Group B strep and antibiotics in labour

[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!!

[Me+him+bub]

i agree! thats why im a nurse haha! you would be surprised at some of the malpractice i have seen, best to go with your gut, thats what i do when i meet a doctor!

[Tegam]

Yes Yes Yes there is no need why they can not give you the AB's by slow push, this takes about 5-10mins (depending on how good the nurse is - some push them too quick!)

Another thing you can do is get to the hosptal late, like when you feel bubs is no too far away and then just say "hey there is no way those AB will do anything if i have the bub in the next 2 hrs, is there?"

Follow your gut and yes always question WHY a DR wants what they want. There is far too much intervenion in this country.....because it suits the Dr not the mother!

And like i said, yes GBS in bubs is scary and no mother would choose it to happen to their bub - but that does not mean that you have to introduce AB in labour to the unsuspecting bubs....'


I also forgot to say the delay washing baby for a few days, you dont want it to get cold getting dressed etc so maybe disposible nappies for the first few days to minimise changes????? Just a thought!

[Pandora]

im undecided on whether to be tested for GBS or not.
Its not common, but its not uncommon - in Australia is about 15% or people who have it at any one time.
The info I have read in the '3 centres' documentaton says that there is little difference in effectiveness in pre testing for it as opposed to checking for warning signs and symptoms in labour.

I also dont understand why some popel get a shunt put in and have the ABs via IV, when I know of at least one hospital in melbourne that just give the mums to be aregular injection every 4 hours.

Im very torn about what to do. I dont want unnecessary ABs and I know the risk of passing it o is low even if I am positive, but i also know what can happen to bubs who it does get passed on to.