arliemaria Posted December 29, 2011 Share Posted December 29, 2011 I haven't announced to anyone that we are expecting, but now I'm so stressed out. The nurse practitioner just called and told me I have a bladder infection with group B strep. How did I not know I was sick!? My husband is going to go pick up my antibiotics. Has anyone gone through this. I had a very difficult pregnancy with liver failure and birth defects last time and am just scared. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted December 29, 2011 Share Posted December 29, 2011 I had GBS and it was not really a problem. I had to be hooked up to an IV during the delivery but it was just one more thing to be hooked up to. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leav97 Posted December 29, 2011 Share Posted December 29, 2011 yes, with DD it was a bladder infection. 1 round of antibiotics when the infection was found and antibiotics during labor. With DS I was positive later when they did the swab to check for GBS and did antibiotics in labor. This time we will just assume I'm positive and do antibiotics during labor. Wasn't a big deal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DianeW88 Posted December 29, 2011 Share Posted December 29, 2011 Make sure you tell your L&D nurse you're Group B positive when the time comes. You'll have an IV with antibiotics through delivery. That's all there is to it. I've done it with each of my three kiddos. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tigger Posted December 29, 2011 Share Posted December 29, 2011 More than half the population is colonized with GBS, so it isn't uncommon - you'll do a round of antibiotics to clear the active infection now (since you have an active infection) and have an IV round of antibiotics during labor to protect against passing it to the baby during labor and delivery. You'll likely be told that once you start labor you need to get to the hospital or birthing center so the IV can be administered with enough time for it to take effect - you'll want to try to have the IV in place BEFORE your water breaks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cassy Posted December 29, 2011 Share Posted December 29, 2011 In the UK they don't routinely test for Group B Strep, however I was told I had it at 30 weeks pregnant. I went on to have a normal, natural homebirth, no antibiotics. The baby and placenta were tested for GBS at birth, both were clear. No problems whatsoever. I rather wish I'd not been tested in the first place (caused a lot of, as it turned out, unnecessary anxiety). Cassy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MindyD Posted December 29, 2011 Share Posted December 29, 2011 It's really not a big deal. I found out I had a uti when I went to my first prenatal visit but had no symptoms. I couldn't take the antibiotics I needed for that particular infection until my second trimester because it suppressed my ability to absorb folic acid. I never had any symptoms. As for GBS, it's really okay. They just give you an antibiotic during labor. Some people will say it's unnecessary, but it's a simple thing to avoid so I have no problem with it. I've had mine in the hospital anyway so I already had an iv. Don't worry about it at all. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NicAnn Posted December 29, 2011 Share Posted December 29, 2011 Group B strep is not a big deal at all. I know it sounds scary though! I'd say half my clients have it. All it means is that you will get a bag of antibiotics hung with your IV. If you've decided not to get the IV fluids and just go with the port (the norm at the hospitals around here), then tell your nurse and she will unhook it after the antibiotics have gone through. There are a lot of resources about treating it naturally, online, if that's something you'd be interested in. Don't feel guilty for not knowing you have the bladder infection. I'd say most women don't know until the dr tells them. I didn't know, and I've been in the birth business for years! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KRG Posted December 29, 2011 Share Posted December 29, 2011 I tested positive with my first pregnancy and had antibiotics during labor. My son was also infected when he was born and had 9 days of antibiotics in the hospital. He was perfectly fine. I was automatically treated with antibiotics with my second son. He was not infected. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kwickimom Posted December 29, 2011 Share Posted December 29, 2011 I am Group B positive too. never affected anything except that I had to spend an extra day in the hospital everytime (I hate hospitals) I never really even knew what it meant until reading stuff here :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moxie Posted December 29, 2011 Share Posted December 29, 2011 I am Group B positive too. never affected anything except that I had to spend an extra day in the hospital everytime (I hate hospitals) I never really even knew what it meant until reading stuff here :) Really? I've always test positive and left at the 24 hour mark (I also really hate hospitals). I just have to make sure I get the IV 4 hours before giving birth. I'm always induced so it's no big deal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlestonmom03 