Strep B & Homebirth: any positive or negative experiences?

[BrummieOnTheRun]

I was found to have strep B during my last labour. The birth was quick, so the baby was just put on 24 hr observation. No issues. Fantastic waterbirth.

Have just moved to a new area and the local hospital is militant about Strep B: routine IV antibiotics asap in labour(which means early admission to shared hospital ward so no privacy), use of birthpool banned, and routine IV antibiotics for the baby if the labour is too quick to allow 2 doses of antibiotics to be administered. That means the baby will be stuck in hospital for 3-5 days whether symptomatic or not.

Seriously considering homebirth. If I'm relaxed, labour should be quick and chance of transmission extremely low???? I'm not at all complacent of the risks, however.

Has anyone who has done this advise for/against? Is it possible, for instance, to get an AB dose at hospital and return home for the birth?

Hiya hun,
I've just emailed you!

I had group B strep, and a waterbirth at home. My midwives gave me antibiotics IV at home when I was in labour. I live in Belgium and my insurance pays for independant midwives.

My waters didn't break until my dd was born, making risk of transmission very low.

After the birth, my midwives came to check on the baby twice for the first day, then every day for a week.

No problems regarding the GBS at all, except that the antibiotics they gave in a large bag of fluid. This fluid filled my bladder, which isn't good to give birth with, and could have contributed to very heavy bleeding after the birth, and I also need a urinary catheter which was very painful.

Thanks for info, belgo. It seems the independent m/wives over here don't administer IV ABs. Even the local midwife-led birth centre won't support Strep B mothers because of IV AB requirement...I feel like a leper!

A bit concerned about your bleeding issue, i must say. It was one of my concerns about having a non-hospital birth. Will ask my m/wife about that.

jofeb04 - haven't rx'd your e-mail yet, but eagerly anticipating tks.

Brummie on the run - the bleeding I experienced probably would have happened in hospital as well.

It was a complicated birth, dealt with extremely well by very experienced midwives. I suspect if I had been in hospital, I probably would have had far more intervention.

I was very lucky.

That's reassuring, that is that they were able to deal with bleeding & complications during a homebirth.

BrummieOnTheRun,
Just to let you know I've emailed my number to you.

Hi jofeb04, your e-mails haven't arrived so (if you get a moment) would you mind trying [email protected]? Tks, appreciated!

I personaly would not risk having a birth without AB's on board. I tested neg with ds1 but pos w/ ds2.

I need a black market source methinks

Just to let you know I'm going to email you in the next few minutes.

Hiya
The address doesn't seem to be working!

Email me on
jopowell1 at yahoo dot co dot uk

can you ask your midwife about IM (intramuscular) anti-biotics ?studies show them to be just as effective. But they are sore ! Think that's what they do round here very pro home birth good luck

Thanks for the tip, naughtymummy (agree - it does sound painful, but wld be interested in investigating. have been refreshing my self-hypnosis malarchy so it might come in useful, ha, ha!).

will do, jofeb04.

Tks.