US babies - what's on their eyes after birth?

[Greta Chick]

Hi

I've seen quite a lot of US birth programmes and when it shows the babies wrapped up and put into their parents' arms they all look like they've got petroleum jelly around their eyes. What is it that they all seem to have been spread with and why? None of my babies have ever had anything put on them after birth and I'm confused!

Thanks in anticipation if anyone can give me an answer

xx

 

[silver_penny]

Its erythromycin. Its an antibiotic that is routinely put in the babies' eyes to prevent infection. In some places, though, they still use silver nitrate Eye infections can result from exposure to bacteria in the birth canal, such as gonorrhea or chlamydia, and cause blindness.

I've refused the drops, but you have to sign a waiver. Personally, I think its a sick practice, but they are doing it to cover their butts. Its treating every woman like they are dirty and unclean (Far from it!!) If the woman has gonorrhea or chlamydia, then use it as a precaution, but I think its sick to use it across the board. /rant

 

[Greta Chick]

Oh my word that's awful!!!

Are women not tested for those diseases in pregnancy? We're tested for std's over here so eye drops aren't necessary.

The US is very medicalised in every way isn't it, it's so different to over here.

xx

 

[tristansmum]

how weird!

 

[silver_penny]

Yes, its so medicalized. One of the many reasons I had a UC with my second.

 

[Greta Chick]

Is UC unassisted childbirth? Did you give birth at home with no midwife or anyone around?

xx

 

[silver_penny]

Yes, a UC is unassisted childbirth. The only one who was there was my DH, DS1 and my in laws whom we live with. DH was the only one in the room when DS2 was born.

 

[Blob]

Wow silver_penny that's a bit mad wonder if the us will become less medicalised?

 

[silver_penny]

Highly unlikely, it just seems to be getting worse

 

[AveryATL]

Oh my word that's awful!!!

Are women not tested for those diseases in pregnancy? We're tested for std's over here so eye drops aren't necessary.

The US is very medicalised in every way isn't it, it's so different to over here.

xx

They are tested, but women can get it at ANY time during their pregnancy, and while they probably aren't going out and about, the partners might be - even if they say the aren't. Unfortunately, that situation isn't uncommon. In addition, people can test negative, be asymptomatic and still have chlamydia/gonorrhea. Therefore, the best solution for the general public is for the Dr's is to give all babies the eye drops as a precaution. They don't have to be given right away either, and in most states, you can refuse them.

But, here, if someone had a baby and DIDN'T get the drops and their baby got an eye infection, the could/would sue the Dr.

So, it becomes a situation of weighing the very small risk against the very big benefit, should the mother have an STD.

 

[Greta Chick]

Wow silver_penny, I bet that was amazing!

Avery ATL do that many people really sleep around when their partners are pregnant??!! I think I must live in a bubble, it would never enter my head that someone would do that.

xx

 

[AveryATL]

I have read statistics that men are more likely to cheat on their partners when they are pregnant, than when they are not.....

 

[NaturalMomma]

Women are generally tested at the beginning of pregnancy when they do their initial blood tests (usually around 6-10 weeks along). But since you can contract an STD during pregnancy they generally give out the eye goop instead of just retesting at the end of pregnancy, which would make more sense. We had our second bambino at home, so we refused the eye goop since I didn't have an STD.

 

[dan-o]

We were told by the midwife at the antinatal class, and the parenting class that if baby gets an eye infection, to squirt breastmilk in the eye and it should clear it up!

 

[AveryATL]

The squirting breastmilk in the eyes would work well if it was something pretty minor, but it is not a real alternative for the eyes in the case of the bacterial infection associated with the STD's.

 

[Greta Chick]

Gosh that's awful that men would do that to women

Both my DDs have had conjunctivitis when newborns and I've put breastmilk in their eyes. Each time they've woken up with totally clear eyes the next morning.

That's obviously different to an STD but I agree with silver_penny that it would be much better to re-test women at the end of their pregnancy than to just automatically administer the eye gloop.

xx

 

[AveryATL]

Greta, that isn't practical, because many of the STD's have a period where someone may be infectious AND also test negative....so the presence of a negative test doesn't mean they aren't infected.

 

[Greta Chick]

Oh I see. I've never heard of a single person here in my city whose baby has had an eye infection, passed to them during delivery from an STD.

xx

 

[tbaby]

The US is awful when it comes to childbirth .. Its scary. I refused the eye drops and alot of testing they do during pregnancy. No matter what I want this baby so I am not worried.

 

[Greta Chick]

The US is awful when it comes to childbirth .. Its scary. I refused the eye drops and alot of testing they do during pregnancy. No matter what I want this baby so I am not worried.

I must admit I'm glad I don't live in the US when it comes to childbirth, it sounds very scary. It's so medicalised when it really doesn't have to be. I watched my first "One born every minute USA" yesterday. Virtually every birth was identical

I've never heard of a single person here in the UK whose baby has had an eye infection. Conjunctivitis yes, squirt a little breastmilk in the eye and come morning it's gone. But never ever heard of a major infection.

xx