# Avoiding the newborn vaccines in hospital...how to in Canada?!



## jenmcn1

Hi ladies,

So I'm wondering what steps I would need to take (In Canada) to avoid my newborn getting a Hep B shot etc in the hospital. Do I need a legal document to avoid this? Or at the time of birth just tell the nurses no vaccines?
Thanks in advance


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## CandyDay

the only ones they give here in ontario,canada is the vitamin K and the stuff they put on the eyes. 
You can say no to the vitamin K but as far as I know you can't refuse the eye one.


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## TicToc

Maybe call the hospital you will deliver at and ask them their policies? I did that here in the US and found out that I can refuse it all but I have to sign papers.


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## Feronia

They don't give the Hep B shot to newborns in BC, and your midwives will ask for your preference on vitamin K and the eye drops. I personally declined the vitamin K shot (my plan stated to only use it if there were indications of trauma) and I also declined the eye drops since I don't have any STDs so there was no point in administering the drops. There was no problem at all with declining these things, thankfully! :)


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## jenmcn1

Feronia said:


> They don't give the Hep B shot to newborns in BC, and your midwives will ask for your preference on vitamin K and the eye drops. I personally declined the vitamin K shot (my plan stated to only use it if there were indications of trauma) and I also declined the eye drops since I don't have any STDs so there was no point in administering the drops. There was no problem at all with declining these things, thankfully! :)

Thank you! So you mean my daughter potentially DIDN'T have the hep b vaccine?! I would be SO happy to know that! I had my daughter at the Kelowna general hospital. I just assumed that she got the vaccine along with the vitamin K...


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## Feronia

jenmcn1 said:


> Feronia said:
> 
> 
> They don't give the Hep B shot to newborns in BC, and your midwives will ask for your preference on vitamin K and the eye drops. I personally declined the vitamin K shot (my plan stated to only use it if there were indications of trauma) and I also declined the eye drops since I don't have any STDs so there was no point in administering the drops. There was no problem at all with declining these things, thankfully! :)
> 
> Thank you! So you mean my daughter potentially DIDN'T have the hep b vaccine?! I would be SO happy to know that! I had my daughter at the Kelowna general hospital. I just assumed that she got the vaccine along with the vitamin K...Click to expand...

Your daughter definitely did NOT have the Hep B vaccine since immunizations are started at 2 months in most of Canada (Nunavut, Northwest Territories, and New Brunswick give it at birth for some reason, and so does the US, but the rest of Canada starts it at 2 months). She was probably given the vitamin K shot, though, unless you requested otherwise.

Unless you took her in to a doctor to get it when she was older, then she hasn't had it!


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## jenmcn1

Feronia said:


> jenmcn1 said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Feronia said:
> 
> 
> They don't give the Hep B shot to newborns in BC, and your midwives will ask for your preference on vitamin K and the eye drops. I personally declined the vitamin K shot (my plan stated to only use it if there were indications of trauma) and I also declined the eye drops since I don't have any STDs so there was no point in administering the drops. There was no problem at all with declining these things, thankfully! :)
> 
> Thank you! So you mean my daughter potentially DIDN'T have the hep b vaccine?! I would be SO happy to know that! I had my daughter at the Kelowna general hospital. I just assumed that she got the vaccine along with the vitamin K...Click to expand...
> 
> Your daughter definitely did NOT have the Hep B vaccine since immunizations are started at 2 months in most of Canada (Nunavut, Northwest Territories, and New Brunswick give it at birth for some reason, and so does the US, but the rest of Canada starts it at 2 months). She was probably given the vitamin K shot, though, unless you requested otherwise.
> 
> Unless you took her in to a doctor to get it when she was older, then she hasn't had it!Click to expand...

Perfect!! Gosh you have answered so many questions for me thank you!!! SO appreciate it! My daughter doesn't have any vaccines at all then! (besides the vit K)... I'm so relieved!


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## chulie

Hi ladies...yeah I would check with your hospital...my newborn received NO shots in the hospital..the only needle she got were when they checked her blood sugar because I had GD and they had to check her too.....and I know because she literally never left my sight.......there was that rub on her eyes but no shots at all....(I'm in Canada also...Ontario)


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## OurLilFlu

I work in postpartum in Alberta and babes born to Hep B positive mothers get the hep B vaccine in hospital and the Hep B immunoglobulin. Babes born with Hep B positive fathers only get the Hep B vaccine. So unless either you or your partner are hep B positive your daughter wouldn't of gotten it, I believe this would be standard in other provinces as well. 

But as a healthcare professional I urge everyone to vaccinate their children. These diseases still exist, herd immunity only works if you're the exception not the norm and those who are unable to get vaccinated or undergoing immune reducing therapies shouldn't be afraid of contracting these preventable illnesses.


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## jenmcn1

OurLilFlu said:


> I work in postpartum in Alberta and babes born to Hep B positive mothers get the hep B vaccine in hospital and the Hep B immunoglobulin. Babes born with Hep B positive fathers only get the Hep B vaccine. So unless either you or your partner are hep B positive your daughter wouldn't of gotten it, I believe this would be standard in other provinces as well.
> 
> But as a healthcare professional I urge everyone to vaccinate their children. These diseases still exist, herd immunity only works if you're the exception not the norm and those who are unable to get vaccinated or undergoing immune reducing therapies shouldn't be afraid of contracting these preventable illnesses.

Thank you for your advice, I'm glad to hear my daughter hasn't had the Hep B vaccine. I appreciate your outlook on vaccines, I have my opinion in all of that, but will keep it to myself;) cheers!


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## Feronia

OurLilFlu said:


> I work in postpartum in Alberta and babes born to Hep B positive mothers get the hep B vaccine in hospital and the Hep B immunoglobulin. Babes born with Hep B positive fathers only get the Hep B vaccine. So unless either you or your partner are hep B positive your daughter wouldn't of gotten it, I believe this would be standard in other provinces as well.
> 
> But as a healthcare professional I urge everyone to vaccinate their children. These diseases still exist, herd immunity only works if you're the exception not the norm and those who are unable to get vaccinated or undergoing immune reducing therapies shouldn't be afraid of contracting these preventable illnesses.

It seems to be standard practice to test for Hep B in mothers in BC (I just checked my records and my midwives tested me while pregnant), but my husband certainly was not tested. If a mother is positive, the primary care provider would talk to the woman about it. I would assume you would still get the option to NOT have your newborn vaccinated. 

Either way, this thread wasn't about whether to vaccinate. The OP has made her decision and is asking about procedures, not advice about whether to vaccinate. In Canada we have the right not to vaccinate thankfully, and there are plenty of other threads on this forum arguing for and against vaccination so we don't need another one. :haha:


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## OurLilFlu

You're right formal consent is needed for the immunoglobulin since it is a blood product and general verbal consent for the hep B vaccine. Fathers are not routinely tested but in the prenatal period when the family history is taken usually it comes up. The risk is obviously higher if the mother is already positive.


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## jenmcn1

Thanks for the advice...both my husband and I are completely healthy no hep B...so she wouldn't have gotten the vaccine thankfully;) cheers


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