Feeling really low after 40 wk mw appointment

[ilovetosleep]

The loveliest midwife in the world just managed to make me cry! I know I'm very hormonal, but...

History: I had a really lovely, straightforward home water birth with my first. Now I live in an area (not UK) where GBS screening is routine and I tested + at 36 weeks. So I've finally got used to the idea of a hospital birth, I've stressed how important water birth is to me and the usual hopes for low intervention etc etc. I will have IV antiBs every 4 hrs.

Today was the first time it was made clear to me how important it is that my waters don't break prior to contractions and it's really freaked me out. I don't know how much of what she said I can take with a pinch of salt or choose to request otherwise (they are usually v receptive to specific requests).

I was told that I would need to go straight in to hospital as soon as waters go, regardless of contractions. I need to be contracting regularly within 6 hours before they give the drip. I can try gel/pessary first but still within the 6 hour window. Drip = continuous on the back monitoring.

This is all my worst nightmare. She kept reiterating that its unusual in 2nd labours for waters to go before contractions start but I keep reading about it happening on here! I don't know how crucial all of this is and I am off to do some reading but does it sound appropriate to you? Is 6 hrs a little conservative? And I don't think I knew that a drip automatically meant continuous monitoring. At the moment, anything other than me touching my bump makes me feel queasy, including my clothing! Would it be irresponsible of me to refuse a drip and/or monitoring? I just don't know...

If anyone has had similar experience/advice to offer I'd love to hear from you
thanks

My niece back in the US tested positive for it. When she went into labor last week, they had to deliberately slow her labor down so that they could get the meds into her before the baby came out. I think it was at least 4-5hours they added to it. From what I've read, GBS is nothing to mess with, and you need the meds before the baby is born. It could make your child seriously ill. But that's just my 2p.

By drip do you mean the syntocinon rather than antibs? The syntocinon does need continuous monitoring unfortunately.

I also have GBS and have been told I will receive IV antibs as soon as my waters go. Not heard anything about issues with contractions and deadlines yet but am only 36+5.

I had gbs in my first pregnancy and if you labour fast they will not slow your labour down, if they can't get the antib's into you, either you'll have a 24 hr stay to monitor the baby or they'll give the baby antibiotics.

Problem is, is that there is no standard protocol across the NHS, I wasn't even tested for my 2nd pregnancy.

Try googling for the NICE guidelines, there is also a GBS organisation, take a loll at their website for more info(on phone so can't link sorry).

Lastly, cordless monitoring does exist, so you could ask if that's possible, or ask if you can come off monitor to get upright and moving, I was induced (waters broken, nothing else)with my 2nd & had meconium in the waters and had decels but was still 'allowed' off monitor. Good luck!

I don't know much about the infection risk, but I was induced with drip for first baby and wanted to reassure you that it isn't always as bad as the stories sound. I was continually monitored and on my back, but labour was short (2.5hrs) and I got by with just breathing (was too scared of feeling sick to try gas and air!) Had planned a home water birth so not exactly how we'd pictured it, but was an okay experience in the end less said about post natal ward the better though

Hope it works out for you. I'm 39+2 with my second and already seriously fed up!

Syntocinon does mean continuous monitoring (perhaps with shortish periods 'off'). It doesn't automatically mean on your back. You may be limited if you choose to have an epidural, obviously. But here I was reassured that, provided they could get a decent trace, you could be upright on a birth ball, etc.

Thanks for the replies.

They definitely won't slow labour down, I haven't heard of that before. If I don't get 2 doses of anti biotics in then the baby will be v closely monitored for 24 hrs, although they'll be doing that either way. She did say with second babies there often isn't time for 2 dowse of anti bs as labours tend to be quicker and women don't get there early enough.

Yes I meant syntocinon drip, if my contractions are not regular and established within 6hrs of waters breaking. Which seems really soon to me given that non GbS women get over 24hrs without intervention.

She was quite keen to stress that the vast majority of women do start getting contractions either before or when their waters go, so it's really a theoretical discussion, but obviously it does happen to some women. I guess I just feel anxious having had such a text book firs labour to compare to. All this talk of induction and monitoring is a world away from my home birth.

I've looked on the GbS website and can't find any guidelines re how long after waters breaking induction wld be recommended - all I could find was that if baby is born more than 12 hrs after ruptured membranes then there is a higher risk that the infection will transfer. So I guess it does make sense.

Re monitoring, there is no chance of anything any more new fangled than hooked up to a machine and on the bed. I may be allowed on all fours but I will have to on the bed, if it comes to that.

hi. my sister had gbs in her first pregnancy but it's.not regularly tested here.

her little boy was so so so poorly her waters went at home she went in and luckily it was relatively quick.

With her 2nd baby she was induced early to prevent waters breaking so she had a drip with antibiotics and pesserie. Little girl had very slight signs on infection but they new and kept an eye on her and she was fine.

Honestly don't worry I had a drip for antibiotics with my 3rd because I had infection not gbs but my waters had gone for too long. it really doesn't make much difference you can still get up and move about.