Group B Strep question

[Berrie]

I'm due to have my second baby any time and we chose a different hospital this time as I was hoping to use the pool. The GBS was picked up during my last pregnancy but because it wasn't present in my urine the hospital policy was not to do anything. However at this hospital they do give IV antibiotics which means I won't be able to use the pool. I'm confused about why one hospital thinks it isn't a risk and the other does. Would it be horribly dangerous and selfish not to have the iv antibiotics?

[nervousmum2be]

My local hospital gives IV antiboitics as routine practice for all group B strep mums-to-be during labour. You could refuse them, but you would have to weigh up the potentially serious (sometimes even fatal) risk to your baby if it contracted it from you during labour. Better to be safe than sorry IMO. Good luck x

[dizzymama]

Berrie, I had IV antibiotics but could have used the pool (as it was circumstances dictated otherwise) as they were just topped up every few hours through one of those valve things in the back of my hand. I thought I would be immobile but I wasn't at all.

[SenoraPostrophe]

just because you had gbs last time doesn't mean you'll have it this time.

plus you need to have the iv antibiotics for 4 hours (I think) prior to birth. if you're anything like me you won't have that long for a secodn labour anyway.

[SenoraPostrophe]

have you actually been tested for it this time?

if you are positive then its best to know - ivs in labour or no as they will text baby as soon as he/she is born.

[rowangirl]

Hi Berrie, i had GBS in first pregnancy, it was not picked up until my son was critically ill after birth & spent 2 weeks in special care needing help to breathe, it was terifying Hospital decided to give me IV antibiotics with my second baby during labour & after seeing my son so ill i would definately say have them, at the end of the day a healthy living baby is all any mother wants

[Passionflower]

At my hospital it was up to the midwife. I was told by the specialist that I couldn't have a waterbirth cause I was group b pos. but when I got to hospital was lucky enough to get the midwife I had discussed my desire for a waterbirth with and she was happy to do it with iv antibiotics. She gave the antibiotics in two doses, one before I got into the pool and another a bit into labour. She just injected them into an iv tube that put into my wrist. I think you should have the antibiotics though. If you refuse the antibiotics they may still refuse you the waterbirth on the grounds that the group b strep is a risk factor and they tend to avoid waterbirths if there are any risk factors.

I think what you need to do is to speak to the waterbirth trained midwifes at the hospital.

Good luck, and I hope they let you have a waterbirth cause they are the best.

[Berrie]

Thankyou everyone. Obviously I don't want to take any risks I just wondered with the two very different approaches just how high the risk is. I haven't been tested this pregnancy but I won't take any chances. Should I tell the hospital as soon as I think I'm having regular contractions? I was induced last time and am not sure about how I'll know it's time. After the prostoglandin gel last time I was having contractions every two minutes after 20 mins but they told me they were probably just prostaglandin pains and gave me sleeping tablets and told me to go to sleep, my husband to go home and they'd try again in the morning. I had the baby that night and am therefore confused about when I actually started being in labour. I guess I'll know when it starts to really hurt!!

[beckybrastraps]

I was in a very similar situation - induced first time and wasn't sure how I would tell when labour started second time. I could tell! I was told to phone when contractions were 5 minutes apart, so they could make the decision about coming in for Abs. In fact my waters broke before that and went straight in. Had Abs in my hand and was completely mobile. Repeated after 4 hours, dd born 30 minutes later. Have the Abs!