Eye Ointment for newborns
Birth trauma
Antibiotics
[2009] Newborn Procedures: Eye Ointment May Not Be Necessary The indiscriminate use of antibiotics in newborns has the potential to increase the rates of diaper rash, thrush, digestive problems and antibiotic resistance in some. Anecdotally, some mothers claim that their babies who received eye ointment didn't gaze at them or their surroundings as soon as their babies who did not receive eye ointment did.
[2015] In Canada erythromycin is administered. The prophylaxis drops are a preventative treatment and is still mandatory in some provinces – Alberta, Ontario, British Columbia, Prince Edward Island and Quebec. Pediatricians and midwives want the practice to be changed. “The research shows this practice is ineffective, outdated and unethical,” said midwife Liza van de Hoef. http://globalnews.ca/news
http://www.gentlebirth.org/archives/eyeointm.html
[sociopath] ''Help!!! I just had a baby on Sunday morning and the doctor referred us to cps because I refused the eye drops! He didn't say anything when I said we didn't want th eye drops the vit k or the hep b. They just said ok and left it at that. The next morning a social worker from the hospital came and stated that the doctor made the cps referral because getting the eye drops was state law. I think I was discriminated against because I originally planned a homebirth but my water started to leak and labor just wasn't kicking in so after a day we decided to go into the hospital to get pitocin. Also we don't have health insurance, we use samaritans ministries. Now what do I do? Any tips for dealing with cps?''
West Virginia: §16-3-10. Inflammation of eyes of newborn -- Use of an
appropriate medication as prophylactic.
§16-3-10. It shall be unlawful for any physician, nurse-midwife or midwife,
practicing midwifery, or other health care professional to neglect or otherwise
fail to instill or have instilled, immediately upon its birth, in the eyes of
the newborn babe, the contents of a single-use tube of an ophthalmic ointment
containing one percent tetracycline or one half of one percent erythromycin or
the equivalent dosage of such medications or other appropriate medication
approved by the director for prevention of inflammation of the eyes of the
newborn. Every physician, nurse-midwife or midwife or other health care
professional shall, in making a report of a birth, state the name of the
appropriate medication which was instilled into the eyes of said infant. The
director shall establish a list of appropriate medications for prevention of
inflammation of the eyes of the newborn. The list shall be kept current and
distributed to appropriate health care facilities and such other sources as the
director may determine to be necessary.