GBS in a Home Birth

by Danielle
(Michigan)

My Baby Boy

I am currently 24 weeks pregnant with my second child, and have been seriously considering an unassisted home birth with this one.

I had a HORRIBLE experience with my daughter's birth that included ALL KINDS of medical interventions that were both unwelcome and medically unnecessary. I also didn't approve of the fact that my birth plan went completely ignored, or that I couldn't video tape my birth.

My main concern in this is that I was diagnosed with GBS with my daughter, and my fear is that I don't have options other than a hospital delivery.

I have done research and found that some women use an oral antibiotic regiment for the weeks before labor begins to prevent the spread of GBS to the baby, but I am also allergic to anything other than Keflex. I wonder if there's anyone who has taken Keflex orally to treat GBS while delivering, or would welcome any advice on the subject.

I just need to have answers from someone who doesn't have their own financial agenda in mind!

Answer:

Hi Danielle,

Firstly, let me say that unassisted birth is wonderful :) Many women choose and have successful unassisted births.

Next, just because you were GBS positive at some point in your first pregnancy does not mean that you are now. In fact, you usually don't even test for GBS until a woman is 36 weeks pregnant because it comes and goes.

I have also heard of women using oral antibiotics before and during labor rather than IV antibiotics.

This is a possibility and could help if you are in fact GBS positive at the end of this pregnancy. Antibiotics (of any kind) also impact your vaginal flora, however - and this means your baby's gut flora, too. Baby establishes healthy gut flora partially from his trip through the birth canal. So antibiotic use is something to consider carefully (and if you decide to go with it I would take a probiotic supplement for awhile after you're done).

You can read a very interesting archived thread on Mothering with lots of input from GBS positive mamas - Group B Strep.

There are several strategies near the end of thread for taking a natural approach to Group B Strep treatment.

Best of luck to you as you prepare for your birth, let me know if I can help with anything else!

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GBS in a Home Birth

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Mar 18, 2010
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Vaginal cleanse
by: Anonymous

Hi Danielle,
First, as uncomfortable as you may be, have as much sex with your hubby as you can endure, all the way up to the end of your pregnancy. Sperm has properties that can kill the bacteria.

My midwife uses a vaginal cleanse, not a douche, but a cleanse when you go into labor with GBS...as long as your bag of waters hasn't broken. (Eat lots of protein for a strong bag of waters.)

The cleanse keeps bacteria at bay for 12 hours. You can also repeat it at that time, if your waters are still intact. You may want to do some research into this. I'm not sure exactly what it's called, but it sounds like a great idea to me.

I'm not big on antibiotics. I get yeast infections from them and believe they are grossly overused. Research suggests that if you have GBS and do nothing, you have a 1 in 200 chance your baby will get GBS disease, and if your baby gets GBS, there's only a 6% chance of developing severe complications...which means 3 in 10,000 babies born to GBS positive mothers and given no antibiotics will die from the infection.

Of course, you'd want to monitor yourself for fever during labor. But without fever, prolonged rupture of membranes, or pre-term labor, your risks are very low. (See article titled "Treating Group B Strep, Are Antibiotics Necessary?" by Christa Novell, Mothering Magazine, Nov-Dec 2003, p 54-60.)

Hope this helps. Either way, don't let it deter you from your ideal birthing experience. You'll just have to be more vigilant about monitoring your baby after birth for any signs of infection...of course, if you notice any, the hospital is the best place for baby.

Good luck!

Mar 18, 2010
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Hibicleanse
by: Anonymous

Not exactly natural, but my midwife suggested that I use Hibicleanse, when labor started, before my water broke. (You know she jinxed me) Kind of like a douche. Well, my water broke before labor started (I'm that one in ten kinda person also neg. blood type). But we WERE going to do that instead of IV antibiotics. So maybe that would help.

Mar 19, 2010
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GBS
by: Anonymous

First off, I'm planning an unassisted birth for my first child in a couple of months.

I've heard theories that your water breaking is a natural way to "rinse" out your vagina and make a clean passageway for your baby with little or no GBS bacteria (which is naturally occurring at different times in all vaginas). The theory is that GBS is actually pushed back up into your vagina through routine vaginal exams after your water has broken and washed the bacteria down. I feel this theory is very intelligent and reasonable. To me this is just more proof that the birth process is perfect in and of itself and shouldn't be tampered with in any way.

Mar 21, 2010
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My experience with GBS
by: Anonymous

No vaginal exams will definately cut your chances of spreading an infection to your baby.

I had GBS with both children. My first contracted spinal meningitis. I had a fever during delivery, two rounds of antibiotics, vaginal exams and prolonged pushing (almost three hours). Even with the antibiotics he contracted an infection.

I had an unplanned unassisted birth with my second. No antibiotics, pushed her out in two contractions on the way to the hospital in the front seat of our minivan. I had one vaginal exam that morning during my midwife visit. Second child was free of infection.

Good Luck!

Mar 29, 2010
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My Plan
by: Danielle

Thanks everyone for all your input! I appreciate it as I have only talked to closed minded individuals who think I'm crazy for wanting to birth at home, and keep telling me that I'm endangering my baby.

The biggest argument being that if something goes wrong, I don't have immediate help (the hospital is 5 mins away, no joke) and the SECOND being that not having IV antibiotics and doctors monitoring me is ridiculous and dangerous for both me and my baby.

It's so hard to know what is right to do, but in my mind, if its worked like this since the beginning of time, then there is nothing wrong with letting nature take its course.

My biggest fear is NOT that something will go wrong, but what will happen after I do this (unassisted birth.) I've watched the shows/read blogs about "freebirthing" and saw how some states/countries react to women who choose to go it alone.

I'm not looking to get my kids taken away from me, but this is my last baby and I want to be calm and relaxed at home. With my daughter, I felt like my being in labor was "inconveniencing the staff" so I figure that knowing all my facts is the best weapon against ignorance!

Feel free to keep the facts/knowledge flowing... its appreciated!

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