GBS Pos and HB

[mdnaturalmama]

I just found out I'm positive. My MW has no problem with me doing a HB still, but I just need some more info. She said we could discuss what options I have for before/during labor. I know there are things to eat, take, insert, etc. Anyone have some good links or able to just tell me things I can consider doing? TIA.

[MountainMamaGC]

My SIL tested positive. She took garlic capsules 3 times a day for about 3 days, and then followed with a potent probiotic 3 times a day. I think she even put some of the probiotic powder into her vagina to repopulate it with friendly bacteria. She had the test done again and it was negative.

Some midwives will do a hibiclense (sp) when you first go into labor, but I dont know too much about that.

[Lit Chick]

I was positive with DS2.

I was going to do the hibicleanse, but DS2 was born too fast - I got as far as getting the bottle out and then *bang*, urge to push.  DS2 was fine - we were extra alert for any complications, but he did not get GBS.

The normal protocol is to do it at the start of labor, and then in intervals (4 or 8 hours, not sure which).  It's like a douche - kills off everything, but only temporarily. 

[octanebeetle27]

I've been told by our mw to take grapefruit seed extract and load up on very good probiotics (she mentioned one by Jarrow called Fem-dolphilus) since I have a history of GBS (lots of GBS UTIs with past pregnancies) .  I'm at the end of my first trimester though--I have no idea if it's appropriate to take either of these things in the 3rd trimester (I'm sure it is fine but I have not looked that far KWIM?).  Good luck--I know the GBS things sucks. I've been + with all 4 of my kids and it can be concerning.

[XanaduMama]

Here's a link to some studies on the efficacy of hibiclens for GBS (really effective, and yes: it's temporary, but so are antibiotics, since GBS can recolonize any time). Here's the protocol.

I would (and did) do all the other stuff as well--probiotics, megadoses of vitamin C, grapefruit seed extract, garlic... But if you really want to be sure, hibiclens is the only way to do it.

[Midwife Scottie]

I offer to my clients all of the things already mentioned. Hibiclense is my favorite choice. Just remember that in women that are positive but untreated 1-2 babies will become infected out of 200 (less than 1%). and midwives are trained to look for the signs of infection in babies. Good luck!

[eastmillcreekmama]

The information I was given with my first PG, where I tested GBS+, was that the risk is pretty minimal during and up the first 18hrs after your water breaks. For me, my water broke first, that was how my labor started, so our clock was ticking. My MW protocol was after 18 hours with water broken, we would transport for antibiotics. I delivered at 16.5 hours after my water breaking, so we were fine.

COnsidering that many women's water doesn't break until much later in their labors, you may not need to do very much at all, though the preventative measures others have mentioned probably can't hurt at all, and probably help.

[mamahen2coop]

How do you know what to look for in a "high quality" probiotic? I just bought one yesterday and stood there for probably 10 minutes looking at the different choices before just grabbing one. Are there certain strains that are good to look for? And are there certain numbers of colonization to look for? Or a certain brand that is good? Where would you find them?

[noahs.mom06]

Originally Posted by mamahen2coop 

How do you know what to look for in a "high quality" probiotic? I just bought one yesterday and stood there for probably 10 minutes looking at the different choices before just grabbing one. Are there certain strains that are good to look for? And are there certain numbers of colonization to look for? Or a certain brand that is good? Where would you find them?

My naturopath recommended a couple of brands, one is Udo's, I can't remember what the other brand was. Basically, she said those 2 brands were as good as the ones she sells. We get the Udo's (I use the Super 8 one) at one of the smaller health food stores in town, it's about $18 for 30 pills. The pills have 30 billion cells at manufacture, and are guaranteed to have at least 15 billion cells at their "use by" date. I've also seen them at Whole Foods, but they cost a couple dollars more there.

[octanebeetle27]

Our midwife recommended Fem-dolphilus by Jarrow. She said that that is the kind of probiotic that goes through your reproductive system too.