Anyone else GBS positive?

[bethwl]

I tested positive for GBS. I totally didn't expect to, because I wasn't with my first. My midwife wasn't superconcerned but said that if there's time, when I come in to the hospital in labor they'll give me an antibiotic IV that lasts 4 hours. Unless, as she put it, "you come in already in rip-roaring labor." Did anyone else have this before? The midwife said that some peds will then want to keep the baby in the hospital for two days, which "doesn't tend to please most of our clients, but your peds usually aren't like that; they'll actually evaluate the baby for signs of illness and it's rare for a baby to get sick from a mom having GBS." It's a boy and we're not circing and I was really planning on leaving about 24 hours after delivery, as we did with our first. I am just hoping this doesn't put a crimp in those plans. I don't know these peds at all; they are just the recommended ones I chose to sign off on the baby for discharge, because our normal pediatrician does not practice at this hospital at all.

[wendyk]

I'm also GBS+, as I was with my first. I did opt to have the antibiotics, as I will this time. The peds in Michigan where DD#1 was born released her when I was released- no extra time in the hospital. They don't keep them here either. Can you call the pediatrics office and find out what their protocol is?

[MacKinnon]

I was GBS+ with DD, negative this pregnancy, much to my relief. I arrived at the hospital at 6cm, I got one dose of antibiodics before I delivered. The on call pediatricians at our hospital (our pedi. doesnt' have hospital privelages at teh same hospital as our midwives) will not release GBS+ mom's babies prior to 48 hours. We had to stay. It wasn't that bad, I just looked at it as a chance to be waited on. Although I was itching to get out of there by that 48th hour!

This hospital is oddly lax in some things and very strict in others. I never had DD out of my sight and was left alone for hours at a time but that 48 hour rule... It's also very difficult to get an on-call ped. to release a healthy full term baby prior to 24 hours. They'll hold you for more than that if you deliver in the middle of the night. My midwife doesn't get it, but I am willing to sacrifice this point to have her deliver me.

I would talk to your OB/MW about the peds. because that is usually the hold up! Maybe they know one who is more likely to release the baby at 24 hours? Ours have one or two peds. that they try to get to see babies as they are known for being more flexible.

[NewEyes]

Gbs+

I was GBS+ last time & mw gave me oral zithromax. Had to transfer, got IV, ds had IV too. 72 hrs. later got to leave finally.
This time delivering in hosp. OB doesn't even re-test so I don't plan to arrive there until it will be too late (unless fever, h2o breaks, etc) to do antibiotics. Our ped said he'd do a 24 hr "watch & wait" at the hospital so that's why I decided to arrived too late to do IV antibiotics this time. Now I just have to make sure the other peds in practice will do the same.

There was an extensive article about this sometime back in Mothering. You may want to do a search on the site to read more about it.

[bethwl]

yeah, I think I'll call the ped's office and ask their policy. My midwife seemed to think they were fairly reasonable and wouldn't hold up a seemingly healthy baby from discharge for that reason. And my own ped is obviously going to see the baby after we get home and can monitor him for anything unusual.