Bit of a long shot - anyone given birth in France having tested group b strep positive?

[lummox]

Was wondering if anyone had any experience of this. Particularly whether French hospitals are more likely to induce, and whether I am likely to have to stay in hospital even longer than the 4-odd days I have been allowing for!

Thanks for any thoughts.

[nonanny]

Have group B strep and three different approaches in Uk hospitals. they check the baby after more carefully and so you need to stay in 24 hours or so in Uk if everything else normal, so long as you have had antibi during labour. You need to get the antibiotics going near/at the start of labour I think, but they should have a treatment plan for you in advance?

[pinkhousesarebest]

They swab systematically for strep about two weeks before the birth, and then treat with antibiotics if they need to. I am not sure that French hospitals are more likely to induce than in the UK. That was not my experience here at all.

[frakkinup]

I was told they only induce if your waters break and labour doesn't start within 12 hours.

IV antibiotics non-negotiable where I am too.

[maman2tom]

Hi I tested positive for group B strep with ds2. I was induced but not because of the group b. Normally they give you IV antibiotics during labour but in my case the trainee midwife but my IV in badly and so didn't get the antibiotics!! (plus my IV hurt worse they the actual labour!)
The norm for a hospital stay with a vaginal birth is around 4 days with or without group b and I was out in 3 days ( in the vald'oise they have a hospital at home program where if things are ok you can go home a day early and a MW comes to your home)

[lummox]

Thanks very much to all. Good to hear of your experiences - the group b strep results (as all important and nerve-wracking things) arrived on Saturday afternoon so it is great to have a bit of info before I speak to the clinic.

I suspect that the anti-bs will be non-negotiable here as well, which is probably for the best as it would be a bit of a difficult choice otherwise.

Love the idea of hospital at home, but fear that it may not be so popular in (very) rural northern France!

My main concern is that the anti-bs will up my chances of thrush and so have an effect on feeding. Bfing worked well with dc1 and dc2, so I would be very sad to have to ff the third. Bfing seems to be regarded as a very good but not very likely thing at the clinic where I am having the baby.

[BriocheDoree]

Don't bank on only being in for 3/4 days, either way. I had normal delivery with DS, no probs at all, and they kept me in for SIX DAYS. I only got out because I burst into tears and said I wanted to go home to be with my DD!! DD was a section in the UK and I was home in half the time.
Round here you would also expect antibiotics for strep B.

[lummox]

SIX DAYS??? (faints). Did they give any reason? I will be climbing the walls by day 2.

[jenpet]

I had a very very easy labour & birth with DS2 here, no problems, no complications, but still they wouldn't let me go until 4 days after the birth. I was about to actually run away.

[BriocheDoree]

In the UK they let you out sooner because you have the midwife who comes to your house. That can be arranged here but only under special circumstances. For starters they won't let you out until your baby has started to gain weight. In France people have much more respect for the medical profession and don't really question it. They think it odd that you would WANT to be at home.

[frakkinup]

No way am I staying in more than a couple of days with my severe hospital phobia....

How do I arrange home visits from a midwife?!

[BriocheDoree]

Frakkin (congratulations BTW!) are you already suivi at the hospital? I'm sure that they could give you the details.

[frakkinup]

I am sort of. Got my (hospital) consultant today to agree to let me have take part in the suivi global they're piloting there (first guinea pig so wish me luck with that!) so next step is actually meeting the 2 midwives and I'll make sure to ask then.

They already know I want to spend the minimum time in and I've done the research on how to discharge myself if necessary. In fact they're surprisingly cool and understand if my 'but hospital is where bad things happen' attitude!

[pinkhousesarebest]

I actually suggested that they keep me for one extra day. They had to practically prise my fingers off the door handle to get me out. It was bliss. I so did not want to go home to a week of laundry.

I still get tears in my eyes when I drive past.