Hi Greg
Just read your post. I was absolutely infuriated with what those people put you through. Seems these days everything is about making life easier for the medical professionals at the expense of the mother and baby.

I am due to give birth in Newcastle early next year, and my husband and I had already decided not to vaccinate or have VitK as we already have two children with long term damage from these injections.
Hi Lisa. My heart goes out to you... The more I learn about vacc. the more I'm angered such gross misinformation has been promoted for so long that so few even think they should question it. (You might like to consider sharing your story with the folks at AVN - > AVN - Home - they're looking for experiences such as your family's.)

We were told even if we couldn't get into the Belmont "alternative birth centre" (sorry - I don't know what it's called) next time because of our age... We were told the standard labour section of Belmont hospital is pretty flexible/lenient/understanding compared with elsewhere. (Maybe it's because they have some of the same staff?) So depending on where you live - and if you think you could get there in time when labour starts - you might consider Belmont.

The reason I suggest it is, I'm afraid our experience may make things worse for others in the future - at the JHH at least. I can just imagine the staff sitting down to a monthly staff meeting - and bringing up what happened with us - and making suggestions that DOCS (etc.) be called in the next time ICU (or I should say - "the doctor who sticks his head into ICU for a few minutes each day") encounters a pair of those "difficult non-vaccinating" parents.

As you may know, it happened recently to a family in Sydney. The woman had been exposed to Hep B in the past (not actually infected), and so she developed antibodies. A test that didn't differentiate between having *antibodies* and actually having *the disease* itself, caused her Hep B status to be flagged. So as she wasn't a sufferer, she wasn't a danger to her child. Even if she was, she still has the same legal right as everyone else in this country (to decline any/all vaccinations). But two so-called "doctors", DOCS employees, and a judge are trying to take ALL their children away by force, and vaccinate at least the newborn against the parent's wishes. Since they're concerned of possible vaccine damage the family has been forced into hiding! The media have told nothing but outright lies about the situation. This has biased the public against the parents and paints anyone with legitimate vaccine concerns as being members of some sick, child-abusing cult.

Anyway... Maybe you'd consider having someone at the birth to back you both up. When people said it to us, we said, "No thanks - we'll be right." But we sure will consider it next time. I tend to think the few bad/arrogant medical staff would pull their heads in a bit more, were there an unbiased third party present.

I think there was a training doula in Newcastle advertising on this site a few months ago - stating she would attend for reimbursement of her costs such as fuel, etc.

I am going to a different hospital but I need to have a caesar for medical reasons, which makes me even more concerned as I will be immobile for a while afterwards.
My husband is as much against intervention as I am, so I am going to get him to read your post and hopefully it will give him some extra confidence.

Thankyou for sharing your experience with us, although it must have been awful for you.
You're welcome.

If there's a next time for us, I think we'll definitely have a third party present, or perhaps print out some kind of document in the weeks beforehand, to be signed by someone in authority at the hospital - stating they will not interfere with our choices. If they're not prepared to do that - then we'll just go elsewhere - or do it at home! I'm NOT going to allow what is happening to that poor Sydney family, happen to us.

P.S.My last baby was born when I was 39 and I was constantly reminded that I was an older mother and to expect complications. As it turned out it all went very well, completely normal delivery and perfectly healthy baby (before immunising).
I will be 45 when this one is born - wonder what they will make of that!!!
I shudder to think. Although again I'll say most staff were fine. But as the family situation I mentioned above shows, it only takes one misinformed jerk on a self-righteous mission, to turn your whole family's lives upside down.