Eye Ointment at birth - Page 2

[ZoeyZoo]

In most states it is only law that the eye drops are offered; not that you take them. I have seen drs in my state say it's against the law to refuse when the law only says it has to be offered. I don't know if they don't understand the law or if they are lying... I don't know what it is for IL, but for the states I've lived in this is what the law said.

They are almost always hospital policy.

[TayTaysMama]

It is state law in my state that all children born receive the eye drops, however if you read through the state statues carefully you will also read that you have the right to refuse!

I got in a HUGE fight with my hospital over this since they said it was the law and they even copied and mailed the statue to me, which I sent back to them with the part that included my ability to refuse it. They also tried telling me that I could be reported to CPS for refusing.

If you look through your states website you should be able to find the revised statues and look it up yourself.

Edit:
Ok so I went and looked it up for you.
http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs...p?ChapterID=35


I didn't read through all of it but I know it was kind of hidden in mine so I really had to look through the whole section regarding childrens health.

[delphiniumpansy]

There is a lot of confusion out there about strep b and its treatment and diagnosis. Here is an overview.

http://children.webmd.com/tc/group-b...topic-overview

As you can see from reading that, the eye drops are not for strep B.

It is my understanding that all 50 states require some treatment for stds in the eyes at birth. However, at least in my state, it is not hard to get out of it. It used to be silver nitrate they used but is now antibiotics. I would contact the hospital and ask them their policy and ask where you can find the state's policy. Then, write your birth plan accordingly.

http://www.nei.nih.gov/neitrials/vie...Web.aspx?id=19

When I had my dd recently, the midwife just did not do the drops, per our request. There was no oversight and the MD we see now did not even ask about it.

[mykidsmyworld]

Thank you, I am going to look through this now!

Originally Posted by TayTaysMama

It is state law in my state that all children born receive the eye drops, however if you read through the state statues carefully you will also read that you have the right to refuse!

I got in a HUGE fight with my hospital over this since they said it was the law and they even copied and mailed the statue to me, which I sent back to them with the part that included my ability to refuse it. They also tried telling me that I could be reported to CPS for refusing.

If you look through your states website you should be able to find the revised statues and look it up yourself.

Edit:
Ok so I went and looked it up for you.
http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs...p?ChapterID=35


I didn't read through all of it but I know it was kind of hidden in mine so I really had to look through the whole section regarding childrens health.

[mykidsmyworld]

Originally Posted by TayTaysMama

It is state law in my state that all children born receive the eye drops, however if you read through the state statues carefully you will also read that you have the right to refuse!

I got in a HUGE fight with my hospital over this since they said it was the law and they even copied and mailed the statue to me, which I sent back to them with the part that included my ability to refuse it. They also tried telling me that I could be reported to CPS for refusing.

If you look through your states website you should be able to find the revised statues and look it up yourself.

Edit:
Ok so I went and looked it up for you.
http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs...p?ChapterID=35


I didn't read through all of it but I know it was kind of hidden in mine so I really had to look through the whole section regarding childrens health.

Originally Posted by mykidsmyworld

Thank you, I am going to look through this now!

Ok I read through the Infant eye disease act and It says that the drops need to be administered but I don't see where you can opt out?

[leafwood]

I just discussed this with my MW today. She was totally on board with opting out of the eye ointment, but informed dh and I that if you sign the consent waiver you automatically open a CPS investigation. AHHHHHHHH!!!! She thinks it's bogus, but I want no part of CPS. She recommended hinting to the nurse that I'm not crazy about it and sometimes the nurses sort of "miss" with the drops and then dh or I can wipe the baby's eyes. She said that was her best recommendation.

[elvenom]

About Eye Drops..

Hi All,

I refused the hep b during our first birth, but didn't have enough knowledge to refuse the vitamin k or eye ointment/drops. Here's my question: are the eye drops JUST for STD's? Is there any way a baby can catch any other virus from just coming thru the birth canal? I done some reading and its never specific about why the ointment is used, just for "infections". I'm 95% sure we'll refuse but I would just like to know more about this. I dont have any STD's and if that's the only reason for the ointment/drops then our DS certainly wont need it!

