https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Mon, 25 May 2026 09:32:22 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-do-the-eye-goop-at-birth/page/2#post-1561432 Thu, 10 Apr 2014 20:04:30 +0000 Dandelion 1561432@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Foodnerd81: I think his eyes turned red and puffy. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-do-the-eye-goop-at-birth/page/2#post-1561404 Thu, 10 Apr 2014 19:59:02 +0000 Foodnerd81 1561404@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Dandelion: I'm sorry for your friend. Do you know what the reaction was? I'm not even 100% sure I am allergic to it-- my dad and sister definitely are, and I got hives while I was on it when I was like, 8, so they just assumed it was the Erythromycin. Haven't tried it again. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-do-the-eye-goop-at-birth/page/2#post-1561331 Thu, 10 Apr 2014 19:45:18 +0000 Mae 1561331@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsBeluga: Interesting. I haven't seen anything in any of the research that shows it protects against anything other than gonnorhea or chlamydia. I definitely plan to discuss this with my midwives at my next appointment. </p> <p>Re: the "well why not?" question... </p> <p>I guess the "why not" is that there are risks with any medication. I'm allergic to a lot of stuff (don't know if I am allergic to erythromycin... I've never used it) so I worry a lot about drug allergies. </p> <p>Also "why not" doesn't seem like the best reason to administer meds. If there is no "why" (except the possibility of my husband cheating on me?)... "why not" just doesn't seem like a good enough reason to me.. :/ </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-do-the-eye-goop-at-birth/page/2#post-1561290 Thu, 10 Apr 2014 19:36:30 +0000 MrsBeluga 1561290@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mae: I was also against it; however, one midwife mentioned it protected against other bacteria/ickiness... such as any poo that might transfer during LO's birth, so we opted in.</p> <p>I ended up having an emergency forceps delivery, after baby was born, the gel or the new born shots were the last thing I could care about (total whirlwind that first hour). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-do-the-eye-goop-at-birth/page/2#post-1561281 Thu, 10 Apr 2014 19:34:03 +0000 jetsa 1561281@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Nope for the same reason, I had to sign a waiver declining. We did vitamin k </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-do-the-eye-goop-at-birth/page/2#post-1561232 Thu, 10 Apr 2014 19:23:26 +0000 Madison43 1561232@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm in NY also, so it's mandated, but I was fine with it anyway. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-do-the-eye-goop-at-birth/page/2#post-1561209 Thu, 10 Apr 2014 19:17:23 +0000 CottonCandy 1561209@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We did the eye goop...I didn't really see it as a big deal. It's just eye ointment, it's not like they are putting anything harmful on the baby. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-do-the-eye-goop-at-birth/page/2#post-1561138 Thu, 10 Apr 2014 19:00:07 +0000 Mrs. Pen 1561138@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It was required at my midwife practice to do a full blood work-up at the first prenatal appt which included STD testing. I was negative for all of them, so we skipped the eye stuff. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-do-the-eye-goop-at-birth/page/2#post-1561123 Thu, 10 Apr 2014 18:57:14 +0000 StbHisMrs 1561123@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>They must have, but I honestly don't remember. In looking at her newborn pics I don't see it on her. I'll have to ask my Husband, I had some problems after birth so I was per-occupied with oxygen and too many nurses to see what was going on. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-do-the-eye-goop-at-birth/page/2#post-1561039 Thu, 10 Apr 2014 18:32:37 +0000 Dandelion 1561039@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Foodnerd81: my bff's baby had an allergic reaction to it. :( </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-do-the-eye-goop-at-birth/page/2#post-1561028 Thu, 10 Apr 2014 18:28:21 +0000 Foodnerd81 1561028@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I opted not to because I'm allergic to erythromycin, which is what the ointment is. I was sure of my sti status anyway and they tested me at 37 weeks I think, so I figured why take the tiny risk that she would be allergic too. If not for my allergy I would have. </p> <p>I did all the other standard stuff. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-do-the-eye-goop-at-birth/page/2#post-1560574 Thu, 10 Apr 2014 17:08:03 +0000 lemondrop 1560574@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I saw no negatives to doing it- eyesight isn't something I'm willing to mess with even though there was little to no risk of an infection. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-do-the-eye-goop-at-birth/page/2#post-1560470 Thu, 10 Apr 2014 16:19:39 +0000 Arden 1560470@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I did not do the eye goop. I was tested for all STD's at 37 weeks (as is protocol at my birth center) and both DH and I have only ever been with each other so I knew it was completely unnecessary. </p> <p>With vitamin K I decided I would wait and see. I wasn't planning on giving it, but since she had a traumatic birth and her chances of internal bruising were higher, we chose to do it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-do-the-eye-goop-at-birth/page/2#post-1560393 Thu, 10 Apr 2014 15:56:33 +0000 Sunderling 1560393@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We refused it due to being certain of not having any STIs. Nobody made a big deal of it, it was just explained why they do it and then we were asked if we wanted it or not. We did get the vitamin K shot. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-do-the-eye-goop-at-birth/page/2#post-1559806 Thu, 10 Apr 2014 13:41:22 +0000 anandam 1559806@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It's strictly state mandated in NY, can't refuse it without getting child protective services involved, so yeah, we'll do it. They do say they'll delay it for 59min, though (it's required in the first hour), and can do it while I'm still holding him/her. I kinda feel like maybe other bacteria besides STI could also cause infections/blindness for the babe, though? So maybe can't hurt? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-do-the-eye-goop-at-birth/page/2#post-1559805 Thu, 10 Apr 2014 13:41:21 +0000 preggomeggo82 1559805@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We're doing both, during skin-to-skin time. I don't think declining is an option where I am, just a matter of when. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-do-the-eye-goop-at-birth/page/2#post-1559791 Thu, 10 Apr 2014 13:39:11 +0000 Rainbow Sprinkles 1559791@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We did. It had no impact on bonding. </p> <p>With DD2, they didn't even take her and wash her/weigh her/put the goop in her eyes until at LEAST an hour after she was born (maybe two?). We had lots of cuddling/nursing time. :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-do-the-eye-goop-at-birth/page/2#post-1559768 Thu, 10 Apr 2014 13:35:50 +0000 googly-eyes 1559768@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Rockies11: that's a good point.</p> <p>Honestly I just went with it. I didn't really see a reason not to do it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-do-the-eye-goop-at-birth/page/2#post-1559767 Thu, 10 Apr 2014 13:35:48 +0000 yoursilverlining 1559767@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We did, I don't remember if they asked us if we wanted it or not. They gooped her up after our skin to skin time and private hour together. I didn't worry about it interfering with her being able to nurse since they are basically blind then anyway and everything is just a blur - they will root around and find the boobies. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-do-the-eye-goop-at-birth/page/2#post-1559756 Thu, 10 Apr 2014 13:33:35 +0000 loveisstrange 1559756@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>No. She was born in the UK and they don't do it, at least at the hospital where I had her. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-do-the-eye-goop-at-birth/page/2#post-1559745 Thu, 10 Apr 2014 13:31:09 +0000 skipra 1559745@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We did after some skin-to-skin time. They took him to put on a diaper and did all that stuff then. It took just a couple minutes and they gave him right back to me. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-do-the-eye-goop-at-birth/page/2#post-1559728 Thu, 10 Apr 2014 13:28:22 +0000 avivoca 1559728@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We did it, but not until after our hour of skin-to-skin. We did the Vitamin K shot as well, and I'm glad we did. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-do-the-eye-goop-at-birth/page/2#post-1559727 Thu, 10 Apr 2014 13:28:01 +0000 LuLu Mom 1559727@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I honestly have no idea, I had a C-section and she went straight to NICU. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-do-the-eye-goop-at-birth/page/2#post-1559714 Thu, 10 Apr 2014 13:24:59 +0000 lamariniere 1559714@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It was standard protocol where my son was born in the US. My daughter was born in Austria and didn't have it, no one said anything about either. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-do-the-eye-goop-at-birth#post-1559687 Thu, 10 Apr 2014 13:20:24 +0000 cheesetomywhine 1559687@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We weren't going to but when the time came I was too caught up in getting stitched (worst part of med free labor as I'm a wimp with needles) that she had it done. It was immediate since she had meconium and the cord around her neck and was checked before skin to skin. It didn't create any problems with bonding or nursing. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-do-the-eye-goop-at-birth#post-1559603 Thu, 10 Apr 2014 13:04:48 +0000 Rockies11 1559603@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I did it even though I had a c-section because I think it's good to support public health initiatives even when they don't apply perfectly to my situation. I worry when any great public health development (such as prevention of blindness!) gets into a space where the refusal of it is synonymous with being a good, natural, organic type parent. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-do-the-eye-goop-at-birth#post-1559478 Thu, 10 Apr 2014 12:43:29 +0000 Ra 1559478@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I don't think they even gave us an option. They didn't do it until after our hour of skin-to-skin and my meeting with the LC. I didn't feel like it interfered with bonding at all. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-do-the-eye-goop-at-birth#post-1559451 Thu, 10 Apr 2014 12:37:01 +0000 lawbee11 1559451@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mae: Have you seen this eyesight development chart? Babies are nearly blind when they're born, so I didn't worry at all about the goop affecting bonding...they can barely see anyways. It's standard protocol at our hospital. I'm very trusting of doctors and hospitals and I had no problem with them doing it as I didn't see a downside. They did it at the same time as her bath and monitoring (so after we'd already had our hour of skin to skin). </p> [attach=1395/14/n3tsxq.600x337.eyesight.jpg] https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-do-the-eye-goop-at-birth#post-1559430 Thu, 10 Apr 2014 12:32:13 +0000 Honeygold89 1559430@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Noah got it even though I know I didn't have anything because I got tested before pregnancy and twice during pregnancy once in the first trimester and once in the thrid since my doc office say they required it per the state. I figured the goop wouldn't hurt so why not. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-do-the-eye-goop-at-birth#post-1559427 Thu, 10 Apr 2014 12:30:35 +0000 Boheme 1559427@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We waited an hour or two to do it, for the same reasons @heartonastring: mentioned. </p>