GBS and probiotics

[marmo]

So I've had two Group B Strep positive cultures now. Has anyone here had any experience with taking probiotics to help with GBS?

[CookAMH]

I'd check the threads on pregnancy - lots of them there with good info. It usually seem to be a combination of probiotics with other natural ideas that worked for some people (and not for others).

You can always test again - the test can be positive one day, negative the next.

[burm_keep]

I've most often heard of treating with garlic (as you would a yeast infection), by inserting it vaginally.

[lotus.blossom]

There is also a wash called hibicleanse that midwives often use. I don't know if probiotics alone will touch it.

FWIW, if you have to have the antibiotics for GBS make sure you take the probiotics afterwards. I had something like 6-10 doses of penecillin while in labor/post partum with my son and we managed to escape any thrush issues. Thank goodness!!

I have my swab coming up next week. I am so thankful that my midwives have an herbal protocol if you test positive. If I get the info I will pass it along!

[JamieCatheryn]

It's commonly recommended and can't hurt to try garlic and probiotics, but I wouldn't count on that 100% if I were concerned about clearing GBS. Which I'm not, personally. Hibiclens done in labor could clear it a little less invasively than IV abx.

[Asher]

What gestation do they generally do the gbs test? I don't even remember.

[~Katie~]

Originally Posted by Asher

What gestation do they generally do the gbs test? I don't even remember.

I think I had mine around 35-36 weeks with DS, I think its normally done between then and 38 weeks?

[boysmom2]

I've been hoping to be GBS- this time so I've been trying to do what I can to keep things healthy. I think GBS is one of those things that can grow better when our systems are not properly balanced, so I've been doing all the stuff you do to avoid yeast infections. I figure if it's not a good place for yeast to overgrow, it's probably not a good place for other bad stuff either. But, I've also had antibiotics 2x during the last few months for strep throat. Both times they gave me yeast infections. I treated those with garlic (vag. suppository) around the clock until my symptoms went away, and then probiotics (also vag.) each night for a few nights. Maybe you could start with that?

I also take probiotics orally 2x a day, I drink diluted 100% cranberry juice all day (like 1/2 an inch in the bottom of my water glass and then fill the rest of the way with water), and I try to avoid sugar, white flour, etc.

Oh, also I'm trying to get my DH to do all this too, since he could just re-infect me. His diet's not great, but I at least get him to take the probiotics and I try to feed him as well as he'll let me.

If you are still +, maybe you could talk to your ob/mw about treatment options. If they won't agree to the hibiclens wash, maybe you could get them to do it how they do the hospital I'll be delivering at. Rather than being stuck with an IV for all of labor, they will let you have a heplock in between doses. I didn't have that option with my other births (IV the WHOLE time, so I think this would be better.

Good luck!

[Limabean1975]

Um. I'm just reading this thread to learn in case this issue comes up for me. I have a wee question...when you say garlic inserted vaginally, can you be more specific. Are we talking sticking a raw clove up there???:

[marmo]

I'm also curious as to how I would use probiotics vaginally. Maybe I need a better imagination but I think it's something I would want to do right, ya know? They did a culture on my at 28 weeks because I complained to my ob about funny colored discharge. I still don't know if the two are related, but if I end up needing antibiotics, I will do them, but probably ask for a heplock so I am not tied to an IV. I am wondering though, if the baby picks up all the good bacteria and flora from the birth canal, what happens if you have antibiotics? Does baby need probiotics after birth, then? How would I even go about doing that?

Thanks, everyone, for being helpful, as usual!!

[lotus.blossom]

I'm assuming that the baby probably gets all that good stuff from your milk. When my son started eating solids I gave him a liquid probiotic supplement. It was a blueberry flavored super concentrated yogurt type thing. He LOVED it!

[Asher]

Originally Posted by KatieJD

I think I had mine around 35-36 weeks with DS, I think its normally done between then and 38 weeks?

Thanks I need to be checked next week for other reasons (work is requiring me to bring back a note saying that I can continue working due to some recent issues ) and I was wondering if I could go ahead and ask them to do the GBS now while they're down there. Not sure that's the best idea at this time, though since I think I have a yeast infection for the first time this pregnancy. *sigh*

[boysmom2]

Originally Posted by Limabean1975

Um. I'm just reading this thread to learn in case this issue comes up for me. I have a wee question...when you say garlic inserted vaginally, can you be more specific. Are we talking sticking a raw clove up there???:

Yes. Some people find that it stings a bit, so be careful when you peel it. Try not to nick the clove itself. I didn't have that problem, so I actually poked a bunch of holes in it to help it work faster! Some people wrap it in gauze and sew a string through the gauze to make it easier to remove. I didn't have any removal difficulties, so I just used it plain. Oh, also I found that when it was in there, I could faintly taste it (weird, I know). If that's annoying, you could just do it at night.

I also just stuck a probiotic capsule up there.

DH thinks I'm nuts!

[JamieCatheryn]

You might want to wear a pad if you're sticking anything in there, as there may be an increase in discharge and bits of whatever it is coming out...don't want garlicy underpants.

[boysmom2]

Originally Posted by JamieCatheryn

You might want to wear a pad if you're sticking anything in there, as there may be an increase in discharge and bits of whatever it is coming out...don't want garlicy underpants.

Good point! The garlic actually wasn't too bad, but the probiotic was a bit messy. I always just used a pantiliner. Though, when treating for yeast, I go without undies at night and wear baggy pj pants - to help everything breath a bit better. The garlic never fell out while I was in bed or anything.

[veganfox]

Originally Posted by lotus.blossom

FWIW, if you have to have the antibiotics for GBS make sure you take the probiotics afterwards.

Hello mamas. I was wondering about that. I'm taking the antibiotics (i have to take them for 10 days in a row) and then during labor. Should I wait until I'm done to go back to taking probiotics or can I do it at the same time? So confusing. I know I'm prone to yeast infections and I just worry that the abx will mess me up again.

[mamayarn]

Originally Posted by JamieCatheryn

You might want to wear a pad if you're sticking anything in there, as there may be an increase in discharge and bits of whatever it is coming out...don't want garlicy underpants.

[lotus.blossom]

veganfox- I'd say take them after each dose of antibiotics. During is kind of counterproductive, but if theres a couple weeks between doses you can try to build up the good bacteria again and avoid the stomach upset or diahrreah.

[Miasmamma]

My MW gave me a handout about ways to treat GBS, and of course I can't find it right now. But she knows that I am taking probiotics and we are swabbing at my 37 week appt. The ones I have say to take 2-4 daily, so I'm taking 6. I was + with DD and really don't want to have to deal with antibiotics during labor on top of everything else. Since I'll be at home I don't have to worry about an IV, b/c I will tell you that if you've never had a penicillin IV, they can hurt. The penicillin has to be refrigerated and when something cold hits your veins it feels like a heart attack. Or at least mine did.

[j_p_i]

Originally Posted by Asher

What gestation do they generally do the gbs test? I don't even remember.

Around 36 weeks.

I haven't heard anything about probiotics and GBS, though I take probiotics daily anyway (well, 3x a day actually). I don't have my GBS test results back yet, so I don't know if I'm + or -. We'll see!