alternative to IV for GBS?

papeete · April 2012

I just found out today I tested positive for group B strep. My midwife told me 40% of women do, and it isn't a big deal, but I really didn't want to have an IV. Are there any alternatives?

I know the health of my baby is the most important thing; I just want to see if there are ways I can feel less like a patient and more like I'm just doing what nature intended.

Thanks in advance!

StefandTodd · April 2012

You can research ways to rid your body of GBS and retest? Or do your research on what the actual risk is and how antibiotics decrease those risks to decide if you'd like to decline.

My OB would not retest me, and I arrived at the hospital too late for a second dose (you have to have two doses, over 4 hours for there to be a benefit of protection for your baby, and I was feeling the urge to push when they went to start an IV), so I declined the IV altogether (and baby was born within 2 hours). They made me stay in the hospital for 48 hours because of that though, but my LO is/was very healthy.

GL.

papeete · April 2012

StefandTodd:
You can research ways to rid your body of GBS and retest? Or do your research on what the actual risk is and how antibiotics decrease those risks to decide if you'd like to decline.
My OB would not retest me, and I arrived at the hospital too late for a second dose (you have to have two doses, over 4 hours for there to be a benefit of protection for your baby, and I was feeling the urge to push when they went to start an IV), so I declined the IV altogether (and baby was born within 2 hours). They made me stay in the hospital for 48 hours because of that though, but my LO is/was very healthy.
GL.

Thanks for sharing this-- it makes me feel a lot better. I know that the actual percentage of babies infected is super low (.5-1%), but the risks are so high, it feels like we "have to" get the IV to be responsible parents. I'm glad to know that sometimes, the circumstances (a quick birth, for example), will allow one to gracefully bow out of the antibiotics. :-)

All the more reason to push for a quick birth! (No pun intended.) :-)

Thanks again!

Smurphette · April 2012

I had them place a hep lock instead of a straight IV. I had to be hooked up to an IV for 15 minutes in early labor but was able to disconnect and move around freely after that. I delivered before the four hours had passed to get a second dose and although they wanted to keep my son 48 hours, I was able get us released at 24 instead, I believe in part because I had received the one dose of antibiotics.

papeete · April 2012

Smurphette:
I had them place a hep lock instead of a straight IV. I had to be hooked up to an IV for 15 minutes in early labor but was able to disconnect and move around freely after that. I delivered before the four hours had passed to get a second dose and although they wanted to keep my son 48 hours, I was able get us released at 24 instead, I believe in part because I had received the one dose of antibiotics.

That's true-- I forgot about the option of not being strapped to an IV. Thanks! This also makes me feel a lot better. :-)

Julia_JJ · April 2012

I also had a heplock. I got my first dose and then they disconnected me and I was able to go for a walk, take a bath, etc.

InfinityDreamer · April 2012

I tested GBS+ with my first two pregnancies. I have a history of severe reactions to antibiotics as a child and while I know that one of them was Amoxicillin, I am unsure of the other so my with my care providers this is what we decided was best:

Up until labor I tried natural remedies to resolve the situation, with the first we retested (still positive) with the second I opted not to retest and just assume I was still positive.

During labor every time I used the bathroom, or every hour (but who doesn't have to pee every 20 minutes at the end of their pregnancy) I used a peri bottle to rinse the general area down there with a solution of warm water and Hibiclens.

So we avoided antibiotics entirely and both LO's were perfectly healthy and lovely.

Want a personalized experience?

alternative to IV for GBS?

Re: alternative to IV for GBS?

Choose Another Board

Search Boards