positive GBS story

[ExistentialistCat]

I had s GBs infection late in pregnancy. I researched GBS on the internet and came across absolutely heartbreaking stories of babies being terribly ill or dying, so I was absolutely terrified even though I knew that these cases are rare statistically speaking. So I thought I'd post my story on here for others to find when they search for GBS.

So, I had a GBS urine infection diagnosed at 36 weeks. This is more serious than just being GBS positive, as your body has actually been attacked by the bacteria. I was put on pretty strong antibiotics and it cleared in a week.

I was advised that I could go ahead with my homebirth. I had a choice: Receive IV antibiotics during the birth and only need a hospital admission if other risk factors were present (namely labour before 37 weeks or developing a fever), or avoid antibiotics and be admitted for obs, baby receiving IV antibiotics and blood culture and/or baby having to undergo lumbar puncture if there were any concerns.

I chose IV antibiotics during labour as I wanted to avoid my baby having to undergo any procedures as far as possible. However, this being a second birth and my midwife dithering somewhat, I didn't get the anitbiotics in time. They have to be in for at least 2 hours before the birth, preferably 4, but we only managed an hour and a quarter. So, after a very straightforward waterbirth at home, we were advised to come into hospital for 48 hours of observations and IV antibiotics for my daughter.

I was heartbroken initially but decided I couldn't take the risk of staying at home and doing the obs ourselves, even though I knew the chances of me having passed the infection to my baby were very small, especially as my initial infection had been cleared.

The hospital stay was absolutely fine. My baby hardly even protested at the canula being inserted, the obs were unobtrusive, and even though I missed home, DH and DD1, it was also rather nice to have nothing to do except gaze at my new baby for 48 hours.

So, if you have a GBS diagnosis, take heart. It can be terribly scary because the potential consequences could be so severe, but there are things you can do to minimise risks. It does not make a homebirth impossible and even if you do need to go to hospital, things can still be just fine.

I hope this helps people in a similar position. Feel free to pm me if you have any questions.

I think if you do test positive for GBS then you need to be armed with the facts and the best source, ime, is the GBSS website.

If you have all the facts you can make an informed decision.

I tested positive for GBS. Ds was born 7 weeks early. Very very poorly and in NICU/SCBU for nearly a month and at one point not expected to live.

I count myself lucky as ds survived and is healthy. I know someone who lost their healthy newborn shortly after birth to GBS.

So lovely to hear your positive story existentialistcat, I am pg with dc2 and dc1 contracted GBS from me during childbirth. He recovered well after antibiotics for a week, but it was only caught so early, before symptoms started, (he was 2 days old) as his hand was cut on the forceps used to deliver him and the cut got infected.

I have been worried about what my options are now for dc2's birth, and didn't realise I could still consider a home-birth; I was told I would definitely have to go into hospital.

And thanks Mollie for the link.