Informing hospital staff of med refusal for baby?

[sarary]

My husband and I plan to refuse erythromycin and vitamin K and (at least) delay the Hep B vaccine at birth. My midwife told me to let them know when we get to the hospital and it shouldn't be a total fiasco.

I, however, am afraid that there will be a miscommunication or we'll forget to say something (or forget to make sure that we were heard). Any advice on the best way to inform the pediatricians and nurses of our decision? Should we put it in writing? Should we make sure it's in writing and in my medical record prior to going in for the delivery?

Thanks in advance!

[kiwiva]

I had a birth plan that included baby care and put that sort of stuff in there.

[Comtessa]

Write a birth plan! Write a birth plan! Write a birth plan! Have your HCP sign it and have a copy of the signed document in your file at the hospital before you get there. Also, have the original (and a couple of photocopies of it) in your hospital bag to give to everyone who asks you when you get there.

We did this "just in case" since I was planning a HB, and I'm so grateful that I did, because when I ended up transferring to the hospital, I had all of my wishes on file already with my OB's signature at the bottom. No trouble at all from the hospital on any of it.

There are a couple of great threads on here with sample birth plans, if you're looking for any particular language to include. Just search "birth plan" within the "birth and beyond" forum.

ETA: if you insist upon rooming-in with baby and refuse to let the baby leave your room without you, you can at least avoid having them doing anything to your LO without you knowing about it. We refused the bath and requested that they do everything they "needed" to do (i.e., weigh the baby, do basic physical exam) in our room with us right there. A few nurses took exception, but at least we knew that they weren't doing anything we didn't want them to do.

[JamieCatheryn]

Keep the baby with you, write it in a printed plans and preferences document, and tell everyone from the pediatric staff you deal with. Ask for the refusal papers. If they need to do anything with the baby, go with them or have your husband go. Ask them to do whatever possible in your room (PKU and such).

I made a 1 page sheet about what I wanted and didn't want in labor and for my baby, had my OB approve it and put it in my file and had DH give one to everyone we dealt with. It was bulleted points, minimalistic and firm but polite, and addressed only the things that would concern the doctors and nurses.

They might put up a fight about eye ointment as they could be under the mistaken impression it's illegal to refuse it. By law they have to offer it, here. You could compromise and have it delayed for half an hour if they give you trouble and that would work for you.

[nia82]

!!!!BIRTH PLAN!!!!

In CA they have refusal forms you sign upon admittance. Maybe you can do that along with your preregistration?
Never leave baby alone. Make sure your DH focuses on baby when he/she is born, and doesn't take eyes off of him/her to make sure nothing is put in the eyes. Also have them give you baby right away...
The ped gave us cra* for not wanting HepB, but whatever. It is your child and not theirs.

[LiLStar]

i was a homebirth transfer with my first and so i didn't have a chance to have everything worked out before hand. I told everyone who came in the room. I think it might have been the head nurse or something like that who came in with a waiver (that had been handwritten just then, just for me! lol) to sign. It wasn't really a big deal..

[sarary]

Thank you, thank you, thank you!