GBS+ Mamas, I need your help!!! I'm due in 2 days and just found out i'm +!! - Page 2

[namistenicole]

Originally Posted by Lemon Juice

thanks, Nicole

My mw will do the hebiclens when labor begins and during if needed.

Sorry Lemon Juice, somehow I missed this when I responded to your message.

[PTmorgan]

I was positive for my last pregnancy and just refused the antibiotics. The nurses gave me a dirty look and that's it. I believe that a single dose of antibiotics will only kill off the weak bacteria and allow the strong ones to thrive.

I've done a lot of research on the Hibiclens wash. Concentration at 0.2%, vaginal wash every 6 hours while in labor. The studies show that the rate of infection for the babies are the same as getting the antibiotics, EXCEPT the babies that got the Hibiclens wash got fewer e. coli infections than those who got the antibiotics! When I go into labor this time, I'm definitely doing the Hibiclens.

Good luck. It sounds like you have a lot of wonderful options and are taking advantage of many of them.

[phatchristy]

Just saw this thread, just wanted to offer up some hugs . It is a little strange that after four negative you've tested positive with #5! Though I do have a friend who has had 11 babies, and has tested positive once with them...though they redid it and she got a negative (they figured it was actually lab issues).

Anyhow, I'm glad to hear that you have the probiotics. Not only can that help rebalance the system, but it's a good idea to have that in your system if you do wind up taking the antibiotics.

[jrabbit]

I keep forgetting to take test! We were going to do it a week ago ... personally, I don't mind getting the test or even taking precautionary antibiotics, if I were positive, BUT

(and this is a big BUT)

our MW has NEVER had an infection in over 20 years and over 1600 babies. She does have IV antibiotics if a mom chose to have the test and was positive, but none of that is required.

Now, here is what we learned a couple weeks ago: the infection rate is high in hospitals, but there is controversy about *how* the babies are getting those infections. There isn't hard-evidence to prove that it's a GBS+ mom who's responsible. There is another illness that is also to blame for newborn infections (e.coli). They don't test mom for it, and they don't even know how the babies are getting it. (me, I would suspect the *hospital*) I think there is even some debate about the antibiotic having much effect on e.coli at all! When they started testing moms and doing the antibiotic protocol, there wasn't a significant decrease in the hospital infection rate, by the way!

And, they can't test for either of these diseases fast enough to treat them specifically, so if your baby is sick, they're just going to treat it with broad-spectrum antibiotics. And, yes, these two infections are very very serious and must be treated quickly. While babies don't have specific symptoms that will tell you if your baby specifically has GBS or e.coli, there are certainly warning signs to look for to tell you your baby is sick with something.

**Note: every person will test GBS+ sometimes. Some research implies that we all "have" it up to half the time. Nobody knows for sure why or when you'll test positive, and healthy adults don't have any symptoms. Babies can get sick because it isn't *their* germ - even though it's in mom. The biggest factor in hospital infections: you being exposed to germs that aren't normal for *you*. The window of opportunity that affects birth is 5 weeks, so you want to test about 37-38 weeks for the greatest accuracy before birth. If you're having a hb, you want the test close to the end so that you have proof of negative results, in case of a transfer. If you transfer without the test at all, you will be treated as if you are positive and subject to the hospital protocol for that. Yes, you can refuse antibiotics, but they're going to make you feel like an evil parent.

A full-term baby born without interventions and vaginal exams has a practically no chance of getting sick *from these infections* and even less of a chance, when they're born at home. There isn't a time-frame for rupture and birth - but once rupture occurs, do NOT have any vag exams and check mom for fever.

best wishes
--janis

[Lemon Juice]

So I did a search for gbs and found a great article on Mothering about it. Anyone looking for info still or who happens upon this thread by a search should really read it. I feel much more at ease w/ my choice now and more confident in my ability to decide what to do.

Here it is.

[Luv2bemommy]

THanks for that link!! I will be sure to read it in a bit!

[Lemon Juice]

Originally Posted by Luv2bemommy

THanks for that link!! I will be sure to read it in a bit!

No problem I am feeling much better about things today. I'm due today as well and sending the test to the lab in about an hour. So...hopefully we'll get the results back but if not then at least I feel like I've done all I can w/ what I know and how much time I had/have. In an ideal world babe would arrive on like, Friday or something and the test will be in and negative and all will be well. If it's positive (we're only testing the vaginal area) then we'll have to cross that bridge when or if we get to it. Just trying to let the universe take care of us and stay positive. :

[applecider]

Hey Leslie, just thinking about you! Hope everything gets resolved soon and you have a wonderful, peaceful homebirth.

[Lemon Juice]

Originally Posted by cody'smomma

Hey Leslie, just thinking about you! Hope everything gets resolved soon and you have a wonderful, peaceful homebirth.

Thank you, Sara that is really helpful right now and I really appreciate it. Hope you are well and babe is doing good!

[CookAMH]

Originally Posted by Lemon Juice

So I did a search for gbs and found a great article on Mothering about it. Anyone looking for info still or who happens upon this thread by a search should really read it. I feel much more at ease w/ my choice now and more confident in my ability to decide what to do.

Here it is.

That was a great article. I am allergic to penicillin. If I read it right, I am not increasing my baby's risk of infection by refusing abx if I don't have the 3 main risk factors, even if I test positive before labor?

[Lemon Juice]

Originally Posted by CookAMH

That was a great article. I am allergic to penicillin. If I read it right, I am not increasing my baby's risk of infection by refusing abx if I don't have the 3 main risk factors, even if I test positive before labor?

That is what it seems. I would suggest a Hebiclens wash at the start of labor b/c studies showed that using it was just as effective as using abx during labor. You can buy it at any drugstore and your mw can dilute it for you.

If you do a retest, what I saw suggested was that you test the vaginal area only to see if it is postive or negative. You can also swab and do another test on only the rectum. Just so you know what you're dealing w/. I did this, didn't do rectum tho but you certainly can (mw only had one test swab on her at my appt).

I talked to a few mamas today that I know (homeschool group) and 2 had gbs+ results. One didn't get any abx b/c she delivered too soon and was kept in the hospital 3 days b/c of it, her son was fine. Another did get the abx and I asked her how her babe was w/ thrush and colic. She was shocked I mentioned that b/c her dd had horrible thrush and she did too and it was very painful to nurse. Her dd had was "hard" and had colic for 3 months or so as well and b/c of this combination and the thrush she quite nursing early on. She really wanted to continue but said it was horrible for both of them and so hard...she had many issues w/ not being able to get through all the pain and BF and felt awful. Needless to say she was shocked when I told her the link to thrush and colic b/c of abx for GBS during labor. She had another dd a few years later and was negative for gbs and that dd was "fine" and nursed quite a long time.

Very, very interesting, huh?!