[Lemon Juice]

I feel so upset and so annoyed at my MW. I took some blood work tests at 36 weeks along with the Group B Strep test.

Each week when I saw her I asked about the results (this was also a urine test, blood work, GD test, along w/ GBS) and she said they weren't in yet. I was told by the testing facility that they would be and ready w/in a week. I tested on a Tuesday morning, first thing.

So time went on and she said she had to "check the mail" to get them. Fine. I know she has her midwifery business under a PO Box and is busy so she'll check it this weekend, she says. This is about 2 weeks after the test when I was 38 weeks. I get the same response about checking the mail again at 39 weeks.

Well yesterday and 2 days before I'm due and 1 day before my 40 week appt. (which is today) she calls me up and is ONLINE looking for results and can't find them. She never mentioned she could find them online even tho I asked her if she could b/c I was given a number on a card to be able to see the results online. She said she didn't know what that was about and she picks them up in the mail. Fine. But when she called yesterday and said she was online looking them up...which place did I test at (there are a few) I was curious. We figure out the day I tested and that it was under my partners last name and it took all of 4 mins of her asking and us finding out and she gets the results.

Turns out all the blood work and urine were fine except the GBS test was Positive! I am really upset w/ her for being, what I feel, irresponsible and taking so long for no good reason to find my results. I mean...4 weeks after?! That just seems really unacceptable to me! Now I have hardley any time to look up GBS and make an informed choice about abx or not and what natural methods to use to help get a negative result. I have so little time to do anything that helps put our minds at ease. I had to scramble to the store yesterday and was so confused and frustrated while trying to get all this stuff purchased and hope we have enough time to have any effect. This is my 5th babe and 1st positive result. We really didn't even think babe would stay in this long and I hope she stays in a little longer now.

I know some say not to worry, but this is my child and my body and I am worried. Having a slim chance of something going wrong w/ GBS is too much of a chance, imo. I am just frustrated b/c I felt had I known weeks ahead we could have done these methods and not felt so rushed and afraid of the "what if's" and been able to restest w/ plenty of time to make an informed choice about what to do. Now I am hoping babe stays in a few days at least to do something for this and we retest tonight but the results won't come in for a few days...so we may know or may not at the time of birth.

Dp is beyond upset at her b/c she slacked on this, in his opinion...plus he was set against HB in the first place and this isn't helping. He's all for abx and I'm pretty much here alone trying to make the informed choice of using it or not and relying on other methods since he's very one sided. To top it off we are going to pick up the abx (we did decide to have them on hand jic we need them or want to use them to have the option) and the MW lives 45-1hour away and I have to pick them up calling dp home early from work b/c the MW is at work all day and can't do it. She seems to be so busy all the time! She not only does HB clients she works as CNM elsewhere and her mind is on those clients as well. She has long days there from morning until 8pm and swings by for my appt after that, usually by 8:15 or 8:30pm she's here and then off to home almost an hour south and to weigh HB babes or what not. It just seems like she has too much going on and needs to focus on HB or her other clients, imo.

It's always something. I really just needed to vent and I appreciate it if you got through this. Fwiw, I am doing VitC, grapefruit seed extract, yogurt internal/vaginal, kefir, fermented foods, a high count probiotic, and garlic vaginally (which...if I need this stress...has now gone up SO high I can't get it out

How my vagina ate it up and won't release it is beyond me...just another thing to freak out about!)

 

[hikingmommy]

I'd be pretty upset, too. In the future, you can sew a piece of thread through the garlic clove and knot it so there's a string, like a tampon, to pull it out more easily. I'm sure the one that's there now will come out on it's own soon.

 

[bronxmom]

I'm in your DDC (same due date) and saw your post there. I would be absolutely furious if my mw did that. It takes 2-3 biz days for the results to come in; she should have checked. Otherwise, why even bother testing? It does sound like maybe she's got too much going on. BUT, if she's experienced then at this point I'd really try to relax and focus on how you're going to get through the birth and reassure your dh - I wouldn't let him extrapolate that it means something terrible will happen at birth.

I don't know what you're going to do and can't really advise. I can tell you that my friend was gbs+ and was really upset about it and the antibiotics (delivering in a birth center and they required it). In the end, it really was no big deal - it only took about 15 min to get the iv abx in and then she could go back to normal. She ended up breaking her water about 5 hours before delivery and had a long pushing stage (over 3 hours) so I think she was happy to have them. I know a lot of pple don't like to do them but it can give you peace of mind and is way less of an issue at home then in the hospital. Good luck whatever you do - but you are totally within your rights to be mad as hell in my opinion.

