Tell me about your healthy child who had antibiotics at birth

[FourPlasticRings]

I'm really upset because my poor baby boy has been given antibiotics after birth by IV for 48 hours as a precaution because I have group b strep. I didn't think that would happen and was not told about it in pregnancy- they gave me a fact sheet that said I'd need antibiotics in labour and that was it. Now I'm sitting here stressing that he's been given antibiotics unnecessarily and he's going to have eczema or asthma or allergies because all his natural bacteria from birth have been wiped out by the antibiotics totally unnecessarily. I'm literally crying my eyes out on this hospital bed and feel I've failed him by not questioning more say the time but it was immediately after birth and I was so out of it that I let them take him away. Now we've been stuck here for two days and I've been told we need to wait for blood culture results to come back (that I didn't even know they were doing!) and that they'll continue the IV in the meantime. Someone please talk to me because I'm really struggling right now. Is what they're doing normal practice? Why was I not told about it? Will it have long term detrimental implications for his health?

My girl does have allergies but so does my boy and one had antibiotics and the other didnt. It also doesn't really impact their lives much at all so even if comes to that it's all manageable. Congratulations on your baby!

My eldest is 10 years old. She had iv antibiotics on day 2 following a bilious vomit and a lumbar puncture showed a raised infection count.
She has no allergies, or eczema or any problems at all.

My daughter now 16 years old had antibiotics after birth. I had a swab during pregnancy and GB strep was detected and I was given antibiotics during labour. Unfortunately she got eczema when she was 1year 6months and she grew out of it when she was 8years.

[quote NemoRocksMyWorld]@FourPlasticRings no that's really really normal! Called decelerations and is just the baby getting a bit squished during contractions![/quote]
Oh. The midwife said it wasn't good and worried her enough that she needed to rupture the membranes to speed things along and get me on my back in stirrups because the baby wasn't doing well when I was on the birthing ball.

@RoSEbuds6

Happened to my DD, now 13. She has had really good health, no allergies, eczema, and is completely fine. Just breast feed to get gut bacteria going and you'll be fine. Congratulations on your beautiful bubba!

Thank you!

Haha... Tbf I'm a paediatrician... O and G is a little out of my comfort zone.

@NemoRocksMyWorld

Haha... Tbf I'm a paediatrician... O and G is a little out of my comfort zone.

That's fair enough. You've been really very helpful, thanks for the time and effort you've put in to answering my questions. You've made a huge difference to how I'm feeling about all this.

@FourPlasticRings there's so much useful info for you on this thread and I'm glad you're feeling more reassured, Nemo has been brilliant with her comprehensive answers.
To back up previous posters, I'd just add that breastfeeding is the best thing you can do for building your baby's gut bacteria back up. When my baby had to have antibiotics I was told that breast milk is packed full of prebiotics and probiotics and will help restore the microbiome

one of mine had a week's course of anti b's after birth, he is tall, strong and never really gets ill compared to his siblings

Both of mine had antibiotics! DS1 I had an emergency section, he was swimming in meconium. Whisked straight off to SCBU and didn't come back for over 24 hours. Bloods showed raised infection markers so 10 days of two types of IV antibiotics. I had 48 hours IV followed by two courses of oral antibiotics.

He is now 4 years old and absolutely fine! Just started school and happy and healthy. No asthma, no allergies, no eczema. I did breastfeed him for 18 months, not sure if that made any difference!

DS2 was an elective section. Fine at birth but developed jaundice and struggled to gain weight. Back into hospital on day 3. Blood gases showed raised blood sugars (which can apparently indicate an infection) so straight on to antibiotics. Culture showed no infection so they were stopped after 3 days.

Tongue tie division sorted weight gain (it was very severe). Jaundice was prolonged but he was checked at the hospital a few times and levels were ok. Cleared fully at about 9 weeks.

DS2 is now 18 months and healthy as anything! Also no allergies, asthma or eczema (certainly nothing that's shown up yet anyway!) Says loads of words, climbs on everything and sharp as a pin! Still breastfeeding so again, not sure if that helped.

You're in the eye of the storm at the moment. I've done it twice and it will be fine, you'll get there. Don't second guess yourself, you've done the right thing. Take care.

2 of my boys had 48 hours of iv antibiotics due to my waters being gone for ages before they were born and youngest being born with sepsis. Both had no ill effects. Be kind to yourself. Day 3 is the worst for hormones. I cried because dh brought the wrong brand of nappies in on day 3.

My ds was treated with iv antibiotics for 72 hours after testing positive for group b strep. He’s a strapping healthy 15 year old now, eating me out of house and home. I’m forever grateful for the nurses being so astute and picking it up. I’ve heard some horrific stories of undiagnosed group b strepz Enjoy your new baby.

My daughter was on antibiotics for 6 weeks and no lasting side effects.Enjoy your newborn snuggles OP x

My DS, now 16, had ABs from 1 week old until about 6 months. Took the first week of his life to diagnose his 'failure to thrive' as being caused by a UTI. So ABs to clear the infection then prophylactically while a reason for the UTI was investigated (none was ever found and he has never had another). He is a 6 footer now, never suffered from asthma or eczema. He does have Crohns disease but positive that is not linked to the ABs.
One thing I remember is having to include it as part of his birth/ medical history at every medical appointment for years. So be prepared to do this and get as much info as you can about your DS treatment so that you are in the best position you can be when explaining .

Please don’t worry @FourPlasticRings. And congratulations

If it helps, my DS is a sporty, very bright, 6 foot tall gorgeous 16 years old. He was on antibiotics, had a blood transfusion and was in intensive care and then special care for a week after birth.

Good luck x

Thanks again everyone. Results came back and all is well so antibiotics can stop. Finally out and the world seems a brighter place. So sleepy though!

My DS had antibiotics due to me having high temp during birth. He is 1.5 years old now and the only issue I have and that's if it's related is the fact that he was a very colicky and windy baby. He still has wind problems where he can't settle when his asleep. I really didn't want him to have antibiotics but I had a difficult birth where I accepted anything to keep my boy healthy.