GBS pos and very disappointed

Stephij1

I found out today that I'm GBS positive and will need antibiotics during labor. So much for my plan to stay home as long as possible and to labor without an I.V. To top it off, I'm allergic to penicillin, so I have to have one of the heavy-duty antibiotics that basically wipe everything out. Boo!

I guess there's no point to this post other than to vent.

Stephij1

Thanks ladies, that actually makes me feel a little better!

CLLDLL

Just wanted to say that I was GBS+ with DS2.  I walked into the hospital doors at 1am at 8cm. Got IV antibiotics at 1:30 am.  Delivered at 2:55 am.  It all turned out fine.  They actually had to turn the speed up on the antibiotics so fast that it burned a bit going in! 

This is not medical advice, and you'll want to talk with your Dr. about what he/she is comfortable with for you, but I did want to share my story since it is possible to be GBS+, labor at home, and deliver med-free.

You can do this mama!  Even if you do end up having to be in the hospital for most of your labor, there are plenty of moms who go med-free anyway.  Good luck!

jess9802

I wouldn't feel comfortable not treating GBS.

I was induced with DS, but was still able to walk around my room, use the jacuzzi tub, and try the birthing ball, thanks to IV poles and telemetry monitoring. I was not attempting natural childbirth, but the nurses did help me try to manage med-free as long as I wanted.

vvvvvfee

agree with PP that you really don't need to rush to the hospital once you start labor, unless your water has broken. although you can even wait a while on that, assuming there was no meconium in the fluid. you can also ask for a hep lock once you get to the hospital, so that they can unhook you from the IV in between doses of antibiotics.

i was GBS+ with DS and was worried about it as well, but i ended up having a very fast labor. my water broke at 1:30 AM, we got to the hospital after 3 AM, and i had DS a little after 5 AM. they only got in 1 dose of antibiotics. they will monitor your LO carefully for any signs of fever/infection.

i know it's a bummer, but it doesn't have to be a big deal. you can still stay at home as long as possible, and make sure you advocate for your wishes once you get to the hospital. GL!

klkonwi

It really depends on the pediatricians/infant doc you are using as well (I'm an l and d nurse). Some pediatricians require that you get 2 doses of the antibiotics and if you don't they will do a blood draw to be safe on the babe..... Safety is the key.

jennypolkadots

You can talk to your doctor about other ways of treating GBS, although I don't think getting the doses of antibiotics will have a huge impact on your labor if it's what you chose to do. My midwives do a diet rich in probiotics (I take 2 capsules of Bio-Kult a day) and a clorhexidine rinse during and after delivery, unless the mother prefers antibiotics. They have never had a case of GBS in a newborn, but their numbers of women who test positive are lower than average because of the probiotics. When a woman tests positive at 36 weeks they up her probiotics dose and retest in 2 weeks, often finding her to be negative. 

I agree with everyone, safety is key and I would never suggest to not treat GBS. The most important thing regardless of your birth plan is a healthy baby at the end. 

lcourter24

I had a great OB with my last pregnancy and was GBS + also.  He actually wrote me an oral script that I got filled about a week before I was due and I was still able to stay home and take the pills once I knew it was the real deal then when we got to the hospital they gave me one round in the IV which I hardly remember now bc I was sitting on a ball by the bed in the zone.  I'm sure not all docs will do that but it's worth asking.  GL!!!

stephaniejfree

I was gbs+ with my son and ended up getting to the hospital about 4 hours before he was born. I asked for a hep lock, so I didn't have a full IV and could move around, just ask for one! I'm also allergic to penicillin and got one dose of the antibiotic. Hoping I'm not gbs+ again but it wasn't the end of the world. GL to you!

Chichigo

I was GBS+ and allergic to penicillin. My doctors still encouraged me to labor at home. We ran into problems getting the IV in, and my labor progressed quickly so I didn't get a full course of antibiotics. The pediatrician kept us longer for observation, which might have happened anyway because of jaundice and light therapy.

MJLamping85

I'm a NICU nurse, but also a mama that wants a totally natural delivery. Definitely ask for the heplock so you can move around between antibiotic doses...even when the antibiotics are running in you can move around with the IV poll. You should be fine to labor at home as long as your water is intact. Once that breaks is when the baby is potentially exposed to the GBS but talk to your MD/midwife and see what they prefer and recommend. At the end of the day it's all about taking a healthy baby home I have seen catastrophic outcomes for babies that got GBS sepsis..... nothing is worth that. Embrace the antibiotics! I recommend taking good probiotics to reaccumulate all of the good bacteria in your gut following the antibiotics. Good luck with everything!

gingerlime44

I was GBS+ and labored over 17 hours so I had multiple doses.  With the heplock I was able negotiate time off the tube between doses and even with the IV in I could still push the IV stand pole around the floor with no issue.  It really wasn't that big of a deal.  I agree about getting lots of probiotics in afterwards though.  

melknee78

I was GBS + with my second but my labor was only an hour and 20 minutes and I only got about an hour of antibiotics in so they gave the baby penicillin at birth.  I was concerned because my husband and oldest are allergic to it but it turned out fine.