Posted December 29, 2011 Share Posted December 29, 2011 Really? I've always test positive and left at the 24 hour mark (I also really hate hospitals). I just have to make sure I get the IV 4 hours before giving birth. I'm always induced so it's no big deal. I've tested positive with all 4 and expect I will with this one too... With 2 of them I had to stay an extra 24 hours because I didn't have 4 hrs of the IV before the baby was born (with my 4th I hadn't had the IV at all because I hadn't been admitted to the hospital yet when he was born!). They just wanted to watch the baby for an extra day to make sure all was well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moxie Posted December 29, 2011 Share Posted December 29, 2011 I've tested positive with all 4 and expect I will with this one too... With 2 of them I had to stay an extra 24 hours because I didn't have 4 hrs of the IV before the baby was born (with my 4th I hadn't had the IV at all because I hadn't been admitted to the hospital yet when he was born!). They just wanted to watch the baby for an extra day to make sure all was well. That would really annoy me! My last child was born after only 2 hours on the IV. They did a blood test on her before we left and told me what to watch for but we were still able to leave at 24 hours. I did feel bad that she had the extra blood test so I told my doctor I'll wait the full 4 hours before we start the induction this time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canadianmumof5 Posted December 29, 2011 Share Posted December 29, 2011 It isn't a big deal while you are pregnant. At all. It is a big deal if it goes untreated & you pass it along to baby during delivery. Huge risks to baby. So best to treat now and while in labour just to be safe. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kwickimom Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 Really? I've always test positive and left at the 24 hour mark (I also really hate hospitals). I just have to make sure I get the IV 4 hours before giving birth. I'm always induced so it's no big deal. I was induced with all 3 and got the 4 hours of antibiotics in and they always make me stay 48 hours after birth. Seems like an eternity. With my 3rd I had to share a room (UGH!!!!) I guess its a hospital policy? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moxie Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 I was induced with all 3 and got the 4 hours of antibiotics in and they always make me stay 48 hours after birth. Seems like an eternity. With my 3rd I had to share a room (UGH!!!!) I guess its a hospital policy? Oh my goodness, sharing a room?? I can't even eat other people's food at a potluck. Share a bathroom with another postpartum woman; I'll have nightmares tonight! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 I am Group B positive too. never affected anything except that I had to spend an extra day in the hospital everytime (I hate hospitals) I never really even knew what it meant until reading stuff here :) We left AMA because they wanted us to stay three extra days. We finally just had to march out. Hospitals. I had read about the risks so their time frame didn't even make any sense in terms of risk going down. It isn't a big deal while you are pregnant. At all.It is a big deal if it goes untreated & you pass it along to baby during delivery. Huge risks to baby. So best to treat now and while in labour just to be safe. :grouphug: I think "huge" is too alarmist here when you consider how few babies are actually infected compared to how many gbs positive women are out there. Just do the antibiotics. It's a much smaller risk than many others to do with having a baby. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
funschooler5 Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 I tested positive for Group Strep B with my first, and they hooked me up to IV antibiotics but my labor was so fast it didnt take effect. I didn't get tested for pregnancies 2 and 3, we just treated it like I was still positive. IV antibiotics for #2, with an even quicker delivery. Baby #3 was a home waterbirth so we could not use antibiotics....I took probiotics, garlic, and used Hibicleanse while I was pregnant. Hers was the longest labor, but still only 5 hrs. All three of my kids turned out fine. We are planning a home waterbirth for #4 and will do the same routine. I always get a little worried because my water has broken before labor starts every time...but I think it's just an issue in prolonged labors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigMamaBird Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 A third of all women have Group Strep B at any given moment. It's not serious to the baby unless untreated. During delivery you'll be given an IV of antibiotics. That's about it. I had it with my last child. It's pretty common and easy to handle, but they take it seriously because it has the potential to cause issues if passed to the baby. The upside is, when you arrive at the hospital, if your water has broken, they will bump you to the top of the waiting list. :D There were three women there before me, but because of the GSB, I got the first room available. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dustybug Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 I had GBS and it was not really a problem. I had to be hooked up to an IV during the delivery but it was just one more thing to be hooked up to. :grouphug: :iagree:I had GBS with my last two pregnancies and they just gave me some antibiotics before delivery and I stayed one extra day in the hospital so they could keep an eye for signs of it in the babies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirty ethel rackham Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 It is standard treatment to try to get two doses of IV antibiotics 4 hours apart before the baby is born. In my experience as a childbirth educator both before and after this standard was adopted, one thing I noticed was a huge increase in cases of thrush in mother and baby if mom had antibiotics. I would encourage you to consider taking probiotics after having the baby to encourage a flora of healthy bacteria so the yeast doesn't have a chance to get a foothold. If you are penicillin allergic, you may need to talk to your caregiver about alternatives. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In2why Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 Make sure you tell your L&D nurse you're Group B positive when the time comes. You'll have an IV with antibiotics through delivery. That's all there is to it. I've done it with each of my three kiddos. :D Yes this, and make sure to tell them in case they miss it in your chart. We had to tell the nurses when my daughter delivered. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jennsmile Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 Mothering.com has an interesting article on GBS and how the antibiotic treatment is not without issues. It might be a good read for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canadianmumof5 Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 We left AMA because they wanted us to stay three extra days. We finally just had to march out. Hospitals. I had read about the risks so their time frame didn't even make any sense in terms of risk going down. I think "huge" is too alarmist here when you consider how few babies are actually infected compared to how many gbs positive women are out there. Just do the antibiotics. It's a much smaller risk than many others to do with having a baby. Yes, I understand how it can be perceived as alarmist. Unfortunately I have seen the effects of GBS on a brand new baby girl, whose mom wasn't treated. It was devastating. She was a very, very sick little baby for a very long time; and all of it could have been avoided if mom had been properly treated. Yes, I realize that these cases are few & far between but I wouldn't want to take any chances. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forget-Me-Not Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 (edited) Mothering.com has an interesting article on GBS and how the antibiotic treatment is not without issues. It might be a good read for you. :iagree: I don't agree with everything I read at MDC, but that particular article does raise some interesting points. I'm not saying you should or shouldn't have the treatment, but there are some valid arguments against the blanket treatment of GBS with antibiotics. I've never been in those shoes, and I'm not sure what I would have done myself if I'd tested positive. If we have another one, it will likely be c/s anyway, so it won't matter :D Edited December 30, 2011 by LemonPie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jewellsmommy Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 I had GBS and it was not really a problem. I had to be hooked up to an IV during the delivery but it was just one more thing to be hooked up to. :grouphug: :iagree: The only difference that it really made was that I had to go in earlier than I would have had to. My water broke very early on and they wanted me to start the IV. :glare: That was it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NicAnn Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 :iagree: The only difference that it really made was that I had to go in earlier than I would have had to. My water broke very early on and they wanted me to start the IV. :glare: That was it. This isn't totally relevant, but I wanted to point out to people because most don't know-- you can always leave the hospital whenever the mother wants. Heck, you could even walk out during a C-Section (not that anyone would..). I encourage clients to talk to their dr, go in for the abx and then leave until they are ready to go back in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jennsmile Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 :iagree: I don't agree with everything I read at MDC, :D I don't either, which is why I canceled my subscription. ;) But sometimes I like the other sides view. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arliemaria Posted December 30, 2011 Author Share Posted December 30, 2011 Can someone link to the MDC article? Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jennsmile Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 Can someone link to the MDC article? Thanks. MDC article Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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