homebirth and GBS

[QueenMommy]

So I'm just wondering, if you plan on a homebirth and test positive for GBS, what do you do?

[ZeldasMom]

With my midwife you have the option to have IV antibiotics, but she has only had 2 clients choose this option. In my doula class we saw a video that showed a woman having a home birth who opted to have IV antibiotics.

Edit: I almost forgot to mention that some women choose not to get tested for Group B strep and only consider IV antibiotics if they have/develop a risk factor such as prematurely ruptured membranes, membranes ruptured for 18 hours or more, newborn Group B strep in previous birth, or fever in labor (ACOG doesn't offer this option anymore though--they jsut say test everyone,even though there isn't evidence I am aware of that shows this is safer. So if you were having a hospital birth I don't know if you could choose to addrss the GBS issue this way.).

OT: Oooooooh I love the name Padraic. I have an Irish last name so that would be perfect! I thought I was having a boy for the longest time (probably because I had a boy last time) so even though the ultrasound says we are having a girl I keep looking at boy names!

[dynamohumm6]

Well, I'm not having a homebirth, but I wanted to share my decision on it.

I tested GBS+ and am not going to treat it at all unless I develop any risk factors (which my midwives and the hospital I'm delivering at support 100%, and was even recommended before I had to ask otherwise). I am eating my weight in grapefruit it seems, and I'm taking grapefruit seed extract daily, echinacea, and am going to try to find some acidophilus today. I will ask them about the hibiclens wash next week, as well. No membrane stripping, the absolute minimum of internal exams, and I'll be monitoring my temperature while I'm laboring at home. My midwives suggested I stay home as long as possible, unless my water breaks and I'm not in labor. They will take a cord blood sample after he's born to check his white blood cell count, and we'll discuss treatment if he has an infection.

Good luck!

[ZeldasMom]

I tested GBS+ and am not going to treat it at all unless I develop any risk factors (which my midwives and the hospital I'm delivering at support 100%, and was even recommended before I had to ask otherwise).
:) i am happy they are supportive of you making your own informed decision! Good luck with your preventative measures and thanks for sharing them!

[QueenMommy]

Thanks for the replies! It was just something I was wondering about :)

zeldasmom-Thanks!

[dynamohumm6]

:) i am happy they are supportive of you making your own informed decision! Good luck with your preventative measures and thanks for sharing them!

No kidding. I was constructing my argument in my head before the midwife came in to see me, and the conversation went like this:

"Well, first I have to tell you that your GBS came back positive."
"Fabulous."
"We do NOT recommend treating with the IV antibiotics. Are you comfortable with that?"

There was a BIG ol' sigh of relief after hearing that. Then she went on to explain how they deal with it, and that was that.
:)