HepB Needle at birth.... unsure.

Hi,

I'm sorry if this question has been asked in here but I can't find where it has.

I've been reading about immunisations/vaccines etc for our baby when born but just cannot decide on what to do with the HepB shot. I don't really want to put our baby through the pain of a needle if it can wait til the 2mth needles.

If I decline the HepB needle at birth, will the midwives make it difficult for me? As in, will most of them support my decision? What is the general view on this in hospitals? Anyone know?

** What did you do? Did your baby have the HepB at birth? I definitely will have our baby immunised at 2mths.

DH and I are not a risk for our baby as we don't have it and we can't see our baby getting in contact with it by anyone especially in the first 2mths of bubs life!?

Both my girls have had it.

Chelsea i was never asked..she was just given it...Jasmine they asked and i was so tired i just agreed.

Im not sure if ill get it this time...i dont now how not given it works with the schedule (ie do they have a catch up shot of it, if not done at birth?) I know its 2, 4,6 months they get it.....but do they need to have another dose cos of the missed birth shot?

hi Renstar,

none of my three girls got the hep b at birth, I had no probs with the hospital I was at or the midwifes/dr, they all supported my decisions.

Just make sure they know your wishes at the start of labour.

Kimbaz in response to your question on catch up, no they don't need to just the three at 2,4 and 6 months.

Our DS had the HepB at birth and to be honest I don't think he was really aware. All babies get the Vitamin K needle (I think that is what it is) at birth anyway. In our case I watched as he had the needles and he didn't cry, just looked around and pulled his heal away. I think if you refuse it though they have to accept it. If your really worried about being pressured let your support person/people know so if you are really unwell/tired etc they can be your voice and let the nursing staff know what you want for your bub. Maybe write it down for them before hand so it can go on a file or something.

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All babies get the Vitamin K needle (I think that is what it is) at birth anyway

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Not all babies do....bubs who have a traumatic birth are advised to have it however.

Ren is your choice..if you dont want it....dont have it. No one can force you too.

i declined it at birth and no one gave me any trouble - in fact, the midwife was quite approving. no doubt there are babies who go home to environments where hep b is a risk but that doesn't mean all babies need it right away.

there was no 'catch up' vaccine at 2 months - just the usual bunch including hep b.

if you don't want it, put it in your birth plan and tell them again once baby's born. i think you have to sign a permission slip but it's worth reminding people of your preferences just in case.

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Kimbaz in response to your question on catch up, no they don't need to just the three at 2,4 and 6 months.

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Awesome thanks for that.....well in that case i def will be say no to HepB and make sure the hospital staff know it.

(soz for taking over your thread a little Ren)

If you dont want bub to have a neddle at birth also advise them not to give the Vit K one. Some hospitals give it routinely i have found. DS had the heb-b one but not vit-k, he had the vit-k as an oral dosage after i was discharged. This time bub will also have vit-k oral but i won't be immunising.

All mine had the Vitamine K & both my little ones had Hep B. (It wasn't around for DD1 that I remember)
I personally had all their immunisations done JIC.
Everyone has their own oppinions & choices, but all my children have been fully immunised.

The heel pr*ck test is one that every new born baby has. It tests for things like PKU & CF.
& as someone else said when referring to Vitamine K, they do have to do this at some point anyway, which means a jab.
So its really up to you. If its just because of the needle thing, it really doesn't bother them that much & they do have the heel pr*ck test.
If there are other reasons for not doing then that is your decision also.

Good question Renstar. I saw the m/w during the week and she told me about VIT K and HEP B and told me to take the consent form home and think about it before I signed.
I havent gotten round to reading the form yet, and I dont even know what ones they have at 2 mths and so on.
I dont object to vacinations, but Im also weary of accepting everything as ok. If Ren doesnt mind, can anyone tell me what else (injections etc in first few years) they have?
I figure birth is hard enough for bubs, but not sure if needle is better at birth or a few months later? I had not heard of the oral dose of VIT K, can you request that over jab or is it up to the hospital which method they use?

eta . is there any known risk with the HEP B jab?

You can definatly say you want the oral Vitamin K instead of the injection. If you say that is what you prefer they legally have to do as you ask.

You can refuse vitamin k totally too. Just so you know....

Can't find anything right now. Let me think.
2, 4, 6 & 12 months. 2 injections. Polio, Hep B, Whooping cough, Tetanus??
Rota Virus is an oral dose at I think 2, 4, & 6mths?
Chicken pox(Varcella?) at 18 months. Injection I think. None of mine have had it yet.
Then I think its Polio. Hep B, Whooping cough one again at 4yrs.

