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If you refused newborn hospital procedures?

post #1 of 18
Thread Starter 
How did it go. We are currently looking at refusing or delaying most if not all hospital procedures, no eye drops, vit K and delaying PKU. Besides signing waviers we you hassled or anything.

I'm worried that it's going to be this big fight about what I want not done to our little baby. That this big hostile enviroment will be created because I'm not making their jobs easier by doing what they want. I know I have every right and and everything. But in those hours postpartum I'm going to need kindness and support not hostility.

What did you refuse and did you run into any problems? Did you have to sign then or can I do that early and just have the forms in my file?
post #2 of 18
i just put it in my birthplan that we didn't want any of that stuff done, gave it to my midwife at about 36 weeks, and that was that. they were fine with it. i was scared about a big to-do, but no one batted an eye.
post #3 of 18
For us, we talked to a pediatrician ahead of time who signed off for us that it was ok to refuse all types of tests, etc. i dodnt even get strep b. id suggest if possible you make these issues clear beforehand, because at birth youre just so overwhelmed, i was scared, but it worked out ok. good luck to you.
post #4 of 18
We had a whirlwind birth and then some scary moments and while they were trying to help me on one side of the room AVa had stabalized and they were starting the stuff, mymidwife walked in and stopped them. Noone fights with her so as soon as she reminded me I didn't want this stuff noone said a word. I didn't even have to sign anything.
post #5 of 18
We refused Vit K, eye drops and the first metabolic screen (they do 2 in Indiana if you leave the hospital in less than 48 hours, they just end up throwing the first one away after they do the second). I made sure my midwife and delivery nurse knew the plan, my DH actually was great about reminding them.

The most important part of this for us was to insist that my DS remained physically with me and was not taken in the first few minutes for weight, length, meds, etc. They were great about this, even giving him some oxygen while he laid on my abdomen, still attached.

We received no hassle from staff about this, just had to sign the papers. Once they realized we knew what we wanted they were great about asking before they did ANYTHING. Very important! It's your kid after all, sometimes they forget that.

Best of luck!
post #6 of 18
We didnt have our baby in the hospital so it was a bit easier.

I would suggest you first check into your state laws. I had a friend/nurse tell me that eye goop and Vit K are required here, which isn't true- so that shows you that the staff can be pretty misinformed at times. If you are planning on taking a hospital tour, mention your wishes then and find out what usually happens when one refuses these procedures (whether or not anything has to be signed...) Also make your wishes very well knownto your midwife or OB before the baby comes and have a short but specific birth plan to take with you to the hospital. A coach (husband, partner, mom, doula, friend whatever) can be a great advocate while you are trying to bond with the baby and recover from the birth.
post #7 of 18
I suggest that you bring someone with you as a doula since you will be so overwhelmed with everything during labor and delivery that it will not be the primary thing on your mind.

Make sure ahead of time in writing that every one understands that you are rejecting some routines. Have a plan and have copies to give everyone when you go in. Have someone with you to keep a clear cold perspective on the events so that you get what you want.

You only give birth to this child once. Get it right and make sure everyone around you knows you are serious about it.

