Planning a home birth, worried about GBS

[nicholeraine]

I tested positive for GBS with my first son, and then had PROM which led to me being induced and then eventually getting the epidural. My plan had been for a natural hospital birth, and I am still disappointed almost 4 years later with how it went. Now I am expecting another baby boy, and due in December. I am 30 weeks, and my GBS test will be around 36 weeks(could be from 35-37).

So I have been taking probiotics and eating 2 cloves of raw garlic a day since probably 25 weeks. I am starting vitamin c(1000 mg/day) now, and also planning on taking echinacea for two weeks before the test. At 31 weeks I am going to do a hydrogen peroxide wash every day for a week, and then once weekly after that. I also plan on doing a peroxide wash the day before and day of the GBS test, plus spraying with more peroxide at the midwife when I pee before my appointment.. I'll be picking up grapefruit seed extract today, so I'll be taking that along with the other supplements. I am also planning on upping my raw garlic intake over the next few weeks from 2 cloves a day to 4. In the week before the test, I will be doing 8 nights of garlic suppositories. I'll also be doing probiotic suppositories every night starting at 32 weeks.

Is there anything else I can do? I am trying to make a list so I can start everything right away. I am desperate to have this test turn out negative. My midwife allows 18 hours after water breaks for labour to start, but ONLY if you are GBS negative. If you have it, they induce after 4 hours.

Also, anything else along with the vitamin c that can help prevent PROM?

Thanks in advance!!

[nicholeraine]

Also, when doing the swab my midwife recommends doing the vagina and rectum. I do the test myself in the bathroom and return it to her. I would like to only swab my vagina lightly. I plan on continuing everything to prevent it during labour as well, not just cheat the test and then stop everything. So would there be anything wrong with only swabbing the vaginal area?

[Georgetown HB Mom]

My water broke before contractions started with my first baby. Contractions started about four hours later. With my second and third babies I took a ton of Vitamin C during my third trimester and with both my water broke right as they were being born. I was GBS negative with my first. She was born in the hospital. By the time I had my second I was much more educated on pregnancy and birth and had a homebirth with a midwife. I have refused the GBS test with my second and third babies. My fourth was born at 22 weeks and I am now pregnant with my fifth and will once again refuse the test. The test is so unreliable for one thing. You could be negative on the day of the swab and positive on the day you deliver or visa versa and you would never know. Since you have already been positive once just take precautions such as trying to prevent PROM and once in labor NO vaginal exams until the very end if even then. Do not let anyone break your water either. The reasons baby's come down with GBS is because if a woman's water is broke and her care providers are doing a lot of vaginal exams (which they love to do in the hospital) the examiners hands are pushing that bacteria up to the baby. You can also do a hibiclense wash when you are in labor to help prevent GBS, especially if your water is broken.

[micromama]

I just posted this thread in the I Am Pregnant forum. This protocol took me from +4 GBS to GBS negative in a week. Feel free to use or adapt, and good luck!

http://www.mothering.com/community/t/1364899/if-you-are-gbs-consider-this-protocol#post_17132273

[nicholeraine]

Originally Posted by Georgetown HB Mom 

My water broke before contractions started with my first baby. Contractions started about four hours later. With my second and third babies I took a ton of Vitamin C during my third trimester and with both my water broke right as they were being born. I was GBS negative with my first. She was born in the hospital. By the time I had my second I was much more educated on pregnancy and birth and had a homebirth with a midwife. I have refused the GBS test with my second and third babies. My fourth was born at 22 weeks and I am now pregnant with my fifth and will once again refuse the test. The test is so unreliable for one thing. You could be negative on the day of the swab and positive on the day you deliver or visa versa and you would never know. Since you have already been positive once just take precautions such as trying to prevent PROM and once in labor NO vaginal exams until the very end if even then. Do not let anyone break your water either. The reasons baby's come down with GBS is because if a woman's water is broke and her care providers are doing a lot of vaginal exams (which they love to do in the hospital) the examiners hands are pushing that bacteria up to the baby. You can also do a hibiclense wash when you are in labor to help prevent GBS, especially if your water is broken.

How much vitamin C did you take? I bought 1000 mg with biolflavonoids so I'm planning to take one a day, and there's another 150 mg in my prenatal vitamins. I tried to pick up hibiclens today but apparently it's only available in Canada with a prescription! It's nice to hear that the vitamin C helped you so much, I really hope to avoid the same events that happened last time.

[nicholeraine]

Originally Posted by micromama 

I just posted this thread in the I Am Pregnant forum. This protocol took me from +4 GBS to GBS negative in a week. Feel free to use or adapt, and good luck!

http://www.mothering.com/community/t/1364899/if-you-are-gbs-consider-this-protocol#post_17132273

Thank you! I am going to do all of those, I really want this to work!

[Georgetown HB Mom]

Originally Posted by nicholeraine 

How much vitamin C did you take? I bought 1000 mg with biolflavonoids so I'm planning to take one a day, and there's another 150 mg in my prenatal vitamins. I tried to pick up hibiclens today but apparently it's only available in Canada with a prescription! It's nice to hear that the vitamin C helped you so much, I really hope to avoid the same events that happened last time.

I took 1000 mg a day. You might be able to order hibiclens from somewhere in the United States. You don't need a prescription here.

[Kontessa]

 It sounds like your doing everything you can to make sure your not GBS+ and I am wishing you the best of luck for a peaceful healthy homebirth. Please do talk to your midwife about all of these things, she is on your side and be sure to swab the way she wants you too, because again, she is on your side. If something should happen you are going to want to know you did everything you could to prevent it you know? Remember you can be swabbed again if it comes up + the first time!