GBS+ and poss induction if waters break

[Little Chicken]

I agree with you traveller that more education about the signs of infection in newborns should be offered. I am not saying that every woman in labour should have antibiotics either. I totally agree that everyone has the right to refuse or accept any treatment offered to them. I was just pointing out where the evidence behind this practice comes from and why it has been instituted so people can make an informed choice. I know there are studies currently underway to help determine which babies are more susceptible to infection which may help narrow the treatment group even further. I believe there has been a drastic overuse of antibiotics and that they can cause some problems. But sometimes they are necessary as well.

I am sorry that your little one developed sepsis. That must have been hard on you and your family and I hope everything turned out well.

[Traveller]

He is perfect now, thanks, but it was a terrible time. I have so much respect for hospitals, drugs and NICU staff now. I think in fact my raised respect for abx and how powerful they are and lifesaving they can be is affecting my opinion on their routine use. Possibly this is a subject I need to step back from to avoid my own personal situation affecting my opinion, it is all a little too close to home.

[Beautitude]

For future reference, taking probiotics during pregnancy can prevent GBS infections quite easily, and a daily dose of fresh garlic and freshly squeezed lemon can also help to guard against it. Make sure you keep your probiotics in the fridge.

JellyBean i was GBS + with my last preg and would really like to avoid it if poss this time around so will be taking your advice. DS was a happy chucker for his first 6 months, do you think this could be attributed to the antib's he had during labour? Also how should i take the daily dose of garlic and freshly squeezed lemon? Also in what quantity?

[kungfubecca]

Thanks Traveler & kelly,

my bubs like to be in the right position for the entirity of the pregnancy it seems, what they don't like to do is decend!!

Last time after my waters broke, I was up did a load of washing, did the dishes, walked around a lot. Not to mention the amount of walking I did in the weeks leading up to, I swear I went hiking one day, I was so intent on having that bubs in the right position, and got it all except the decent.

I'll cross my fingers this time see if that helps more, although on occasion I feel this bubs slipping down occasionaly.....

[kungfubecca]

Hi, bubs arrived last sunday morning.

As GBS positive again, I was given antibiotics, this time I didn't need to be induced so had the first round of antibiotics which takes about 20 mins, and then drip taken away, but I had the line in so the next course could be administered later.

had to be monitored, due to having mechonium this time, but went with telemetry, which worked fine until bubs moved down. They had just started talking about putting a probe on her head to monitor better when the unbareable downward pressure started and I could no longer concentate on using the gas, and could only manage to bite down on the tube.

needless to say this bubs took less time than the first one and was under 4 hours from when waters broke to bubs tearing her way out. (litterally) so the second course of antibiotics was never received.

Then the real fun and games started where we wern't allowed to leave the hospital until they confirmed she was ok, and 2 heal blood tests and one from a vein, and me explaining to the registrar how time worked and yes we had been in the hospital for more than 48 hours post birth, my little girl was fine.

The one thing I would really like to know is why no one tries to treat you for the gbs prior to birth.

If your tested at 36 weeks, should you then treat and re-test at say 38-39 weeks - presuming that you last that long.

[Little Chicken]

Congratulations on your new baby!

To try to answer the question I think it is because GBS can be classed as skin flora, or normal flora sometimes. Like staph aureus (golden staph) is present on just about everyone but does no harm unless it goes somewhere it shouldn't, it is next to impossible to eradicate it prior to surgery. GBS is the same. The antibiotics are more to prevent infection then to eradicate its prescence from you. To attempt to do so would require a much longer course and all the side effects that go with it. I suppose there is also the risk that if there treatment was successful, if you happened to live with someone who was also a carrier and if they weren't treated that you would just get recolonised anyway.

A bit rambling I know but I hope it made sense.

[JellyBean]

Congrats on the new arrival!

GBS can come and go during pregnancy according to your levels of probiotic 'friendly' bacteria - and it is even influenced by diet. Eating lots of fresh garlic, alkaline foods and taking a probiotic supplement (oe - Inner Health Plus) in the weeks leading up to your GBS test will eliminate any GBS bacteria overgrowth and almost certainly guarantee you a negative result. Unfortunately you wont hear this from a doctor/Ob and so many women and their babies are exposed to the effects of antibiotics uneccessarily.

The risks associated with antibiotics are that they further diminish your probiotic stores (the reason most women develop GBS in the first place), and are passed on to bubs - wiping out babies beneficial bacteria stores too, and also reducing the amount of beneficial probiotic bacteria they receive in your breastmilk. Newborns exposed to antibiotics have a much lower count of beneficial bacteria present in their stools and digestive tract, meaning that their digestion and assimilation of nutrients is compromised, and therefore ultimately their immunity is diminished.

If you or your baby has been exposed to antibiotics, either directly or via breastfeeding, you can replenish your probiotic stores by taking a good quality probiotic supplement (like In-Liven) which will be passed on via the breastmilk, or if bottle-feeding, add some of the Baby-Biotic 0+ Probiotic powder (by Bioceuticals) to their milk. Avail from health food stores. Personally I would be doing both. The greater the number of probiotic bacteria, the stronger the immune system, and the better bubs will react to vaccinations and illness.

HTH!!

[kungfubecca]

Thanks,

That was realy good information.

I might try the pro biotics while bf, and will definetly try it next time, If I'm allowed another bub

couldn't handle many alkaline foods during this last pregnancy though, the heart burn was too severe.

Bubs seems to be absorbing nutrients just fine though, no ill effects there, she has already surpassed her birth weight at 8 days old, and I can see her skin filling out, and she is very alert.

Thanks again