 

[phatchristy]

I've done garlic here too for yeast...what you can do is bear down while you have your fingers up there and that should bring it down a little, even if it's high up for you to be able to scoop it up.

You can also use some pro-biotics vaginally as well (if you haven't done that yet). If they're stomach release you can put a capsule up there, if they're intestinal release you can open the capsule and just sort of put the powder around with your fingers.

I would be upset too...I know you were likely thinking it would be negative again so probably weren't worried about it. Though I know here the lab sends the results to the office (faxes them) so they generally know well within a week. She needs to FIX this so that it absolutely cannot happen to anyone else. I think you should absolutely make sure she understands how you feel.

 

[My*Scorpio]

Sorry your going through this. I would be upset too!

 

[Lemon Juice]

Thanks mamas

She is going to help me get the garlic out tonight when she gets here in a few hours. I found out about the string thing too from a mama here and will be doing that tonight

It just totally mad me upset b/c I'm diggin around in there and now she has to and w/ the positive result I wanted to avoid that if I could.

Trying to relax and breathe. I just feel like a huge cloud is over my HB now b/c of this. Hopefully when we retest tonight we'll have enough time to get the results in and they'll be neg. She okayed only testing the vaginal area to see if that is at least neg, and possibly testing only the rectum to see if that is neg or pos. Just so we know where we stand and have more info.

Thanks for the advice and being here, mamas.

Bronxmom and Phatchristy

 

[Lemon Juice]

I wanted to add this link in for anyone who happens upon this for search purposes. I just read this Mothering article and it was SO helpful. I feel much, much more at ease now and more in power of my choice.

If you are looking for info on Group B Strep this is a really good read.

 

[Mainstream Hippie]

How coincidental. I just posted to my DDC regarding GBS.

That was really flakey of her, and I would have been upset, too. I hope you get your negative results, and don't have to worry about this during your impending birth.

 

[_betsy_]

I'd be super pissed that she took that long to get you results. I had the GBS test done Thursday, MW called today (Monday) with the results. It was negative, so she left a voicemail, if it had been a positive result, she would have called my home phone and asked me to call first thing in the morning.

Your MW sounds like she's spread too thin right now, taken on too much, and isn't being as professional as you'd like.

 

[Lemon Juice]

Quote:

Originally Posted by _betsy_ I'd be super pissed that she took that long to get you results. I had the GBS test done Thursday, MW called today (Monday) with the results. It was negative, so she left a voicemail, if it had been a positive result, she would have called my home phone and asked me to call first thing in the morning. Your MW sounds like she's spread too thin right now, taken on too much, and isn't being as professional as you'd like.

Exactly this. It's too bad b/c she is really nice and wonderful and has done so much for HB in this state (she's the only HB midwife in our state...or you can get a few others from across state lines). I do like her as a person, a lot...but she's done a few things on the professional level to us that make me go

. I even feel bad for calling her b/c she's so busy. Like today she is in "surgery" all day (whatever that means

) and works 11 hour days today. So I am all worried about going into labor on certain days...how rested will she be if I go at like 3am on a day like this?! She is off on Wed..and that makes me feel bad if I go then b/c it's her only time off and she never gets to see her kids, it seems. She is gone early in the am and gets home by 10pm or later. At least I'm the only HB mama in the 3rd trimester and the only left to birth for a while.

 

[MsBlack]

Your mw is making her choices for her life. You have every right to expect good care, whenever you need it, and really shouldn't have to be thinking about whether or not she gets to see her kids, or whatever else. I mean, it is a good thing for a mw to set some boundaries so that she can have a life beyond providing birth care, to have days off call and such like. That is only reasonable and sane. And it is a good thing for clients to realize that mws DO need a life, have kids, etc--but it is up to the midwife to limit her amount of clients, make time for her family, let clients know what the boundaries are.

However, your mw has clearly taken on 'too much' and is not keeping track of all her many threads. She is putting you in a position of thinking more about her kids than she apparently does--not a good thing! I agree with the others that it is very possible for you to deal with this gbs thing--it sounds like you are and I hope it goes well. But yes, I"d be pretty upset at the way she has handled this matter--a pretty strong sign that she is too busy.

Hopefully your birth will go just fine, and soon. You may want to consider, after all is done, letting her know that her excessive busy-ness had a negative impact on the care she gave you. She won't stop to think about this, or make any needed changes, unless people let her know their feedback.

 

[Abismommy]

I would be very upset, it is her responsibility as you MW to make sure you are taken care of, and that proper precautions are taken if need be. I would voice my concern and disappointment with her lack of being responsible for your well being. I am sorry you have to go through this!

 

[Jojo F.]

I hope everything is well with you hun!!

I tested + too but, HAVE to have the abx because I'll be in the hospital

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