Your thoughts requested on GBS and hibiclens

[family birther]

Hi again all.

So, I'm 36 weeks. I've been looking to get a GBS test so that we have a negative result to show at the hospital in case of transfer. In the end, I've contacted a midwife in the area and she's agreed to get me a test to do at home and send in to the lab. I've heard of moms doing a hibiclens douch before taking the test to be sure of a negative result. Truefully I've never done a douch and the idea makes me nervous, for an unknown reason. At the same time, I have 2 bottles from other home birthers that never used it from their birth kit. I don't know what else I'd use them for. Do you? Not that I have to use them. I could pass them on to the next unsuspecting prego momma with the rest of my left over supplies. So help me out here. What do you think all?

I must add that I have really appreciated this group. I haven't talked much at all, but to ask questions or advise, but I've been a busy reader! Thanks for your support, even when you weren't truly talking to me at the time.

Amy =)

[SarahInCA]

because I've been GBS positive for both of my previous births. Would love a trick to not be!

[Illiana]

I have a GBS test tomorrow and would love a way to make sure i don't test positive. I tested negative last time but that doesn't really mean anything.

[SarahInCA]

Originally Posted by Illiana

I have a GBS test tomorrow and would love a way to make sure i test positive. I tested negative last time but that doesn't really mean anything.

Why would you want to be GBS positive? Is there something I don't know? It's always been a bad thing for me to test positive.

[Illiana]

typo... should say DON'T test positive.

[LizD]

GBS can be inhibited by hibiclens; I was instructed to use it by my midwife. Since my babies are always early, I'm not sure if the GBS broke the water early or not.

But what I can say is do not *douche* with the hibiclens. Douching is too invasive and can force stuff up into your cervix and make things worse. My midwife prefers the term "gentle lavage;" that is, lather some hibiclens up, wash internally gently, and rinse out inside *gently* with diluted hibiclens and then water with a peri-bottle.

Why do you need to be sure of a negative result? Things may have changed since my children were born, but my midwife's expectation was that depending on how long my water was broken and whether I spiked a temp I might need IV antibiotics. I hope it doesn't jeopardize anyone's health care or homebirth.

[Illiana]

for me, if i end up transferring for whatever reason a postive GBS means automatic antibiotics and then an extended stay if this labor is short like my last one and they don't have time to get the full dose of antibiotics in.

[family birther]

Originally Posted by Illiana

for me, if i end up transferring for whatever reason a postive GBS means automatic antibiotics and then an extended stay if this labor is short like my last one and they don't have time to get the full dose of antibiotics in.

Yes, I don't know where you live Illiana, but we are in a town where there are two hospitals to transfer but they have all of the same OB's practicing at each hospital. A friend was a L&D nurse at one and said if you transfer there for a birth or following a birth even within the first week you or the baby will be given an onslaught of antibiotics if you do not have proof of a negative test. And, like Illiana said, you will be kept longer after the birth if they didn't get the full dose in. She now works at U of Chicago and she says it is the same drill there. They might even decide to order a run of the antibiotics if you come in with the negative test. I want to have a test in hand to "fight" with, if the need presents itself. They'll already think I'm crazy irresponsible for trying an unassisted birth.

[LizD]

What a nuisance that we have to plan against all those adversarial eventualities.

I remembered a few more suggestions my mw had for the hibiclens wash- once or twice a day was the actual internal washing, and another idea was to lie back in the bath and relax to let the soapy water in and out, if you can do that as some women can. More gentle than douche or squirt bottle. And then I was to use the hibiclens like regular soap in the shower (for the peri-area only, of course) and when using the toilet every time, with the peri-bottle. I have really sensitive skin but the hibiclens never bothered me.

[Rejoicing]

I had some hot pink hibi-stuff in a peri-bottle that a mw gave to me bc my bag ruptured several days before I actually delivered (also had meconium due to breech). I just squirted it in the general area. Also she said to use it if we going to do any internal checks. I would hang on to some in case you need it during labor.

[MsBlack]

Most hibiclense is sold at a 4% solution, and you want to wash/douche with a .2% solution. This means taking a small amount of hibiclense and diluting it by 20 times with water. You can use a peribottle or bulb syringe to push it up into your yoni gently and only trying to reach the lower portion of your yoni (not a high douche to the cervix).

I believe that 2tablespoons of hibiclense to about 1 cup of water is right...but you can do the math for yourself: 1 cup = 250 cc (or ml, same thing).

I also recommend doing the hibi wash prior to gbs testing, to insure a negative test; same reasons other have noted--that hospital transfer is SO MUCH better w/a negative gbs test in hand! Seems so silly to me...but it's practically like magic in terms of how families are treated. 'Treated' medically, and also 'treated' psychologically--having done the gbs test makes you look more sane and responsible in their eyes Well, whatever it takes! Because US protocols for gbs are so utterly nonsensical and potentially damaging to babies and moms, birth and BF, I think it only makes sense to use whatever tricks it takes to sidestep those protocols.

[chinupchamp]

Hey OP, I just thought I would add that I make sure I test my VAGINA and not sweep the test from my vagina to my anus. Here we administer our own test in the bathroom at the clinic and the practitioners tell you to test in the vagina first and then sweep it down to the anus and just slightly in. I just think it's silly to check for GBS in my bum - as far as I am aware, there are way more bacteria in a bum than you can shake a stick at!

There's lots of info on this out there btw. It's a colonization problem that has to do with picking GBS up on the way down the birth canal and PROM etc. It's hasn't got much to do with your bum!

Just my

[family birther]

Thanks to each of you for your opinions and ideas. =) I have never had a GBS positive test with my other 3, and haven't done anything with hibiclense so I appreciate talking about it. As Ms. Black said I'd just like to be treated better in case of transfer, which hasn't happened to me before either. *shrug* Thanks for the instruction on how to do the wash also msBlack. =)

[anniegirl]

It may be too late, but I read somewhere about using garlic cloves to get rid of GBS. IIRC it takes time though (weeks or more?).

Okay, I just did a google search and this is the first that popped up. It's not the same place I originally read about it, and I don't know anything about this site. http://www.gentlebirth.org/archives/gbsCohain.html