HELP! Need Opinion!

[j4ino]

my daughter, husband and I were sick last week with a headcold. Since I was 38 weeks pregnant, my mom spent almost every day with us taking care of us so I could get healthy as quickly as possible. Now my mom is sick. My midwife wants me to take castor oil tomorrow to induce labor (she wants me to have the baby while I'm on oral antibiotics for GBS in my urine). She doesn't want me to take the oral antibiotics for more than two weeks - which will be this friday. Also, my BP has been going up so that it another reason she wants me to take the castor oil to get the baby out.

I'm having a home birth and I REALLY want my mother to be there - for support. It would really upset me if she wasn't there to witness the birth. But if she is sick - how safe is it for her to be there? If she has my cold, it is no big deal because we all have immunities to it (including the baby because I will be breastfeeding). But there is no way to guarantee that she exactly has my cold.

What would you do?

[AZgirl2207]

It's most likely that your Mom has the same cold you have already recovered from. I would certainly have her there for the birth and not worry about the cold--assuming that your mom feels mostly ok. A headcold is one thing, the flu is a different thing entirely. Observe strict handwashing, etc (which I"m sure you will anyway!). I remember reading that large doses of Vit C, D, and A can reduce contagiousness.

Happy birthing!

[Banana731]

face mask?

I doubt Drs and nurses take off work for a head cold, no one else does.

[boysmom2]

When my oldest was born, my dh had full-on influenza (I'm 99% sure - this was almost 9 years ago, before all the hysteria and "official" testing and dx). He had been in bed for days. I went into labor the day after Easter and he had skipped dinner with my family to sleep all day. I went into labor in the middle of the night but didn't wake him up. I wanted to let him sleep as long as I could. My mw calling me back at 6am woke him up. He rallied and was able to do an awesome job of supporting me through 18 more hours of back labor and we had a drug-free vag birth at midnight. Baby and I never caught what he had.

I think if your mom is up for it, it should be fine.

[MsBlack]

I agree that it will likely be ok. I also think you could wait longer for baby (or castor oil)--sure, the gbs might come back after the antibiotics are done, but surely that will take some time. At least a week, maybe...? even more. I think inducing now, just to have abx 'current', is over-cautious.

good luck!