I my 4 at home so it was a bit easier to make myself clear. The Home Court Advantage - A woman is Queen in her own home.
post #8 of 18
...Oh, and do check with your state laws since many a mother has been threatened with CPS or DFS visits if any of these routines were rejected since "they are for the baby's good" and "we know what is best".
post #9 of 18
I would imagine that geographical location has a lot to do with it and I am guessing NM is one of the better locations you can be. You have gotten good advice. Lots of checking ahead of time. I had dd1 at home in Chicago with a midwife. No hassles. Dd2 had to be born in a hospital for medical reasons. This is in Missouri. I had a doctor for the baby lined up who was okay with my wishes, but he lost his privileges (malpractice insurance hassles) just before I was due. I had to try to find someone at the last minute. And around here it is the baby doctor that has the sayso about vit K, eye drops, etc., not the OB or midwife. The best I could do was someone who was okay with me refusing the eyedrops, but insisted on vitamin K. That turned out to be okay with me, because she had a traumatic birth. What was not okay with me was that it was not really a choice. I have heard of people haveing children's services called. And, apparently, around here anyway, the way to get your patients to do what you want is to refuse to take care of them if they don't. : That happened to me twice with this birth.
post #10 of 18
I had a scheduled c-section because both of my twins were breech. I got to the hospital two hours before the section, and told everyone that I didn't want them to do *anything* to my babies once they were born. I had to sign some papers about the eye drops, but that's it. I also said that I didn't want my babies to have a bath. I thought of this at the last minute. The nurses thought I was nuts. They told me that the babies would be really gross without a bath. I said, "I don't think I'll ever think my babies are gross, and certainly not when I first see them!" My reasoning was simply that I wanted to get to smell them when they still smelled all birthy instead of just smelling like soap. The nurses stopped giving me a hard time when I said that of course I would bathe them eventually, just not for the first few hours (geez). Well, this turned out to be the best decision I ever made! The c-section plan that they told me always involved the babies being born, and I would get to see them, and then they'd go to the nursery with Dp while the doctors stitched me up. I had huge anxiety about this immediate separation from my babies the whole time I was pregnant. But when it actually happened, they didn't take the babies at all! They were with me the whole time. Dp held them right next to my head. It was so great. Later I asked why they hadn't taken the babies to the nursery, and they said, "oh, well you said you didn't want them to have a bath, so there was no reason to take them." I couldn't believe it! The whole reason they'd take them away was to bathe them!

So, now I tell everyone that if they end up needing a c-section, insist on skipping the bath routine.

Sending happy birthing vibes your way!!

post #11 of 18
Offtopic, but...lexbeach
I had a scheduled cesarean too and I had them come help bathe my girl in my room the next day when I could "shuffle" around.
I found having my midwife there taking care of everything but the cesarean made things wonderful...because eventually when there were a couple of things done (that I was fine with)...she did them in the recovery room with me, with my girl a foot away.
post #12 of 18
Thread Starter 
I'm so glad so many people didn't have a problem with this. I have a doula and both she and dh are in agreement with me.
post #13 of 18
I ran my birthplan past a midwife at my local military hospital and she was fine with delaying the eye gunk, the Vit K shot etc for several hours. When I was admitted, I did encounter a nurse who tried to talk me out of a hep lock and into having an IV but I steadfastly refused and she left me alone. (I had to have antibiotics cause of GBStrep). They also didn't bug me about pain relief and were quite respectful. I had a doula also.

However... after my dd's heart rate kept dropping into the danger zone, and staff almost rushing me off for an emergency c/s several times, the whole thing flew out the window anyway. I agreed to a c/s cause of non progression of labor and the worst thing was no one would bring me my baby into recovery and she was put in the observation nursery for 4 hours. So I had no idea what happened in the nursery... I sent dh off to keep an eye on her but he was so stressed out also, never imagining I'd have to have surgery. He was running back and forth for 4 hours.

My advice is run the birthplan by your provider and suss them out. Even if it's ok, be prepared for the odd staff member who may be more aggressive. And consider how emergency situations might affect your choices. I NEVER thought I'd have to have a c/s - I just wasn't prepared for it. There was no (medical) reason my baby couldn't have been with me in recovery. Even with a c/s her apgars were 8 and 9! It was a staff and policy issue.
post #14 of 18
with my first daughter they lectured me but eventually just gave me the waivers when i didnt budge. with my twins i was told i had to talk to the pediatricain first because when i refused they would essentially "tell on me" to the ped. and she needed to know about it in order to tell the hospital it was OK. i let her know about my plans so when the babies were born it all went smoothly and i just signed waivers. i gave my whole family strict instructions to stay with the babies at all times and make sure they didnt do anything to them. i was knocked out before my c-section and i knew they were going to be fine.
post #15 of 18
doc read thru birthplan early on in pregnancy...no probs...we refused vit k, hep vac, totally wish now we had delayed pku-it was awwwwful...they squeezed Sam's foot for what seemed like 1/2 hour to get 6 circles filled with blood...he screamed and i fell apart!!
post #16 of 18
We planned to have dd at a freestanding birth center staffed w/ midwives but for emergencies, they have priviledges at the hospital across the street from them as backup.