Someone will correct me if I'm wrong, but I know I have most right. I just may have left some out.

Salsa google for Childhood Immuniation Schedule and it will tell you all the jabs (and oral) vaccines kids get over the years

ETA: MMR is 12 months and HepB is only til 6 months now...not given at 12 months due to combined with others at 6 months...used to be optional 6 or 12 months though

Thats right. alot has changed. There used to be an 18 month hit one. The polio was the oral, then they brought in meningococcal C.
Its all so confusing!

Hepatitis B is spread through contact with infected body fluids. In Australia, it is quite common in the indigenous population, but not so common in the rest of the population.

My personal opinion is that it is not necessary for all babies at birth or later on, and you should feel happy declining it if that is your wish. Some midwives/doctors may be supportive, some may not - it's hard to predict. It's certainly not uncommon for people to decline it, though.

And, as mentioned, the Vitamin K is optional as well. You can have it as an oral dose, or alternatively, you can get homeopathic preparations that are high in vitamin K.

Mine didn't have Vit K or Hep B.

Hep B just isn't necessary for babies imo and there was no issue about declining.

Hey Ren - I looked into this alot this pg - and had many chats with both my midwives about it.

Basically they used to only give the hep B injection at birth in high risk areas, or to babies whose mothers had hep B. Then they decided that the best way to eradicate hep B completely was to just start routinely giving the injection at birth, even though it is HIGHLY unlikely that a baby would contract it in the first 8wks of life. That first injection only covers them for the 8 wks, so not giving it to your bub won't affect the rest of the immunisation schedule (as others have said!)

As for Vit K - I did lots of research on that too (if you want some more info PM me, I won't babble on here!!) but we have decided not to give this bub either injection, but give Vit K orally (unless its a particularly traumatic birth.)

All the best with your decision! :)

Hi Ren,

I actually had to sign a form for both injections (whether accepting or declining) and this was submitted to the hosp about 2 weeks before I went in. So it was on the records what you wish.

But it is totally your choice and there will always be someone in the hosp with differing opinions to yours..

Thank you girls for all the info!

We're definitely going to go with the Vit K Oral dose at birth (unless it's a traumatic birth and needle is recommended)..... as for HepB needle, probably just wait until our baby is 2mths old with the other jabs. I have put this on my "birth intentions" to give to the midwives when I go into labour also.....

I am seeing the midwives from 36wks onwards too so hopefully can discuss this further with them then to see what their view/s are.

Thanks again :p

I declined hep B at the hospital and it was no dramas. They are used to people declining it. You may get a midwife/doc who gets on their high horse about it, but if you state that you wish to delay it to the 2 month mark- they will probably back off.
The thought of having my newborn baby prodded with a needle straight after being born made me cringe. What an awful way to welcome a baby into the world....

Just stand your ground. You are Mum- and what you say goes- no arguments please!!
Lol.

Best of luck! x

Neither of my babies have had HepB needles or Vit K (at birth, or ever) My baby is not in an 'at risk' group of getting hep B, so no point I decided, and with the Vit K, I would only have it done if bub were bruised by the birth process (traumatic birth) or I was unable to do delayed cord clamping, which I feel is extremely important to the health of my baby, and has a bearing on the 'necessity' of Vit K.

Jellybean - thanks hun! Yep definitely not having the HepB needle for our baby!! It's in my birth intentions list.... it would upset me greatly seeing our baby jabbed with a needle especially seeing as our bub isn't in a high risk category to get it either.

Cyathea - yep i'm hoping we can have the cord clamping delayed also.... i agree, its so important.... as for the Vit K I'm still a bit undecided about it but will probably get it done.....

Ren - we didn't have the Hep B at birth cos we weren't in the risk category - and the midwives I found were most supportive actually!!!

We got the Vit K needle at birth too - instead of the drops - just cos they have to have three doses or something of the oral drops - so just thought it was better to just do it quickly!!!! lol

Both my kids had it (both were fine from it) and we were asked if we wanted it both times.. we had to sign something each time to say we allow it.. DH signed with DS and i signed with DD.

my midwife unofficially suggested that I declined it she said there was very little risk of your baby contracting HepB in the first 2 months, when they are then immunised again if there are no members of your family that carry it?
we just automaticaly said yes with DD.
I didn't get a hard time from anyone