time is such a blur. Is there a document that I can find that on? Also, in thinking about this I realized I don't even know my own blood type! I know I've been told but it's one of those pieces of information that I just haven't been able to retain. Any ideas where I would look to find that?
For those asking, our neighbors/friends acted like we were crazy for not knowing our own blood type nor our son's blood type. It made me feel like I should know but it makes me feel better that this is not likely something I'll need to know, even in case of an emergency. It's just something that pops into my head every once in awhile and I feel like a bad mom for not knowing! Thanks everyone!
Medical records? I got all 3 of my 4 kids at their hospital when they were born. They made me sign a paper showing I got a copy and had to give my license for them showing proof who I was. The last time I did that was 5 years ago, I don't know my 4th child's blood type since I never got around to it.
It's actually not essential that you know this - if anyone needs blood, the hospital will "type and cross" for a match. If there's a massive emergency, there is a blood type that is the "universal donor" type which can be given to anyone. Hospitals give that first, if there is no time for the testing. Even if you have a card on you (say, from the Red Cross or other blood donor center where they do type your blood and put it on the card they send you), the hospital won't based a transfusion on that info alone. The risks are too great.
It's interesting to know your blood type, absolutely, especially if you have a rare type which is very desirable for donation drives. Obviously, they have to recruit more donors of the less common types. I've occasionally seen "urgent need" requests that specify a blood type that the blood banks are low on. But otherwise, it's honestly not essential.
If lab work was done on your child, including typing, it will be in the hospital records (probably buried in a ton of other info) - your pediatrician should have that. Your blood type may or may not have been done with certain lab tests your physician has ordered. Yours was probably done in the hospital when you delivered your baby because there are issues when the mother and baby are different in Rh factor ("positive" or "negative") regardless of whether one is A, B, O or AB. Your obstetrician should have that somewhere in your hospital records.
I like to know these things just because I am curious, but I have never been asked for a blood type when I took my son to the ER or when I was in a car accident and taken by ambulance to the hospital. We were asked every other conceivable question, but not that. If they need it checked, they will do it themselves at the time.
You and your child's medical records. Contact your physician and ask for a copy that has that information on it. Otherwise you can always have a blood test for you and your son to know what it is.
It's in your baby's birth record, if you have a copy of it. If not, ask at his next pedi visit as they'll have it on file. You don't actually need to know this. My oldest is almost 17 and never, ever, has blood type been something I've needed to know.
I didn't know my own blood type until I became a donor. I'm O+, which isn't as needed as O- (universal donor, what they give in an emergency if they don't know someone's blood type) but it is the most common blood type so is therefore in demand, so I try to give often. Other than donating blood, knowing this has served no other purpose.
The baby's ped would have it on file. Mine has both mine and my child's in the child's record.
Donate blood and you'll get a card with your type and your doing a good thing (my local bank does this anyway). :)
You can ask for a blood type test next time you have any kind of blood test, but I agree with the answer that it isn't really super important information to have on hand, Unless you donate blood, plasma and/or platelets. Because I'm AB+, they really need plasma, red blood cells are not very helpful (so I've been told).
Why do you need to know? I don't think I know anyone that knows.
You can also ask for a copy of your hospital records. They would have checked your blood type in case you needed to have an emergency blood transfusion and I believe they also test an infant after they are born. Call and ask to see if that is part of the record before you request the records.
Your Dr. and the child's pedi probably has record of it somewhere. You have to be checked before giving birth for the RH factor. I am a rare - blood type and I had to have the special injection that would protect me and my daughter if our blood crossed somewhere. My daughter is a common + type.
His pediatrician should know, and should have yours too because the mother is tested for Rh antigen.
My husband, both kids and I are all type A+. I learned my blood type when I gave blood for the first time. With the kids, it was typed at birth along with the other tests they do on newborns.
I've never had to know this information for emergency purposes, but I think information about my own body workings is good to know, just because.
I don't see the need to know. If an emergency came up, they would find out in the first blood draw they do in the hospital.
Many of the blood types can accept other blood. There are a few rare types that can't be mixed, but there is still not much knowing this ahead of time would help.
During one of my older daughters surgeries, she had to donate blood to herself, in the event of an emergency.
When my niece was in the hospital, she had a rare blood type, but they had the blood available.
If you look up blood type on wiki, they provide a chart of what types a recipient can accept.
