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Did you decline eye ointment in a MI hospital?

post #1 of 32
10/6/08 at 9:33am
Thread Starter 
Hi gals,
I'm pregnant, as is a friend of mine. She said that she got a pamphet from her doctor that said that the antibiotic eye ointment at birth is state law and mandatory. I know that many of you have declined the eye ointment, and I wanted to hear your experiences in MI hospitals. My friend is delivering at St. Joe's in Ann Arbor, if anyone has experience there.

1)Is this state law?
2) What is the process for declining it?
3)What was your experience declining it- did the staff give you a hard time?

Thanks, gals.

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post #2 of 32
10/6/08 at 11:22am
Congrats!

My son was born in Jan '06, and we had no problem decling it at St. John's Providence Hospital in Southfield. We just told the staff we didn't want it.

Have you asked your doc or midwife about it?
post #3 of 32
10/6/08 at 11:44am
Thread Starter 
Scorpio, were you at the ABC or the regular l&d?
post #4 of 32
10/6/08 at 3:07pm
I was at the ABC. I think *most* of the ABC moms decline it.
post #5 of 32
10/6/08 at 3:46pm
I declined it at Sparrow in Lansing. That was may of last year. No problems
post #6 of 32
10/6/08 at 5:45pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by sonie716 View Post
I declined it at Sparrow in Lansing. That was may of last year. No problems
post #7 of 32
10/7/08 at 5:17pm
There is a paper that you sign to decline it, as well as vit K. You can go onto mi.gov and search for it, print it, and bring it with you. Your doc is PARTIALLY correct. It "is" considered mandatory. However, you also have the legal right in Michigan to decline without penalty for any reason you so choose. Just have the paper with you. Some hospitals choose to call CPS on you, but because you are WITHIN YOUR RIGHTS to decline, they have no grounds to do anything but show up and say that they are there, and then leave.
post #8 of 32
10/8/08 at 12:10am
courtenay, I can't find it on the website. Can you help?I already know the hospital where I plan on delivering is pretty loose about it, but I like to be prepared.
post #9 of 32
10/8/08 at 9:50am
I believe the actual law is that a provider MUST provide the eye ointment... it is NOT law that the parents must accept it. I'm in Grand Rapids ~ but I've never heard of anyone having any trouble in the hospitals here declining the eye ointments.
post #10 of 32
10/8/08 at 6:18pm
I declined the eye ointment in March at Providence. I started in the ABC, but was transferred to L&D. I still had my midwife, but the nurse was very good with going along with our requests.

I didn't have the paper- I just told her no eye ointment and that was that.

Good luck!
post #11 of 32
10/10/08 at 3:50pm
I was at the abc and declined, as well. No probs, no issues, no questions asked, really. I'd just be sure that your wishes are known to your doc, mw, nurse, etc.
post #12 of 32
10/11/08 at 11:50pm
I tried to decline it at Beaumont, but they wouldn't let me.
post #13 of 32
10/13/08 at 8:35am
Was it Troy Beaumont?
post #14 of 32
10/13/08 at 12:45pm
I just meet with the baby doc today and he told me it's no problem to decline it, that with a waiver your allowed to decline anything you want to.
post #15 of 32
10/27/08 at 12:54am
I delivered in L&D at Herrick in Tecumseh, MI in '07 and had no problems declining. I don't recall signing anything either, if I did it was the next day. I had a really tough labor and my doctor had recalled my mentioning it in an appointment a few months earlier and told the nurses for me. My nurse came over and asked me to confirm and then asked the other nurse to take it out of the room so no one mistakenly used it.

It's such a weird requirement, it's really not enforceable, at least that's what my doc said. He didn't seem concerned in the least and my dd DID devolop an eye infection.
post #16 of 32
10/27/08 at 10:09am
I've known moms who have problems with Beaumont and with U of M. I haven't heard of any problems elsewhere.

If they try to force your hand, ask to speak to your patient advocate.
post #17 of 32
10/27/08 at 5:19pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Caden's Mom View Post
I've known moms who have problems with Beaumont and with U of M. I haven't heard of any problems elsewhere.

If they try to force your hand, ask to speak to your patient advocate.
My cousin had her baby at UM and they raised h*ll! It was a several hour "fight" with them telling her she had to have it. I told her she could refuse and when she mentioned I was a lawyer they left her alone. Lo and behold, after I left the hospital they descended upon her room with threats of CPS, police, etc., and she caved.
post #18 of 32
11/8/08 at 5:00am
I declined in Kalamazoo with both of my children and had no problem whatsoever. I didn't even need to sign a waiver or anything of the sort. Just a verbal, " No, thank you. We will opt out of the eye ointment." I didn't have a fight with my son, I was asked why once with my daughter.
post #19 of 32
11/14/08 at 10:23pm
No problem at McLaren in Flint!
post #20 of 32
11/18/08 at 10:33pm
I declined at St Joes in Ann Arbor- they gave us no problems - just a supervisior brought us a form to decline it.

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Mothering › Mothering Discussion Forums › Welcome to Mothering! › Finding Your Tribe › Tribal Areas › Indiana, Ohio, Michigan › Did you decline eye ointment in a MI hospital?