Anyone have any experience of GBS and fast labour

[Bex06513]

I’ve tested GBS positive from a recent urine test so have been advised to have IV antibiotics during labour...however these need to be given at least 4 hours prior to birth. My first birth was 6 hours from first niggles to baby...established labour and pushing around 2 hours. Really worried I won’t make it in time...I said to my midwife I will call the hospital at first niggles and she said they won’t give them to me until I’m in established labour...in which case what’s the point?! It seems very inflexible and policy designed for typical long first labours...i feel we will miss the window and then they will be faffing around putting a canula in while I’m ready to push.

Does anyone have any experience with this? Did you manage to get anti bs earlier on in labour?

Quite worried as I’ve known family members with poorly GBS babies and I just feel with the current plan it’s extremely unlikely I’ll be able to get the antibiotics in time.

Yes. DC1, I didn't realise I was positive but had a high temperature and vomiting in labour so they tested. Came back positive for GBS. Labour was only 3.5 hours from first twinge to birth so I had antibiotics for the last 30 mins of it. Then had more later in the day after she was born. My understanding was they should of monitored my daughter after she was born but they didn't - luckily she was absolutely fine. Have they said whether they plan to keep you in and monitor you both for the recommended 12 hours?

@sittingdownb sorry you had to go through that
but great that your daughter was ok in the end! Yes they’ve said they will monitor for 12 hours if I don’t have them in time at least..I guess I’d just rather have them myself rather than my newborn have to have them :( it’s a shame they can’t do it earlier in labour..I guess the issue is it could be stop start long labour...but I thought they may be flexible for women who had quick first births

I only managed to get the first dose in for both of my labours, they just kept us in for monitoring for 12 hours for my first and 24 for my second (I think it depends on the Trust and their individual local policies) to check babies were ok. Annoying as I just wanted to get out asap but as you say, untreated GBS can be very dangerous so best to be cautious.

I gave birth in August this year, I managed one dose in labour, I think the IV was 30mins and supposed to be every 2 hours. As soon as my waters started to break I had to go in due to GBS and good job as from waters starting and baby being born was just over 4 hours. We had to stay in for baby to be monitored for 24hrs.

Yes I had it with dc1 and had an iv set up, fab midwife taped it all round my hand and put a long line so I could still have a water birth, I didn’t think I’d be allowed but think was lucky the day I went into labour that there was a particular midwife on the ward that really loved helping women with water birth ,will never forget her enthusiasm for it and she had the iv in as soon as we arrived , I think I had about five hours of it before baby was born and yes kept in for monitoring baby after for 12 hours, this was however 15 years ago…. Second baby was much quicker but no gbs, would still have had time for some antibiotics before birth though so unless it super quick you probably be ok, when I had it they had it written all over the notes and stickers with gbs everywhere so no one would have missed it and they said just come in when in labour like normal but I went in sooner than with second as I was abit worried about the gbs