Every intervention in the first four hours of life disturbs a critical period in mother/infant bonding (aka falling in love).  The eye ointment is greasy and leaves a hazy film on the infant's eyes.  The baby can not see his mother's face clearly and imprint on her.  It's interesting to note that this is a N.American obsession--putting antibiotics in baby's eyes.  It is not done in England or Australia and midwives in those countries are mystified by why N. Americans do this routinely.  Many homebirth families refuse the eye ointment with no adverse consequences.  Hospitals should have an informed consent waiver that the couple can sign to refuse treatment.  Newborn sticky eye can be treated very effectively with washes of breast milk or saline solution in the first few days after birth.  I use a herb called "eye bright tea" that is very effective for treating mild cases of newborn sticky eye.  It's important to remember that plugged tear ducts can cause the eye to get mucky.  Massaging firmly from the inside corner of the eye down the nose can help with this. If the discharge from the eye persists, it can be easily cleared up by going to the pharmacist and getting Polysporin Eye ointment.

Often these "obvious medico -legal reasons" are not so real.  When pressed, there is actually nothing written in stone about these obstetrical interferences.  When  parents protested and refused the very caustic silver nitrate drops in the 70s and 80s, they were also told "it's the law".    Then, when all of N. America went into erythromicin ointment, suddenly the "law" wasn't there for silver nitrate.  If giving this routine treatment were really important, I'm sure the health depts in Australia and Britain would be making it mandatory.rom:   Gloria Lemay, Vancouver BC Canada
http://www.glorialemay.com/blog

<<For obvious medico-legal reasons, we cannot delay the eye ointment
prophylaxis beyond 1-hour.


Can you help me with a response?  They very much want to encourage skin to
skin and breastfeeding in the early postpartum period, yet are worried about
following appropriate protocols..>>.


Jeanette Panchula, BSW,RN,PHN,IBCLC
California, USA >>

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