
18/01/2025
💥Erythromycin Eye Ointment💥
Truth bomb time!
💣Erythromycin is an antibacterial eye ointment applied within a couple hours after birth to prevent ophthalmia neonatorum (aka pink eye) in your baby's 1st month of life.
💣The ointment became standard protocol due to pink eye becoming more serious and causing possible blindness if caused by Chlamydia and Gonorrhea, which the baby could only *possibly* be exposed to IF the mother is infected at the time of birth and IF the birth was vaginal.
💣The other bacteria that can cause pink eye are not considered serious.
💣Using colostrum/breastmilk after birth instead has been shown to reduce and inhibit growth of these bacteria.
💣Because this is an antibiotic ointment, it can disrupt the baby's gut microbiome and promotes antibiotic resistance from overuse.
💣Infant-maternal bonding can be interrupted due to the ointment causing blurry vision, problems nursing, and possible separation during administration.
💣It can also cause irritability in baby's eyes, clogged ducts, chemical conjunctivitis (pink eye), and has a possibility of an allergic reaction.
💣You can reasonably decline the ointment if you test negative for Chlamydia and Gonorrhea, you are in a relationship with a non infected partner, and if you're having a C-section, since it is highly unlikely for a baby to be exposed to these, especially if your membranes are still intact.
💣Even if you are positive, there are other options for treating and preventing pink eye. Some even use the 'wait and see' approach to see if the baby even develops pink eye.
📷: Lane B. Photography