Advice Wanted... Have Group B Strep and Am Due Soon

hi E... my name is kellie. my daughter had this with her firstborn.they just put her on an iv antibiotic while she was in labor.. her and my granddaughter were just fine.. cogratulations early....

I had strep B with both my pregnancies. They just give you IV antibiotics when you're in labor. This way the baby won't get the infection. Good luck!

I also tested positive and all they had to do was hook me up to an IV and give antibiotics. I went in early so they did it right in the hospital.

good luck

I was also Group B Strep positive when I delivered both of my children. It's really nothing to worry about. You shouldn't have to go to the hospital a whole lot earlier unless your water breaks. You'll need to go to the hospital as soon as your water breaks; if it doesn't then you'll just go when your contractions are 2 min apart, just like normal. Then the only difference is that you'll need an antibiotic IV as soon as you get there. Then that's it! The antibiotic is just so that the strep doesn't get passed to the baby during delivery. Both my kids are just fine and healthy! No worries!
This is such an exciting and wonderful time for you; enjoy it! Good Luck!

*edit - I guess maybe when contractions are 5min apart!

Hi E.! Congratulations! The GBS thing is not that big a deal. Most practitioners advocate a course of IV antibiotics while you are in labor. Generally you do not have to be in the hospital earlier than you would normally (labor at home as long as you can!!!) But you will receive the meds once you are admitted (in the hosp. where I work, our moms receive a dose every 4 hours while in labor). The exception to coming in earlier is if your water breaks. Then you will be asked to come in right away because the baby is no longer protected by the sac and infection is more likely to happen. You should call your midwife to confirm all this but in my experience, this is the general protocol in most cases. Of course, some women choose not to do the IV antibiotics. This being said, if that is your choice than none of this matters!!

Best wishes for a wonderful, empowering, joyful birth!

R.

I had Group B Strep and all that happened was I was given antibiotics via IV.

Congrats on your upcoming arrival!

Hugs,
L.

DONT WORRY :-)

all they do is when you get your iv-they attach a bag of medicine to it. they try to get it started a few hours before you deliver.

thats it. nothing bad or scary.

my sister had group b strep with her first-and everything was and is fine. she was even able to be in the tub untill her water broke.

i really hope that this has helped ease your mind,
K.

let us know how it goes. luck.

You will most likely have a C-section,don't worry. It's pretty common.

You would not have to get admitted earlier. With strep being positive, the hospital would just administer antibiotics through an IV before the baby is born. Best wishes for a safe delivery!

i thought i remember it just requires antiobiotics when you go into labor

It just means that while you are in labor you will have to have IV antibiotics. I didn't have it for my first child but did for my second one. Of course both my kids were born by c-section so it didn't matter, but my 2nd was suppose to be a VBAC and she turned breech the last 4 wks. But it has no affect on going into labor, but make sure you tell them when you get there so they can give you the drugs to keep your baby safe.

E.,

It was a while ago, but I think that when I tested positive the only thing that they did was to give me a shot of penacillin ... nothing to be worried about as long as it was caught!! So don't worry about your baby everything will be fine.

Congratulations!!

~A.~

no they give you amoxicillan while your in labor thru the iv (every 4-6 hrs).
i have it. its no big deal. i delivered once already (son now 5) and will be soon in april.

Nope. I was also positive with my 1st which means I will be with this one. When you go into labor and you get to the hospital all they do is give you a bag or two of penicillin while your in labor. That's it! Good luck with everything! Congrats!

I had this and my doc did want me to come into the hospital earlier than I would have liked. I had to have the IV for the meds that are needed. This meant that my movement was restricted as well. Not my dream experience but all went well. Message back if you any further questions.

I had group B strep as well. My son is now 9 so what I remember is that it was very smooth. I simply recieved the antibiotics needed before delivery. One suggestion I would make is to be sure to mention to the nurses you have that you have it so that there is no oversight when it comes to getting the correct medication to assure your babies health.

I was GBS positive with my first child. I went into labor at home when my water broke during the night. When I called the doc he said not to go to the hospital till my contractions were 3-5 minutes apart. Once I got there they hooked me up with an IV, and added a bag of antibiotics. I received them through my entire labor, and my daughter was given IV antibiotics for about 3 days after she was born. It was not a big deal except that it kept us in the hospital a little longer then ordinarily needed. I was allowed to stay as long as my daughter stayed. That was nearly 9 years ago, and she is the healthiest one in our family! So you have nothing to worry about! Good luck with your labor, and congratulations!

*edit* I almost forgot, I was given a course of oral antibiotics when the test first came back positive.

Hi E.-
I tested positive for Group Step B in my first pregnancy but not in my second. It didn't mean that i had to go to the hospital any earlier. My doc had told me to call when they were 5 minutes apart for 1 hour and that would be enough time to get the medicine before the baby was born. My son was born in a blizzard so i had to go to the hospital earlier b/c they were goign to shut down the roads. I was in labor 37 hours! I had plenty of time to get the med's. Talk to your midwife about it though, this was my experience, i'm not an expert.

I was postive also for Group B strep. Before they let me go into labor (before they broke my water) the doctors gave me an antibotic.So they may have to do that also.

I had GBS with my second daughter but not my first so I was nervous about it to. I never had to worry about my water breaking because I was induced. Not because of the GBS but because of the fact that my daughter was 4 days late and she was almost 10 lbs. The doctor just gave me the penicillin administered by IV. You are suppose to get 2 doses spaced out by like 3 hours. Unfortunalty for me I never received my 2nd dose b/c she was born so fast. With that happening the doctors and nurses kept and eye out for any problems with her and she needed to be in the hospital a few hours longer. She has no problems because I didnt get my 2nd dose and has never had to be on any kind of medicine for it. Hope this helps. Good Luck!

