Mad as HE**!!!!!!

[letsnurse]

OK, so here I sit at 38 weeks. I have the clothes, the breastpump, and the cloth diapers. I even have gel-free disposables just-in-case. I avoided gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, I got my baby to turn head down, I rented the birth tub ($200, thank you very much), I bought stuff for my birth kit, I convinced the dh not to circ, I have not one but two wonderful midwives and a doula ready to attend.


And my stupid GBS test comes back positive. :

It's enough to make a pacifist climb a clock tower with a sniper rifle.

This is SO not a happy time. I HATE the hospital here. They have a mandatory EFM policy, not to mention how hard you have to fight just to get rooming-in, and they don't allow ANY eating or drinking in labor except for ice chips.

I've been on here for several hours looking at statistics, and I've found nothing that really convices both DH and I. I want to believe that I can have a homebirth with GBS but I am scared. If something crappy is going to happen, I just know it will happen to me, that's the way it always happens!!

Grrrr. Is anyone else gbs positive on this board?? How are you dealing with it?

thanks all,

Pamela

edd 4/19

[annakiss]

Not an April 2005 mama, but I just saw a thread in the general "I'm Pregnant" board talking about treating GBS with garlic. Some used peeled cloves vaginally. Others took garlic orally. Here's the thread: http://www.mothering.com/discussions...d.php?t=270158

I chose not to get tested ever to avoid having to deal with the issue altogether. I know that there are ways to treat it though without resorting to an IV of antibiotics and constant EFM. Good luck to you.

[theelfqueen]

Nothing valuable to add to the thread just and what a pain in the bum!

[alegna]

Not in your group, but had to step in and give you a hug! If it was me- I'd go ahead with the homebirth, but I didn't even test for GBS for that very reason.

good luck!

-Angela

[amydidit]

Well, I'm not in April, but {hugs}

I've decided not to do the GBS test... what my previous midwives office told me about the stats of GBD+ moms and babies is that less than 1% of all babies born to a GBS+ mom without antibiotics develop any problems... and as long as you don't have your baby and then throw her in a drawer and forget about her you'll be aware if your baby starts to develop any signs... at which time you can go to a ped and get treatment. So personally, I wouldn't worry about it and just proceed with your original plan. Try the garlic clove idea if it'll set your mind at ease (I've heard of good results with that) and trust that everything will be fine. If you're really concerned ask your midwife about oral antibiotics... I've heard of some women using oral antibiotics for a week (I think) as a *just in case* and it helped prevent problems and let the midwives/doctors cover themselves. Just a few thoughts.

Good luck!

[7kiddosmom]

I too would go ahead with my planned homebirth. Limit internal exams especially if your waters have broken. I might transfer if my water had been leaking or broken for a long period of time (more than 24 hours). Take your temp. every so often to make sure it remains normal. Then just watch the baby closely after birth, like you wouldn't do that anyway.

I have tested positive in the past. The last 2 babies I didn't test at all and haven't with this one.

Kasey
37 wks 2 days
(I am SO counting down)

[Rainbow]

My midwife orders a cream from Europe I think that she has you use. She said in each case the following tests have come out negative. Maybe Pamamidwife knows?

[jessikate]

I just read some good information last night in Ina May's Guide to Childbirth. Maybe you can get your hands on a copy of that and give it a look - it's somewhere between pages 180 and 200. My midwife does not offer GBS testing anyhow, but I was little concerned about the risks. It turns out that there's a pretty low risk to the baby in most cases - you just need to avoid internal exams once your water has broken and monitor your temperature periodically to make sure you're not developing a fever.

It was my impression from the book and also from a discussion I had with my midwife that a vaginal colonization of GBS is not all that worrisome - the problem is when it's in the uterus, and they can't really test for that.

I hope you are able to comfortably go through with your planned homebirth.

[homemademomma]

being gbs + is definitely not a reason to deliver in the hospital! go ahead with your homebirth.

[Breathless Wonder]

http://www.gentlebirth.org/archives/gbs.html

[Shenjall]

Hi!