Being the overly freaky over prepared first time mom, dh and I toured the hospital "just in case." I did NOT make friends w/ the nurse giving the tour to put it mildly :-)...dh was squeezing my hand til the circulation almost stopped! I questioned EVERYTHING....and the nurse did not appreciate it. I think the big one though was their "routine suck test" where they gave each newborn a bottle of water to make sure they could swallow it and it went were it was supposed to go (ie the digestive tract was intact). When I questioned the test...uh I understood that for moms that were nursing that no nipple was to be introduced...especially at just a few hours old. Well you would have thought I was questioning why we feed kids at all! The woman told me that in all her years of experience that NO child has EVER suffered ANY nipple confusion and that it was a fallacy promoted by nursing "advocates."....AND that if I didn't allow my child to have this test it was tatamount to child abuse and I shouldn't be a mother.

I almost killed her.

This was about 3wks before dd was born. Went to my next weekly appt with the midwife and had an entire PAGE of specific "hospital" instructions in my birth plan....just in case. The midwife was horrified that they still did the "suck test" as it was well over 20-30yo and she stated that successful nursing acheived the same results.

I also did a ton of research into the Vit K shot and after long discussions with the midwife, we decided to forego it for a "normal" birth but if it was traumatic to go ahead w/ it.

Our birth plan clearly outlined our wishes against the eye ointment, Hep B shot and the PKU test (the birth center sends a nurse 2-3days post partum to your home to do a mom and baby check as well as the PKU test). We also wrote in BOLD letter that either dh or I was to be with dd at all times, no exceptions.

I am so thankful that we toured the hospital and wrote up the separate birth plans. Dd's cord was short and wrapped around her neck...although we didn't know it at the time...all we did know is that each time I pushed her heart rate plummeted. I went into labor around noon, got to the birth center at 2:45 and was already 8cm, complete at 3pm. Started pushing and dd's heart rate dove. Midwife suggested transferring (more like urged) and the IV was in my arm at 3:31 and I was in an ambulance to the hospital. The midwife went with me, dh and our best friends followed in their car.

I found out the next day that the hospital assumed that I would be having a section and had the OR all ready and waiting for me. The midwife insisted on trying a vaginal first. Dd was born at 4:04pm with forceps assistance after an episiotomy (I managed to make that 3% episiotomy rate that the birth center has!). I tore a ton, but dd was VERY healthy...I think she was an 8 and 10 or 7 and 9...can't remember now.

The hospital was VERY accomodating to our birth plan. We got no grief whatsoever about any of our requests. Although since dd's birth was so traumatic we did give her the Vit K shot. Our ped didn't even have priviledges at this hospital, and the ped on staff just signed off on everything w/o questioning us.

I do think that since the hospital is the back up for the birth center they were used to these requests though...and knew that they were done under the midwives care.

The only problem we had at the hospital was the night nurse....she kept coming into our room, waking me up...and insisting that I would get way more rest if we sent dd to the nursery. UH NO...I'll get more rest if you would leave me, dh and our child alone!! UGH.

Thankfully, despite the fact that I bled out after dd's birth and was restricted to bed until the next morning. The midwife agreed to release me at dinnertime the next day. I was home by 8pm the day after dd was born and was INFINITELY more comfy than we were in the hospital.

So the moral of my lengthy post is to do your homework, be prepared, write everything down, discuss it w/ your caregiver and then be flexible.


post #17 of 18
DD#1 was born in hosp. We had the most trouble with refusing the hearing test. I really didn't want her away from me _at all_ and sometimes the hearing test takes 2 hours (apparently because the babe has to be asleep) I just knew they would give her formula while she was gone... They really really didn't like it. They sent in the big guns to try to get us to agree. We kindly refused and said we would have her hearing tested at a later date (ha! by the dog, at about 6 weeks ) They finally stopped asking and a nice side bonus was they forgot to do her PKU test!

So, moral is, be kind but firm. Ask that anything they do be done in your room, in your presence. If they don't want to do that, say DH is going with the babe for any procedures. Try to get not only a good ped, but a good pediatric practice since you never know which dr will show up, really.

(And while it's good to be prepared for the worst, always expect the best!)
post #18 of 18
We refused the hep b test! They were furious...but oh well.
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