I just got the results of my group B strep swab back, and it was positive. Current policy in my area dictates that in this case, I must deliver at the hospital and receive IV antibiotics in labour. I have been planning a home birth, up until this point, and I've never had an IV and I don't want one.
My midwife said I may choose to ignore the result if I want to, but she would not recommend it. And I don't want to put my baby at risk, even if it is just a slight risk.
So my next option is to re-swab, which my midwife is perfectly willing to do. She recommends trying a week of probiotics (acidophilus orally and vaginally) and then swabbing again, and whatever the result is that time, we'll have to stick with it.
What I need is any other suggestions that might help. Can anyone give me anything that can help clear GBS out of your system? I really want to have a good, healthy, home birth!
hi there,
im also gbs positive, but cant have anti biotics coz i am allergic.. gbs grows in cycles so just because ur positive now dosnt mean u will be at labour or at ur next swab.. pro biotics is a good idea ive also heard that inserting a garlic clove into the vagina before bed 2 days in a row before ur due to be tested will make ur test negative but it dosnt garauntea you wont have the bacteria at birth so thats something you have to think about..
I was also stepB positive but didn't have an IV was given an injection during labour. Maybe you could ask your midwife if this could also be an option for you. Hope it clears up and everything turns out well so you can have your homebirth.
Hi Girls
Here are a couple of suggestions that you may want to try instead of the antibiotics.
~ Strep B Douche (vaginal irrigation)
One part 3% Hydrogen Peroxide to four parts water (Hydrogen peroxide kills Strep B on contact, however, NEVER treat with undiluted Hydrogen Peroxide-too strong!))
Douche or irrigate once a day, for six days.
Also clean labia with same solution twice daily for all six days.
Optional additions to solution above:
3-4 drops of Tea Tree essential oil
30 drops of Barberry tincture
Oral Preparation for Group B Strep, begin at 36 weeks gestation:
One part Barberry tincture
One part Astragalus tincture
One part Oregon Grape Seed tincture
Two parts Usnea tincture
Mix and store in amber bottle away from light. Take one dropperful (about 90 drops) twice a day; once in the morning and once in the evening until labor begins. Combine with above douche treatment.
Garlic Protocol
Peel and score/nick one garlic clove and insert vaginally for five-seven nights in a row. The more scores or nicks the better, as it is the garlic 'juice' that does the work. However, some women experience irritation with greater exposure to garlic 'juice'. So start with fewer nicks or scoring and build up from there. Start this protocol five – seven nights before the test date for the GBS swab. The test will be negative and the vaginal vault will be clear of GBS for four – six weeks.
Now that all this has been laid out, a few other things factor into this issue... the assumption that you will have a long labor with ruptured membranes. The longer the exposure in the birth path, the greater the risk of all kinds of microbes taking hold. So, no one can predict if your will start labor with ruptured membranes, nor can anyone predict the length of your labor. You could have a long labor, but with the bag intact until moments before birth... very little risk of exposure with that scenario.
So, consider that a few nights of douching or garlic insertion is far better for everyone involved than IV antibiotics, the side-effects and the fear and worry about the health of the baby, having to have the baby kept at the hospital for 48 hours while the GBS test grows out— a baby that is most likely not going to be exposed in the first place—especially if it is at term and the mother has eaten well throughout her pregnancy.
~ Also see Gloria Lemay’s article, “With Woman—Strep B: A Holistic Approach”
Chlorhexidine Douche
A solution of 0.2% chlorhexidine must be used. The hospital stocks a 0.5% solution.
To make a 0.2% solution from 100ml of 0.5% add 150mls of sterile water to this solution and shake it up well.
The solution should be syringed into the vagina at a low pressure; this would be best done with a 50ml Toomey syringe or a 20ml standard syringe.
The dose is 120mls every six hours.
Thanks so much ladies! I've picked up the pro-biotics, so we'll start there.
Alan - I'm so glad you took the time to answer as well! Thanks a lot! Would you recommend the peroxide solution or the garlic? Does the peroxide provide any long-term "protection" as the garlic seems to? Personally, I think I prefer the peroxide idea, just because I feel smelly enough already, without adding garlic! But if the garlic clove idea works better, or is safer, or whatever, I can certainly give that one a shot!
Based on my past history, I anticipate delivering right around my due date, with a relatively short labour. (three babies so far, one at 40+1, 7hrs labour, one at 39+1, 7 hours labour, and one at 40+1, 2 hours labour.)
Hi Cricket
There are some potential side effects from the treatments.
Peroxide needs to be inserted slowly and may feel very strange when it starts to fizz. It can also make some very embarrassing sounds as the air escapes. There is a small chance of irritation.
Garlic can sting so I suggest that you only make 1 small cut in the clove the first time you use this. Increase the number of cuts as you get used to the feeling.
Chlorhexadine is used widely in hospitals to kill germs. It has a slight chance of causing irritation when inserted into the vagina.
Personally I would suggest the garlic for its long term protection. I’m not sure if the other treatments offer this.
My second choice would be the Chlorhexadine as there is a very slight theoretical chance of an air embolism from peroxide due to its ability to release air when it comes into contact your skin.
Thanks Alan - it's evening here in Canada, but I'll be picking up garlic first thing in the morning tomorrow. I'm so glad to have found some further help and suggestions here! I'll let you know next week how things went.
As far as the traditional treatment plan goes - IV antibiotics in hospital are the only option available here right now. In some areas, the IV can be administered at home, and in some areas, an IM injection is allowed before you go into labour, but here, this is the only choice right now. I'm really hoping to avoid it!
Anyways, thanks again for all your help everyone - BellyBelly is such a wonderful resource and support!
It was POSITIVE!!! HELP!
Current policy in my area dictates that in this case, I must deliver at the hospital and receive IV antibiotics in labour. I have been planning a home birth, up until this point, and I've never had an IV and I don't want one.
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But if the garlic clove idea works better, or is safer, or whatever, I can certainly give that one a shot! 
I'll let you know next week how things went.
In some areas, the IV can be administered at home, and in some areas, an IM injection is allowed before you go into labour, but here, this is the only choice right now. I'm really hoping to avoid it! 
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