- Pregnancy
- Baby & Toddler
- Parents
- Getting Pregnant
- Baby Names
- Product Reviews
-
Registry
- Community
-
More
Want a personalized experience?
Download the free app
Natural Birth
Dealing with GBS + status?
DH and I have been committed to having as natural and non-medicated birth as possible since before we got pregnant. I did a ton of research and reading, we took Bradley classes, chose a birthing center with midwives instead of a hospital, hired a doula to support us, etc etc.
On Tuesday I found out I'm GBS +. I know that it's not the end of the world and that it will seem like a minor issue in the big picture, but I'm having a hard time letting go and re-imagining our birth. I only have to be hooked up to the IV for 20 minutes every four hours once we go into the center (earlier if my waters break before active labor starts). The biggest issue is that we have to transfer to the hospital if my water breaks and labor doesn't start within 24 hours (which I know is rare).
I can still have a waterbirth. I can still walk around. And we have always told ourselves that the ultimate goal is a healthy and happy mom and baby, even if it means we have to be transferred to the hospital for some reason. But I'm just in a funk worrying about the new time limit and thinking about having to have the open connection for the IV (I'm forgetting the technical term) even though they'll wrap it and secure it when I'm not hooked up. I'm also Rh - and have hypothyroidism, so I was hoping that we were done with the poking and prodding at this point (I really hate getting my blood drawn). I just feel discouraged that it's one more complication we have to deal with...
Anybody have any advice or experience in coming to terms with this and viewing it in a positive way?
BFP #1 9.5.11, natural m/c 9.9.11
BFP #2 11.16.11, Lena Mae born 7.14.12!
This discussion has been closed.
Re: Dealing with GBS + status?
I would talk to your midwives about how open they are to letting you get a dose of antibiotics and then going back home if labor has not started in that 24 hours. I know some are more flexible than others.
I was GBS+ and the IV did not really impact me at all. I was able to get up and move around as long as I wheeled the little hanger thing with me. It was really such an after thought.
Would your provider be willing to retest you? Although mine was not willing to retest, she encouraged me to stay home as long as I wanted/could in labor, claiming there was very little chance as a FTM that I'd arrive with less than 4 hours to baby so she wasn't worried about that. I labored at home until 8+ cm and had my baby within 3 hours of arriving at the hospital. By the time they were ready to put in my IV (after triage, etc), I was feeling pushy, so I declined them (one dose does nothing, so what was the point at that point?!)...they made me stay 48 hours, but my baby was completely healthy.
What are your options for declining (if this is even an option you're willing to consider)? Or deciding based on how your labor is progressing? I don't mean to sound like I would just flat out decline, necessarily, but I think educating yourself about how low your risk is if, say, your labor progresses quickly and/or your water doesn't break until you're in hard labor, etc is important so you can make the most educated decision...in the hospital, one of my nurses tried to tell me that one dose DOES help, and when I asked "then why don't they just give one dose to all GBS women when they're in transition or right before pushing?" she shut right up...just know your risks and options!. GL!
All of this. My midwives had me come in to get a dose of medicine and sent me home to labor/wait it out. If contractions didn't pick up in earnest I was supposed to come back 6 hours later for another dse--they did though and I was back before then.
The IV impacted me about zero percent. I was able to walk around with it, be in the tub with it, do whatever position I wanted in it. For me it was nbd. I hope this is the case for you as well!
I was GBS+ for both births. I totally get where you are coming from, it is disappointing and heartbreaking because it isn't how you pictured everything going. To make matters 'worse' for me my water broke well before labor started for both kids.
My advice is to have to have an open mind, you seriously never know what is going to happen in labor and delivery. You can absolutely have a plan, but remember that your body and your baby may have something different in mind.
Having the IV hookup was no big deal for me. I was planning birthing at a hospital anyway. I was still able to get up, move around, get in water, have natural births, do what ever I wanted to, except for those 20 minutes once every 4 hours.
In the end, and looking back, it really wasn't nearly as big of a deal as I thought it was when I first heard the news.
Good luck!!
I was GBS+ for DD's birth and it was a non-issue. I had a very fast labor and made it to the hospital only 90 minutes before she was born. So, way too late for antibiotics. DD was monitored for any signs of infection, but was totally fine.
FWIW, I ended up having an IV due to dehydration for 60 of the 90 minutes laboring in the hospital and it was not a big deal.
Maybe because it is better than nothing but less effective than the whole regimen? If the baby does get exposed to GBS, maybe having one dose of antibiotics before birth still reduces the odds of the baby getting sick, or gives them a head start on treating the baby. Anyone have any info on this?
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8677068
I was GBS+ the first time and got the IV antibiotics. It wasn't a big deal but I barely made it in time to get the two bags (one was still pumping when I delivered). They said if I hadn't gotten both bags in that they would have recommended a longer stay for observation, so you may want to ask what their practice is for this.
I talked to my MW's about if I'm GBS+ this time. They said they do the hibiciens douche as well and, if I retest positive and the levels are high, they'll just do an injectable antibiotic so it's not as much medication and I won't need an IV set.
Also, all of my MW's (i've had 3 this pregnancy) have told me that water births greatly reduce the changes of GBS passing through to the baby. Since there is so much water, the bacteria is so far deluded at the time of birth that there's little chance it will effect the baby even without the douche or antibiotics. I'd discuss your options with your MW and see if they're at all flexible with their treatment plan. GL!