I'm not part of the april board but I just wanted to let you know that I was gbs+ and had a homebirth. My midwife did a round of iv antibiotics at home during labour and that was really the end of it. No worries and no problems.

Just wanted to let you know a positive story!

[wardermom]

Not an April Mama, but I've had homebirths while GBS+. No problems came up because of it. You can choose to treat if risk factors come up-long time after water breaks, fever, etc.

[mrzmeg]

I'm GBS+; I'm using garlic vaginally to get rid of it before the birth, though I will probably go ahead and have a heplock (I'm having a hospital birth with a trusted midwife). I'm using a peeled clove, sliced partially in half and inserted at nighttime, five days on, five days off, until the birth.

I was planning a homebirth last time, though, and was told that if I were GBS+, they'd just give me a shot of antibiotic at home. No IV, no hospital necessary. Perhaps you could ask your midwife about that. But, if the 0.5% rate doesn't bother you, you can always refuse the antibiotics. Though I'd definately recommend the garlic, since it's a painless way to reduce risk

[proudmamanow]

to you! how frustrating! You've been given lots of wise advice here. I don't really have much to add except that my mw will also do at home antibiotics if you are GBS+ (2 doses, 4 hours apart, at least 4 hours before delivery). Or you can just go without, given how low the risks are (and how unpleasant antibiotics can be)! I hope this is an option for you...

[julesmiel]

Sorry about your GBS result! I just did the swab and am waiting for the result.

My midwife said we could just treat me naturally to get rid of the GBS if it's positive. (She's also my naturopath.) She said that she could also provide antibiotics at the birth if I really wanted them, but I definitely don't. Anyhow, along with all these other mamas I think it's fine to go ahead with the homebirth. Good luck!

[KattieFirstTimer]

I don't have anything to add, just wanted to give you a big . What ever you decide, I hope everything works out for you at the end and you get to have the perfect birth you're hoping for.

[sunbaby]

definately not a reason to chose hospital birth if you were otherwise planning to stay home. you can treat the gbs naturally. or you can not treat it and still probably be fine, or you should be able to have iv antibiotics at home, or even just do a course of oral antibiotics now. lots of choices. you have worked SO HARD to be an awesome mama your whole pregnancy, this one thing is not going to ruin it.
i was gbs positive with dd, and my midwife really wanted me to do the iv antibiotics. i wont lie, it was a bummer. they couldnt get a vein and i couldnt sit still through contractions while they tried and tried and i ended up with two arms swollen with all the antibiotic leaked under my skin. so they gave up and never were sure weather any of the antibiotic got into my system in time to protect dd.

.......HOWEVER, i went on to have a wonderful labor and birth experience, gave birth to a super healthy little sweetie, and in the end none of it mattered much at all (except knowing that i would handle it differently in susequent pregnancies if i turned up gbs positive). ps- i am always super hard to get vein on anyway, so i dont think this the norm at all.

you have lots of options. everything is going to work out fine.

[wasabi]

I have heard the same as Jesse that you can do two rounds of injected antibx in early labor and accomplish the same purpose. I have also heard of some sort of a wash that you can wipe the birth canal with prior to delivery but I can't remember what it was called. Fortunately I turned up negative but I had concerns as well since I want to labor at home until I'm basically pushing and the antibx have to be on board 4 hours before delivery to be effective. So how was I going to time that? So I'd definitely ask your midwives about being treated either in their office or your home as soon as labor starts.

good luck

[letsnurse]

Thanks guys, for all your positive responses...no pun intended, hehe...

My midwife is planning on doing chlorhexidine (hibiclens) douches. They are reported to have a similar success rate as antibiotics and are administered q6h. I had a line on a doctor who reportedly would prescribe some IV antibiotics at home....

But it may be a moot point, as I am having ctx 3-5 minutes apart with a good amount of bloody show.

Woo...here it comes again...this is fun...

love and hugs

pamela

[onlyboys]

Happy laboring!