[~*~MamaJava~*~]

Yes, they are just for STDs. It's a specific antibiotic. My friend and I were arguing about this last night - she was SURE they were to protect the baby's eyes from all ills they could be exposed to - but it's NOT. Goodness, my two babes who had the gunk were the ones who GOT goopy eye.

They only say infections because quite a few people would be offended if they were told it's to protect their baby from STDs Seriously. So they don't tell you, also because they don't believe you when you tell them you aren't at risk for STDs.

[kltroy]

As other posters have said, you have the right to refuse anything. FWIW, my son had pink eye recently and was prescribed the same goop that they put in newborn's eyes (erithromyocin). I thought I might be getting it too, so I put some into MY eyes one night, because I was feeling paranoid. Guess what? It wasn't really a big deal. I mean, I completely understand refusing it on principal because it's unnecessary, but when it comes down to nuts and bolts, it's not painful and you can just wipe the stuff out. So you'll have to decide whether it's a battle you want to bother fighting or not. Personally, I'd rather argue about when my next baby's cord gets cut than worry about some easily-wiped-away eye goop Just my opinion.

[jul511riv]

totally disagree with you mama. Taking antibiotics MAY not have been a big deal for you, but trry telling that to someone who is allergic to antibiotics. And you know what? The only way to know if you are allergic to something is to TAKE IT, it's not something that can be predicted (though that may be a risk factor, and as such could be a reliable indicator).

Furthermore, antibiotics, even administered in the eye, still GET IN THE BLOOD STREAM and affect the whole body. A baby, who is just building their gut flora/etc... is WAY suciptable to EVERYand ANY thing you put in their little bodies.

And you can NOT just wipe it out. It was an ointment for us...used to be drops, eitherway, when it is in the eye...it's IN THE EYE, you cant just take it out, and if you tried you'd be introducing even more bacteria and irritants to the baby's delicate eye mebranes.

MANY babies have blurry vision and red, swollen, or puffy eyes after words. Even my MW AND DR told me this before we gave it to DD. THey said that this was a common reaction and that is why they recommend waiting at least TWO HOURS after the birth to do it, so that nursing can be established and eye contact can be made before the baby's vision is affected. Some babies might not have affected vision, some might have it for a few hours or minutes or days or even weeks. There is no way to tell. None at all. We have no allergies to antibiotics, but dd's eyes were affected for nearly 2 weeks after the fact!

This little innocent baby is born, like through all time and all over the world, and the first thing we do is stick them with a hep b vacine (which can only be transmitted through bodily fluids...what is YOUR risk factor) needle and put goop in their eyes so they cant see and bond or shoot them up with vit k, which would be in a healthy full term baby anyways, and certainly transferred in mothers milk/colustrum right away. Even premie babies would likely have vit k if the mother were not SEVERLY malnourished (mostly EVERY mother in the Western world today).

What we SHOULD be doing is resting, relaxing, bonding, making tons of eye contact, showing the baby that she is safe and protected. Nursing. Hugging, kissing, cuddling and holding close. Calling relatives and friends to share in the good and happy news. Just resting in dim lighting (labor is exhausting and a lot of hard work, spiritually and physically.) eating a nourishing meal, drinking a tea. Maybe taking a bath or shower, maybe with baby maybe with out (I didn't bathe ds for a full week...LOVED that new baby smell and wanted the vernix to moisturize his little body). Birth should be gentle. Being born should be gentle. No hustle and bustle. A new life came into the world. Be quiet. Be in the moment. Be with that. Trust the process (it got your little guy here in the first place).

You can vaccinate
later
you can give eye goop
later
you can give vit k
later
you can "observe baby"
later
you can do everything LATER. After baby has bonded and you have bonded and all is well with the world after your new little one has come to join us and play!

Now my no nonsense thoughts on the matter:

Vit K is bogus. Give me a good reason to do it for a healthy mother and a healthy baby who is not undergoing immediate and major surgery (and thus would have some blood clotting issues)

Eye drops are bogus, unless you have an STD or are a potential carrier. Give me one good reason why they are not.

Hep B vax in a baby who's parents are not carriers and who is not going to be in a public place (daycare) where they may be exchange of bodily fluids (NOT your local grocery shopping conditions, obviously!) is bogus. Give me on egood reason...

