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North Dakota Babies
Group Strep B
I'm probably getting more worked up about this than I need to, but I'm freaking out about it right now. I tested positive for this at 35 weeks. I cried because I was so upset about having an IV. I got over it because I realized that it's only once every 4 hours and they will just hook me up to it for the antibiotics and that's it.
So why did Baby Quinn have to stay in NICU for 48 hours? Is it because Morgan didn't have her results from the test in on time for them to know to give her antibiotics? (I know I should be asking Morgan, but I don't think she's around and I'm freaking out about it now.)
I read an article and it seems to say that the baby may have to stay in the NICU for 48 hours if the antibiotics aren't administered at least 4 hours prior to delivery and/or it's been a long time between when the mother's water breaks and the antibiotics are administered. Now I'm really freaking out because my whole plan was to stay home for as long as I can possibly tolerate, but if this is truly the case, now I feel like I have to get to the hospital sooner.
Now I'm pissed about this stupid Strep B all over again. Is this what happens when all of your BR tasks are complete and you are just sitting around waiting for the baby to arrive? You act like a moron and find new things to be stressed out about?
This discussion has been closed.
Re: Group Strep B
I think if I remember correctly, at my hospital, if I do have to have the IV, I come in as soon as my water breaks to get the first round, and I think that I can go home afterwards again. I just have to go in to get it a few times because the more they can give you the better off the baby is.
I would like to hear what Morgan has to say about this topic.
It sounds like what happened with me and A-man.
I developed a fever and infection during labor b/c my water was broke about 18 hours before I actually delivered.
As my fever increased the nurses and Dr. said that he was going to have to be in the NICU once he was born. (I was GBSN.)
I was lucky though. My hospital discharged me before A-man but they had a policy that if your baby is still admitted you can stay in your room as long as it is not needed. They don't give you food or anything, you just get to stay so you are close to your baby. Anderson was discharged either later that day or the next, but he had to go through a lot of tests that most babies don't before he left.
(The oddest one...car seat test...we had to strap him into the car seat in the NICU on monitors for an hour or two to make sure he was fine.)
It is too bad that Morgan's hospital doesn't have that policy. It would have devastated me to leave without him.
Group B strep is fairly common and and come and go without incident. You may not even have it by the time you deliver but knowing you had it they will follow procedure as a precaution to both you and the baby.
Rare is the situation where mom/baby don't get the standard of care (antibiotics) in time. Most likely, as others' mentioned- once your water breaks you run the risk of infection which is why if someone even thinks this is a possibility they need to get checked!- so, the fever/infection that they developed is why Quinn was in the NICU- for all we know she (the baby)could have swallowed meconium- which happens all the time...this is (in the grand scheme of medical care) not a big deal and is more a precaution while they treat the LO to ensure that no complications develop as a result.
HTH! And, try not to stress..chances are, you will both be fine.
I don't know for the US, but in Holland they gave S. 7days antibiotics, b/c he spiked a fever in my belly and b/c there his blood levels were slightly elevated so there were traces of the bacteria in his blood. (and it all started with my spiking a fever during labor).
However, after he got off the heart/saturation monitor after 48hrs, they transferred him into my room, and the IV with antibiotics was administered in my room.
Since I had a c-section I have to give birth at a hospital with a new baby anyways, and we decided a new baby will be delivered through a planned c-section, so I'll be at the hospital no matter what. But if I had a natural delivery, they still wanted me to come in for a new baby as soon as labor started to start the IV.
If the US is the same, I'm sorry hon, but I don't think you'll be able to stay at home for as long as you can tolerate. I think they would want you to go to the hospital when you start having contractions so you can get at least 2 rounds of antibiotics.
HTH, and I'm sorry I don't have better news. However, keep in mind this is the Dutch policy, and I don't have a clue whether the US is the same.
(FWIW, in Holland they don't even test GBS during pregnancy. At least you know that you are a carrier of the bacteria and that you can take precautions. I never had a test offered so I didn't know I was carrier until I spiked a fever during labor and they tested my blood)
A friend of mine had GBS with her first pregnancy. All it meant for her was that she had to have an IV for the antibiotics and that DD had to be monitored for 48 hours post labor. DD was not in the NICU at all because mom didn't run a fever. So without knowing more about GBS in general, my guess is that either the baby or mom running a fever was the reason for the NICU (regardless of GBS results). ~25% of women test positive for GBS, it's just something that normally exists in our bodies, so don't beat yourself up over it. It's annoying but not a big deal. They do the antibiotics because in 1% of the cases the little one would get things like meningitis, or other related diseases which are hard to treat and lead to an increase in bad results (meaning little one doesn't do well to put it mildly).
I haven't been tested for GBS yet (not far enough along) but my biggest concern is testing positive and making sure I don't get penicillin or a derivative of penicillin because I'm allergic to it. So hopefully if that comes up, there is now a good alternative for that antibiotic otherwise things could get a little complicated.
The hospital I'm delivering (or planning to) at has a "hotel" where you get one free night the night you're released from the hospital for cases exactly like what Morgan's going through, when little one needs to stay an extra day. If it's more than one day you're out of luck or have to pay it yourself but at least it's an option so you can be close. I saw the rooms on the hospital tour and they didn't look that bad for a one night stay in that situation.
K+S 9.18.9 | DD #1 age 2 | PG # 5 EDD 9.17.12
I just wanted to send you a virtual (((hug))) considering it's too hot to hug anyone up in our area anyway, lol.
You're going to be ok, Natalee! We love you!!!
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I fail my strep B test as soon as I was admitted they hooked me up to IV w/ antibiotics. No nicu for TJ
HTH