Confused on FL Law?

[nerin]

Hello! I'm am soon to have baby #4 and we are trying to figure out what the laws are pertaining to eye goop and vitamin K for newborns. We will be delivering in a hospital. I have had a few people locally tell me we can refuse both, but what I've read seems to indicate that eye goop is mandatory in every state. Does anyone have a clear answer for us? Thank you!

[Marnica]

No I believe you can refuse both in Florida...they are not mandatory in every state. The only state I have heard that you cannot refuse is NY.

[ammiga]

Eye goop is not mandatory in every state. My dd was born in a hospital and didn't receive it.

[nwmamas]

We refused both in Florida without a problem. However, DD was born at a birth center.

[suschi]

I refused both, the ped on call sicked the hospital social services on me. What a joke, the woman apologized and said the hospital freaks out when you go against their standard procedures.

The ped spent about an hour with my DH trying to talk him into allowing the procedures, when she had no luck, said she would talk to me, and he told her she would never get me to change my mind. She had the nerve to ask me if I loved my baby!! She tried the pressure method, telling me that if the eye goop wasn't given within the first hour of birth it wouldn't be effective, I looked up at the clock, told her my son was born two hours ago, so I guess that one is out. We agreed she would give me in the inserts to both and I would read them. When she came back, I pointed out to her that in both inserts it stated not to give if allergic to any of the ingredients. "How do you know he is not allergic?" I asked her, "he was just born". That shut her up.

My old computer blew up and since I have cancelled my home internet so I have a little laptop I use on the go when I can find free wifi, so I have no links to the info I used when I created my birth plan. There was nothing mentioned about the vit k as being required, or the Hep B, so you can just refuse those. I found all the info in the florida statutes and printed out the law and the waivers available. I printed several copies of my birth plan (gave at least 5 copies away at the hospital because they kept "losing" them). I signed and dated each copy by my refusal statement.

My daughter gave birth in a different hospital and faced resistance as well. One nurse went so far as to go behind her back and talk to her husband while her mother in law was actually BRIBING him to circumcise the baby!

Luckily, we both walked out with our babies in tact and no routine procedures. Interesting to note, these were the calmest two babies I have ever seen! Coincidence?

[amnesiac]

Since this isn't about vaccines I'm moving to B&B.

[wombatclay]

I live in NY (where yes, the eye goo and vit k are required by law and refusal = CPS report... one Canadian province has the same crazy rule) and we had a woman in our local AP group who had moved here from FL... she had several children, all born in different FL hospitals, and had never had a problem with refusing the eye goo/vit k. She said she discussed it with her OB and informed the Ped, then signed a waiver that the hospital put in her folder.

I'd suggest letting your care provider and the babe's care provider know ahead of time so there isn't any added stress at or right after the birth.

Happy birthing!

[morganlefay]

I'm in FL and had a hospital birth and refused both tratements--I just got a lecture from the ped about how my baby would bleed to death without vitamin K. I just said that I had thoroughly researched the matter and was aware of the risks and he left.