HORRIFIED by Ontario antibiotic ointment law

[victoria1987]

Warning, this is a big vent, but I would really love some help!

I would really love some help or advise particularly from Ontario mums. I am generally a moderate person and will do whatever medical interventions/tests procedures etc. are in the best interest of myself and my child if the benefits outweigh the risks. I have no issues with most of the scheduled vaccines, attend all my prenatal appointments and undergo whatever testing is prescribed and am choosing to give the vit k injection at birth and PKU screening. However, the one thing that I DO NOT want is the administration of antibiotic ointment to my newborn's eyes.

I have done the research and this ointment protects against the transmission of gonorrhea and chlamydia from the mother. As I am a responsible person I take care to monitor my own sexual health and undergo regular STI screenings even though I am a married woman in a monogamous relationship. I have documentation showing that I am clean of both of these infections as recently as July 2013 and would be willing to be screened again if need be. There is absolutely no reason for my child to have this ointment! I do not like the side effects, the overly liberal use of antibiotics or the use of this on my minutes old child for no reason compounded with the fact that I personally am very allergic to erythromycin (the drug used) meaning that it would be risky for me to even TOUCH my baby and the chances that he may also be allergic are increased. YET I have discovered that this is one of the very few medical procedures in the province of Ontario that is required by law!!

I am fuming mad and offended. In this province I have the option to choose whether to vaccinate my child, whether to administer vit k, and even to withhold life saving medical procedures (such as blood transfustion) on religious grounds, yet I cannot decline a treatment that is ABSOLUTELY unnecessary for my child (with me being STI free) even though it may endanger myself or my baby due to previous allergic reactions not to mention interrupt the crucial first hour or so of baby's alertness possibly interfering with bonding and breastfeeding establishment!

I am really sorry that this is so long and "venty" but I am outraged. I am not a neglectful parent and happily consent to medically necessary treatments for me and my baby. THIS IS NOT ONE OF THEM, yet I have no choice! Can any mums from Ontario tell me any more info about this? Is there any way around it at all? Can I get a lawyer? Is this just policy "on the books" but up to my individual midwife. Anyone from Ont. not get the ointment? Gosh I am just so mad!

 

[sheldonsmommy]

I was raised in Ontario but I live in Alberta now. As a preface, I allowed the administration despite knowing I'm STI free mainly as I didn't strongly oppose it. Both my kids slept for the first couple hours of their lives anyway lol. But I agree it is a pretty outdated 'law'.

My two suggestions would be 1) familiarize yourself with your midwife/obgyn and see if he/she is willing to let you sign a waiver claiming you know the risks with the knowledge that you have done your due diligence regarding your own health. But it may be risking his/ her license if they don't abide by the law, so it's touchy.

2) is a little dodgy, but you could ask it to be delayed until you are done doing skin-to-skin or breastfeeding, and tell them that you will administer the ointment if they leave the tube on the bedside table. Then you'll just have to lie and say you applied it. The nurses can chart that it was administered by the mother so their bums are covered. I don't usually give advice condoning lying, but there you have it.

I suppose option 3 would be to wipe it out right away but if doesn't really solve the case of the unwanted antibiotics.

Well there's an option 4 I guess, and that would be to allow the administration. Allergies usually need one exposure before the person develops a sensitivity to a certain thing, so I don't think you have to worry about that specifically, but I realize you didn't ask for such advice

Sorry I don't have any legal advice for you, but I've been thinking about this thread all day

 

[Rachel_C]

How bizarre, they don't do that in the UK at all! I hope you get it sorted OP.

 

[Kittycat155]

Does this rule apply to homebirths too? I am doing HB for a few reasons but my major one is I do not trust the nurses/Drs to not give certain meds that are routine(Vit K,eye cream to baby and PIT to me as it seems to be SO many get that even after saying they do not want it!)

 

[jenmcn1]

I ha my first baby in Newmarket, Ontario back in 2009, and have since had two more children in BC. I would do some digging and find out if you can sign an affidavit which is a legal document that allows your free choice. 'They' say that in order to register your child in kindergarten in Ontario(& 2 other provinces) that they need to be up to date on vaccines etc. they 'say' it's mandated but in actual fact it's not! Your child your choice. In these provinces all that is required is an affidavit signed based on religious or philosophical reasons for opting out. All this to say that the eye ointment should be under the same category as vaccines. Thy cannot force it on your child. It's a free country. I would really dig deep and find a way around it. They will often say a procedure is mandatory, and make it look like it's not an option. But it's YOUR baby. YOUR choice! When I had my 3rd baby just 11 days ago, they asked me about the vit k injection and then the eye ointment. Legally they must have permission first.

 

[minties]

Funny, babies don't get eye-goop here and are fine. I'd be fuming too!

No one put ointment in their eyes, rubbed their skin dry, took them anywhere or injected them with anything other than vitK which I consented to. And my babies sure as hell weren't given a bath or anything like that! I hate all the stuff they do to newborns in some places.

 

[stiletto_mom]

Thanks for raising this issue. I would be very against it as well.
Please let us know if you were successful in opting out of this.

 

[victoria1987]

Just wanted to post a (belated) update. I spoke with my mw and she reassured me that although it is "officially" the law that all babies must have this ointment in Ontario I will be able to sign a waiver in the hospital and not need to have it. She said that she has has many patients who have declined this treatment with no issues. She also mentioned that she previously practiced in the UK and had never ever heard of this practice until she came to Canada.

So mums in Ontario who do not want antibiotics smeared in their newborn's eyes, do not fret! Just be sure to make your wishes known before being admitted to hospital and be sure to keep an eye on your LO immediately after birth (to avoid any over zealous nurses or other health professional) and you should be fine.

I personally want it in my birth plan that my son not be taken from me at any time whilst in the hospital and any treatments/health exams be done in front of me just to be sure.

 

[Feronia]

I'm so glad that you can get around it. It infuriates me that certain things are "MANDATED BY LAW" and "absolutely required" when in fact they aren't. They shouldn't bully women into doing things they don't want to! I totally agree with what jenmcn1 said -- your baby, your choice!

I declined the eye drops, the vitamin K, and even GBS testing in BC for a home birth and they said it was no big deal. I just had to sign something saying that I declined, and that was that! It's harder in the hospital and sometimes doctors or nurses will assume you consented and just administer it, so you still need to make sure your baby doesn't go out of your sight if you birth in a hospital.

Oh, I also read through the Ontario Midwives' rulebook for abandonment, and they cannot abandon you for making a choice with which they disagree. Say you go into labour with a breech baby at home and refuse to go to the hospital, by law they have to stay and support you even though it's not in their scope of delivery.

We have more choices and options than we realize!