Like everyone else has pretty much said, it's no big deal. You go to the hospital when your doctor says (when your contractions are close enough together). I had it with my second child & the only difference was they added a bag of antibiotics to my IV. I didn't notice any side effects - delivery has enough of its own! If you are prone to yeast infections after taking antibiotics ask for yogurt with your meals while you are in the hospital! Good luck!

I had it with my first. All it meant was that I needed antibiotics via IV during labor & delivery. It is very necessary to prevent passing it to your child during delivery which can be life threatening.

It did not affect any other part of the process. I absolutely agree with Jeanette to mention it to the nurses just to be sure you get the antibiotics.

Good luck!

A.

I had to go in as soon as my water broke so they could be me on IV antibiotics. I am allergic to penicillin so I am not sure if that played any role in the issue or not.
They hooked me up and I rested in bed for a while and then it was on through the normal process, contractions and labour and delivery.
With me daughter I wasn't positive and I did most of my labour at home which was more comfortable.
See if they can hook you up to something portable so you can move around. I hated lying around waiting.

N.

Hi E. - I'm a Labor and Delivery nurse. Group B strep is pretty normal - about 40% of women have it, and it's a normal vaginal bacteria - but exposure to it can make your baby sick. What it means is that you should go to the hospital as soon as your water breaks. They'll start you on preventitive antibiotics until you deliver. If you go into labor, but your water hasn't broken, you don't have to rush to the hospital, but once you get there, they will start antibiotics.

Don't stress too much about this - I know it is scary to be told that you "have" something, but it really is fairly common. Feel free to ask if you have any more questions.

Good luck and congratulations!

M.

Hi E.,

I had Gourp B Strep and it is really nothing to worry about. 10 years ago it was, but now they will pump you with medicine through IV before you deliver and you will be fine. As soon as you get to the hospital they will hook you up to an IV, which they do anyway, but one of the bags of fluid going into you will the group b strep med. After the baby is born he/she will be fine. Good luck!

Hi E.,
I had Group B Strep and the doctors gave me antibiotics right before my daughter was born so I would not pass it on to her. They say you can transfer it if you do not receive the anitbotics and have a vaginal delivery. Just make sure you are treated before or at time of delivery.
Good Luck & take care,
Jen

E.,

I too was diagnosed with GBS the week before I went into pre-term labor with my first son. He was born a month early and my water broke spontaneously. What happened to me was a course of penicillin administered by IV when I arrived at the hospital. They said this was due to having the GBS and they were treating it "prophylactically". That was it. Many women are diagnosed as being GBS positive, it is very common from what I am told. I didn't have it with my 2nd son, but then did have it again with my last pregnancy, which I delivered by c-section, so no treatment was necessary. It sounds scarrier then it actually is :) Good luck with your pending delivery...enjoy your little one!!

I had Group B strep with my first and they assumed i had it with my 2nd. It's really no big deal. You still report to the hospital when your doctor tells you, usually if you are having contractions about 5 min apart. or with both my girls, my water broke first. then they tell you to go. They just want to make sure there is enough time for you to have 1 bag of antibiotics in your IV before you give birth. and esp with your first, even if it's a generally fast labor, there is enough time. I had a 7 hour labor with my first child, and 4 with my 2nd and both times, i was there in plenty of time. i dont' think it felt it made any difference. Good luck! that's very exciting!

I had group B with my daughter and not my son, dangerous levels come and go to my understanding. I went into labor with my daughter 5am and didn't go to the hospital till 6pm
(i had 40 hours of labor with her). When i got to the hospital they did hook me up to an IV with antibiotics, it didn't stop me from walking or moving around. I just couldn't shower with it. After she was born they took the IV out. And that was it. Hope this helps, my dctor told me it was not uncommon and nothing to worry about.Just needed antibitice before the baby decended to the birth canal. If you are really concerned and have more questions you should talk to your midwife more. Good luck with your delivery hope it's quick and easy as can be, you have no idea what wonderful blessings you are in for. Take care.

The treatment protocol for GBS is two doses of IV antibiotics 4 hours apart. If the mother does not receive both doses prior to giving birth, she (and possibly her baby) will probably be prescribed an antibiotic after the birth.

Remember that you don't need to be on the IV continuously or in bed to receive these 2 doses of IV abx. Don't let it affect your mobility.

Good luck!

I'm not a doctor, but I'm 37 weeks pregnant myself (2nd child) and just tested negative for the Strep B--my understanding is that you will need to have pre-emptive antibiotics. If you don't and your water breaks before labor begins, the doc may restrict the amount of time you'll be allowed to progress at your body's own pace for fear of infection. Call your midwife and ask to talk more about it. From what I understand, it's a pretty straightforward situation with pretty standard procedures.

Its not a big deal- they just start antibiotics when you get to the hospital. I just had my 2nd child and it wasnt a big deal for either of them. (I had it for both) Obviously you dont want to wait SO long that you end up delivering at home but that is highly unlikely as a 1st time mom- usually we go to the hospital way too early. Good luck and have fun!

My problem was that I tend to get yeast infections after I take antibiotics and I did after my labor. If this is a problem for you, you might want to get a scrip for Dyflucan. Good luck! You're going to do great!

I tested positive with my first daughter and not with my second. All it means is when you go into labor they will you you antibotics in IV form. There is nothing to worry about. Good luck to you and your little one on the way.
Jenn