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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

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Original poster

Strep B and active Birth

67 replies

Princesitalinda · 05/10/2006 21:27

Hi, I've been told I am a carrier from Strep B and would need to have antibiotics during labour so that my baby would have the best chances not to catch it. My fear is that my chances of an active birth would be restrain, as I need to be having a drip? I would ideally like to lie in a hot bath or birthing pool to ease the pain and allow movement, but will they allow this in hospital? I could stay at home in a bath, but I have been told to go to hospital as soon as I feel I am in labour to have the antibiotics...

Anybody have gone through similar situations before? any advice?

thanks!

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

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Straightforward · 13/10/2006 09:43

Just a late addition to say I had GBS with my DD2 and I freaked at first. Best thing was talking to the midwife at the hospital who was much more clued up than the local midwife or GP. You may find, as I did, that hospital policy is no quibbles slow injection if you want it.

I went on to have a water birth and was fully mobile. Only thing was that it wasn't in for long enough, so they kept us in for 48 hrs and gave my baby ABs too to be on the safe side. They didn't bother her or me, I got some rest and neither of us were ill or had thrush. Hope that helps!

Original poster

Princesitalinda · 13/10/2006 11:47

that is very reassuring straightforward! thanks for sharing your experience - I also agree that hospital midwife probably are much clued up than my local mdwife. I'm feeling a bit more confident about what should I expect and request.... thanks again

OP posts:

sunshinemama · 17/10/2006 22:53

Hi I am a carrier and have had 3 babies safely without any of them developing Strep B. My first was born at home in complete ignorance of this disease as it wasn't tested for 8 years ago. The 2nd was also born at home in full knowledge, I had no anti Bs, no drips just an active birth with lots of soft music & candles and 2 NHs midwives. The midwives did advise against it but accepted my decision.With no 3 no one even mentioned it! I just wanted to say that you can have the birth you want if you have supportive midwives and are well informed. I did have homeopathic remedies before the birth to deal with the Strep B and minimise infection and also gave some to the boys at birth. The main thing is to avoid having your waters broken unnaturaly as this is the best protection for the baby. My waters broke only when 2 of the babies heads were born and the other was born in a caul... I really focused on this during the labour and I guess for me this worked. Good luck with whatever you decide to do and don't be bullied into anything!

Original poster

Princesitalinda · 19/10/2006 23:49

hi sunshinemamma - great advice, thanks. I think I also was Strep B possitive with DS1, but was not aware of it. It only came up when they did a swap after giving birth... To be honest, at the beginning I did not make much about it, but everybody scared me about the consecuences etc, so I ended up being extremely concious of it. I am due on this monday, the 23rd and terrified of labour. You know, difficult as it is to know you are going to have a lot of pain, I have to add the worry of this infection being passed onto my baby. I feel so ready to go to labour now, I am huge and so uncomfortable I can't wait to have my baby. On other hand, I am terrified of having a horrible experience... I will try and focus on the possitives, and try to release the fears so my body can go into labour as peacefully as possible....

OP posts:

auntshawnie · 25/10/2006 05:30

My sister has tested positive for Strep B and has had what she thought was a yeast infection. She is 37 weeks and has been told that she will have the baby within the next week. Is this itching caused by the Strep B and will this active infection be a higher risk for the baby during birth?

Monkeychopsmummy · 25/10/2006 15:41

AS - Strep B is usually symptom free (although it is linked to UTI in some people).

Original poster

Princesitalinda · 25/10/2006 22:45

auntshawnie - Besides being possitive for Strep B, I also had vaginal thrush (itching lots!!). I went to the doctor and she took a sample to confirm it was thrush and not something else, and prescribed accordingly. I suggest, that your sister sees her GP too, just to have the peace of mind that she has something "harmless" for the baby, get proper treatment (believe me, its such a relief!) and to discuss her being Strep B possitive, and what it means risks wise etc.

Better to be safe than sorry, I would say!

Good luck to your sister

OP posts:

clewin · 06/11/2006 21:38

i would do all you can to have the anitbiotics. go with what your midwives advise. i was not aware that i was a carrier of groupb strep and at 11 days old my ds was admitted into hopsital with groub b meningitis. he was in for 3 weeks befoe he was discharged and was seriously ill. last week we found out he now had hydrocephalus caused by the meningitis and now has a shunt which was put in last friday. seeing my baby suffer was the hardest thing ever and its still not over. please make sure you get your antibiotics

herindoors5 · 17/11/2006 10:20

hi i have group B. am i likley to go into labour a bit earlier? also any tips on how to bring it on would be great. im due at christmas and am really worried i wont be at home to see my sons open their prezzies on christmas morning. Thanks

spinamum · 17/11/2006 10:51

I'm also due at Xmas(Herindoors,join us on the Due in DEc thread-we're all in the same boat!)

My last labour wasn't as active as I'd have liked due to drips(not for Step B) but the important thing is to let everyone (m/ws.drs.birth partner) know what you'd want during your labour. I'm not planning to give birth on my back this time.

When did you all test for GBS? M/W has suggested 36 weeks(I was thinking 37 weeks) I've read that GBS can come and go and don't want a false neg. [Sorry for slight hijack] I'm reading this with interest because I have a feeling I am positive.

spinamum · 17/11/2006 10:53

...and I too want an active birth!!!

jabberwocky · 17/11/2006 10:54

Spina, as you may know, a strep B swab is routine here in the US. It is done at 36 weeks.

mrsratty · 17/11/2006 11:11

I had GBS. I tested positive with DD1 but not 2. I had antibiotics un labour with both.

With my first I had time for 2 doses and my waters broke about 40 mins before she was born - at 5 days old she was very ill due to the strep b infection, luckily a high dose of IV anti-biotics took effect very quickly.

With my second I had mild labour pains but went to the hospital where they gave me anti-biotics. My labour stopped for a few hours and I then had a very fast 2 hour labour. There was no time for the second dose as the midwife thought I had plenty of time left. The day after DD was born she too became ill with GBS and had to stay on SCBU and have anti-biotics. She is now very well.

It's worth not having the labour you want in order to have a healthy baby.

spinamum · 17/11/2006 11:15

Thanks, Jabber. There's a three day turn around here on test and I'm prob still 6/7 weeks away from actual(let alone active!) birth. If I'm going to be postive,I want the test to show that. I'm worried that even with a neg I'll be paranoid that I am positive at birth. Except I'll have evidence that I'm not IYKWIM. Bottom line(pardon the pun) I'd rather have abs(even if that meant less active birth)than active birth and sick baby.

jabberwocky · 17/11/2006 11:20

Oh, absolutely! I'm always shocked to hear someone complaining about the need to have abs when they know they are positive b/c it might "interfere". I think too often we tend to get caught up in the birth experience and not the fact that what ultimately counts is a healthy baby.

herindoors5 · 17/11/2006 20:33

hi all. i was told with my last pregnency i had group b but noone has testd me for it this time round.(im in northern ireland). and im not due back for a check up at hospital until im 40 weeks. the hospital have put warning stickers on my notes to say ive to be given antibiotics in labour, but how do they know ive still got it if ive not been tested this time round?? i didnt know it came and went i just thought that if you had it with one pregnancy then you have it with them all. Im so confused!!

spinamum · 17/11/2006 22:21

I've being told that it can come and go over a matter of weeks.Still best to be given the abs just in case than not at all!

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