Group B strep and antibiotics in labour

[Oorki Galoorki]

i think you are up for a fight just simply because "its not how we do it"......
but it seems like a great plan
i might recomend they check it again at around the 37 week mark(it comes and goes) so you might not have a positive reading by then with all the natural products you are using.

[Schmickers]

I think that sounds like a sensible plan. You are basically exploring the difference between treating based on risk factors (prolonged rupture of membranes, fever, etc.) and treating based on pathology; if you'd like, I have a link somewhere to an Australian study that compared the two and found that neither strategy better than the other. Might be useful to have at your next appointment.

We had a positive swab for GBS when we were pregnant with Olivia; we did many of the things you are doing with probiotics, and we also had a douche prepared by our naturopath, can't remembe exactly what was in it, but I'm sure there was garlic. We were negative on our second swab.

[diannescruffy]

Hope it all works out well for you and your next swab will come back negative. Obviously different hospitals have different policies, I was positive with two of my pregnancies and neither time had an IV thankfully. I was given an injection at a certain time during my labour and that was it.
Good luck with it all.

Regards,
Dianne

[Kazmar]

Hope it all works out for you! Just thought Id let you know. I had this IV. I found it made no difference to the birth. In my birth plan I wanted NO needles what so ever, is a massive fear of mine. But I knew it would help so much If you do have to take the IV dont stress. As I said it made no difference to Annabelle's birth

[Toomanytoomany]

Hope it all works out for you! Just thought Id let you know. I had this IV. I found it made no difference to the birth. In my birth plan I wanted NO needles what so ever, is a massive fear of mine. But I knew it would help so much If you do have to take the IV dont stress. As I said it made no difference to Annabelle's birth

I've had IVs too for four of my other deliveries - that is the least of my concerns but I do know that I don't like them. My major concerns are to do with the impact of large doses of antibiotics on the baby and me, and weighing that up against the actual risk.

Thanks for the good wishes, everyone.

[Toomanytoomany]

if you'd like, I have a link somewhere to an Australian study that compared the two and found that neither strategy better than the other.

Yes please - I would like to have any info at my fingertips that is available! The only Cochrane Review info available was pretty brief. I also note that the studies in favour of the routine administration of a/biotics are based on poor samples - and there doesn't seem to be much info on the instance of checking for resistant bacteria and other types of sepsis in neonates. It's like, "We can test for this one, so this one's the bogeyman!" when of course it isn't as straightforward as that, is it?

[Tegam]

I tested positive for my 1st. Had the AB but delivered too soon so they had no affect.

I tested positive for my 2nd. New baby was going to come too quick so said no to AB in hospital. Labour was 2hrs so i was right, the AB need over 4 hrs to work...

Didnt both getting tested for baby number 3 as i was guessing i would be positive. I had done my research and was happy that i knew the pros and cons well enough to make this decision....

I cant remember where my research is, ill have a look for you

but i do remember that in one of the studies it suggested that the babies that do get GBS from their mothers are the ones that are put under undue stress at the time of birth, eg. being made cold in a operating theatre, or being "Checked" by the Dr. Weighed on those horrible scales or even given needles........

So they suggested that skin to skin, 1st bf and the deley of "checks" and weighs.....

Something for you to think about...

Also i have to say that there are some people that think that i took an risk by not taking the AB.....Well i have nursed VERY sick babies and i have watched some die of it - yes scary - BUT if we added up all the risks then we wouldnt get pregnant... There is no possible way to take all the risks out of babies and births..... And Like you AB have their own risks, All of my children are yet to have AB so why would i want to introduce them to them when they are so young....

Also the AB can be administered in one go so while you how have to have the needle in you shouldnt have to have a pole?????

[Toomanytoomany]

Milly thank you for that, it is very helpful. It's funny - I'd been feeling this pregnancy that the skin to skin thing after birth was feeling much more important to me than it has done before.

I have shortish labours, too, four to six hours, and as quick as two hours, so I doubt they'd have much opportunity to get them in before the baby was born.

I am assuming about the pole - they can just have a bung in and not the other apparatus? That would be good to know if the other risks are present and I do agree to have them.

[Me+him+bub]

hi there! IV's are awful! i prefer giving them to having them, but most docs will insist, although you DO have the right to say no. even if not being administered antibiotics often you will still get a line in as a precaution, something may go wrong in labour and may need emergency C sec and if they are spending precious time finding a vein there could be trouble! in medicine something is only done if it outweighs the risk of not having the procedure, the less that has to be done the better so if they feel its necessary there must be a reason y. i wish you luck! plus strep b is nasty you dont want bub having it. strep B is very common too!

[Toomanytoomany]

In medicine something is only done if it outweighs the risk of not having the procedure, the less that has to be done the better so if they feel its necessary there must be a reason y.

Thanks for your well wishes - however, I think a lot of medicine as it is currently practised is not evidence based, and I've had too many doctors do things to me for convenience to trust that they are always doing things with good reason. At this hospital, even more so!!