Positive Group B Strep

knottief30ef418f327feb1

I just found out that I am positive for this Group B. Have any of you been positive? What was your experience/ outcome? Was the baby healthy? Did you have to stay in the hospital longer? Did the baby need the ICU from this? I’m so worried about it. Any info will help, thanks 

meggyme

GBS is not a death sentence, although it can feel scary. The doctor will probably want you at the hospital earlier in labor than most women so you can receive antibiotics. That will kill any infection that would otherwise threaten the baby. Call your doctor for their specific recommendation.

lelkcot

Honestly, GBS isn't really a big deal. You typically will need antibiotics during labor to protect baby, so they might want you to come in a little earlier during labor (they want to get 2 does, typically 2-3 hrs apart). I would bring up your concerns with your doctor.
I was GBS+ with both my kids and had no complications for either, and I actually only got one dose of antibiotics with my second. Only suggestion is to go with an arm IV vs. hand with the antibiotics, as they can be a little painful when being administered via a hand IV.  

calliah

I was positive with my second and positive this time too. It’s really not a big deal. I had two rounds of penicillin 4 hours apart. That’s all that is needed to keep baby safe. It’s important to get to the hospital as soon as you can after thinking you are in labor so you can get the antibiotics. 

I know if you can’t get both doses they want to observe baby longer but I would highly doubt nicu time would be needed unless baby ends up getting sick. 

The penicillin burns like a MFer going in. Otherwise it was fine. 

coldlife2

Fwiw, I was GBS+ this time (negative with my first two children), and I was still able to have an out-of-hospital birth and go home at the same time - about four hours post birth.

I went in as soon as I could, but I have relatively short labors generally, so I was always going to do that. I knew there was a chance I wouldn’t get both doses, maybe not even one dose, before the baby came. I did end up being there long enough to have both doses, but even if I’d been at my birth center for only three hours like I was with my second, and thus only able to have one dose not even at full strength, I still would have been able to go home like normal. They told us the signs to watch for, which are similar to what you’d watch for normally with an OOH birth where you go home before 24 hours anyway - signs of infection, odd behavior, abnormal breathing patterns, and such. 

It really wasn’t a big deal, and my baby is fine. Even if I hadn’t gotten antibiotics, chances are still high my baby would be fine. And, if I lived in the U.K., I would probably never have even known I was positive because the standard of care over there does not include routine GBS testing.

ETA: I did not have an experience like @calliah. I didn’t notice any burning or anything like that at all. The IV was annoying at times. Like, my H would grab my arm and have to adjust because he grabbed over it on accident. But my midwives capped it off so I was only attached to tubes for the ten minutes or so it took the meds to run in. I was still able to move around at will. I never laid in bed once my entire labor and delivery except for a couple cervical checks. 

knottief30ef418f327feb1

Thank you all for answering!