You get the picture.

[Magali]

Originally Posted by alegna

The Drs. were wrong. Intentional or not, who knows....

the eye goop is for the two STDs ONLY. Nothing else. Not strep. Not some random infection. Not something they can pick up in the hospital. STDs in mom ONLY.

-Angela

I really wish I had known this when ds was born. I justified the drops by thinking it would protect his eyes from nasty hospital germs. But I felt rotten about it because his little newborn eyes were red from it and the goop left red streaks down his face.

[Magali]

Originally Posted by jul511riv

totally disagree with you mama. Taking antibiotics MAY not have been a big deal for you, but trry telling that to someone who is allergic to antibiotics. And you know what? The only way to know if you are allergic to something is to TAKE IT, it's not something that can be predicted (though that may be a risk factor, and as such could be a reliable indicator).

Furthermore, antibiotics, even administered in the eye, still GET IN THE BLOOD STREAM and affect the whole body. A baby, who is just building their gut flora/etc... is WAY suciptable to EVERYand ANY thing you put in their little bodies.

And you can NOT just wipe it out. It was an ointment for us...used to be drops, eitherway, when it is in the eye...it's IN THE EYE, you cant just take it out, and if you tried you'd be introducing even more bacteria and irritants to the baby's delicate eye mebranes.

MANY babies have blurry vision and red, swollen, or puffy eyes after words. Even my MW AND DR told me this before we gave it to DD. THey said that this was a common reaction and that is why they recommend waiting at least TWO HOURS after the birth to do it, so that nursing can be established and eye contact can be made before the baby's vision is affected. Some babies might not have affected vision, some might have it for a few hours or minutes or days or even weeks. There is no way to tell. None at all. We have no allergies to antibiotics, but dd's eyes were affected for nearly 2 weeks after the fact!

This little innocent baby is born, like through all time and all over the world, and the first thing we do is stick them with a hep b vacine (which can only be transmitted through bodily fluids...what is YOUR risk factor) needle and put goop in their eyes so they cant see and bond or shoot them up with vit k, which would be in a healthy full term baby anyways, and certainly transferred in mothers milk/colustrum right away. Even premie babies would likely have vit k if the mother were not SEVERLY malnourished (mostly EVERY mother in the Western world today).

What we SHOULD be doing is resting, relaxing, bonding, making tons of eye contact, showing the baby that she is safe and protected. Nursing. Hugging, kissing, cuddling and holding close. Calling relatives and friends to share in the good and happy news. Just resting in dim lighting (labor is exhausting and a lot of hard work, spiritually and physically.) eating a nourishing meal, drinking a tea. Maybe taking a bath or shower, maybe with baby maybe with out (I didn't bathe ds for a full week...LOVED that new baby smell and wanted the vernix to moisturize his little body). Birth should be gentle. Being born should be gentle. No hustle and bustle. A new life came into the world. Be quiet. Be in the moment. Be with that. Trust the process (it got your little guy here in the first place).

You can vaccinate
later
you can give eye goop
later
you can give vit k
later
you can "observe baby"
later
you can do everything LATER. After baby has bonded and you have bonded and all is well with the world after your new little one has come to join us and play!

Now my no nonsense thoughts on the matter:

Vit K is bogus. Give me a good reason to do it for a healthy mother and a healthy baby who is not undergoing immediate and major surgery (and thus would have some blood clotting issues)

Eye drops are bogus, unless you have an STD or are a potential carrier. Give me one good reason why they are not.

Hep B vax in a baby who's parents are not carriers and who is not going to be in a public place (daycare) where they may be exchange of bodily fluids (NOT your local grocery shopping conditions, obviously!) is bogus. Give me on egood reason...

You get the picture.

You said it all very well

[loraxc]

Can anyone find a cite that says these are only for STDs?

I specifically asked my MWs if this was only for gonorrhea and chlamydia, and they said the drops also protect against certain staph and strep (not strep B) infections. However, they also said that those are just run-of-the-mill eye goop infections and certainly do not cause major risk of blindness or anything. They didn't seem at all bothered by us potentially choosing to skip, so it's hard for me to believe they are intentionally giving out misinformation.