Importance of newborn heel pr*ck test and is it ever refused?

[butterfly_warrior]

The only people I know who have been offered carrier screening for CF are those who have a relative with the condition.

BW

[Snacks]

OMG - BW you have had your baby!!! Congratulations!

Holly and SJ, I was at home by the time they wanted to do the test on Natty and it was sad but ok. The midwife was lovely and suggested I feed her while she did it. Natty fed and broke off to have a little tiny cry but soon went back to guzzling away at the boob. It was over in a couple of seconds.
SJ, I honestly can't remember whether they told me about it before Natty was born or not, but then a lot of things happened after her birth that I didn't know would happen, like the paed check-up (where she had to test her hips - Natty hated that too ), the newborn hearing test and the fact that since we left on the early discharge program (within 48 hours of having bubs) that we'd need to take her to a dr (we took her to our GP) so that they could listen to her heart to ensure it was beating the way it was supposed to. (Aparently there's a little valve or something that closes over within a couple of days of the birth, so the heart beat makes a different noise once it has closed over. They check this if you are in hospital, but you may be required to take your baby to a dr to get it checked if you have already been discharged.)

[Cricket]

There are like 20 different metabolic disorders that they check for in that test, if I remember what the midwife told me correctly. Most of them are pretty rare, but as the others have said, knowing about them right after birth makes prevention/treatment much more effective.

As far as practicalities go - my first two girls were done at the hospital, and they cried and I cried. They were lying in those plastic nursery bed things on wheels that hospitals have and I knew they were hungry and I felt like a horrible mother for letting them be hurt like that. The nurses could never seem to get enough blood. They kept squeezing and pulling on their feet. And, of course, a post-partum mother is not one of the world's most rational creatures. I felt terrible.
With my third (born at home) things went beautifully! The midwife wrapped her heel in a warm wash cloth for a few minutes, while I nursed her. When her heel was nice and warm, I put her up on my shoulder and they picked the heel - two seconds later, it was all done, and she never made a peep.
Just for the record - there is apparently a very small risk of damaging a nerve in the foot during that test. I was unaware of that until my third baby was born as well. Now, I wouldn't skip the test for that, but I think mothers should always be aware of the risks and benefits. And, you would know to watch for anything odd with that foot.
All the best with your up-coming birth!

[Kailani]

Okay, so 2 important things to remember:

1. Feed bubs at the time of test
2. Make sure his feet are warm

I agree that the test is important and more crucial than the hep B and vit K injections (which I don't plan to have done), I'm just a wuss! I will probably cry if he cries lol. If all goes to plan it will be done in my home as I am booked into a birth centre for 24hour stay.

Thanks so much for all the replies

[Snacks]

I'm just a wuss! I will probably cry if he cries lol.

That's perfectly acceptable behaviour in my book, Holly (LOL, I am right there with ya!)

[Indadhanu]

I had tears when they took the vial of blood Shel looked like she was going to deck the paed!

[HotI]

I had tears when they took the vial of blood Shel looked like she was going to deck the paed!

For the heel ***** they just collect a small amount of blood on blotting paper. Did your bub need extra testing, and that's why they needed a vial of blood? I understand that can be a lot yuckier.

[HotI]

The only people I know who have been offered carrier screening for CF are those who have a relative with the condition.

BW

In Victoria at least, they are offering carrier screening for CF through GPs and obstetricians. It costs around $200. (carrier screening for those with a family history is free).

The test is done via a cheek brush (like CSI), so no needles.

The screen picks up around 95% of carriers. If one parent is found to be a carrier, the other can then be tested.

They are trying to give people information BEFORE a child is born with the condition, so they can decide what to do.

Seeing that 1/25 people are carriers, i think it is a great thing to have done