(And Understand the Reality of GBS Risks to Your Baby & Know if Antibiotics Are Actually Making a Difference)
Dear Mama-to-Be,
The GBS swab has become one of those “pregnancy rites of passage” meant to protect mamas and babies. But has it actually made a difference? Most of us know that stomach-churning feeling of dread as we wait for that little swab result to come back – is it going to be negative – or will it be positive?
Maybe you feel guilty because you've been told “it's to protect your baby” – but at the same time you know it means antibiotics that will wipe out your own good bacteria – and your baby's. It makes thrush more likely while you and baby get the hang of breastfeeding. It means you'll be tethered to an IV pole during labor. It may mean you have to give birth in a hospital rather than at home or the birthing center. Do you feel guilty for even having these thoughts?
I did.
As a first-time mom planning a home birth, my state required my midwife send me to an OB at 36 weeks for “home birth approval” (which is really rather ridiculous because my midwife and I were perfectly capable of deciding a home birth was right for me!). The OB did his routine 36-week exam, including a Group B Strep swab.
At my next prenatal with my midwife (a couple days later) I told her about the appointment and watched her face fall when I mentioned the Group B swab. She said if it cultured positive, state guidelines forbid a home birth. I felt like the floor dropped out from under me. At the time I only understood that my careful birth preparation could go completely out the window…
Fortunately my culture came back negative and I went on to have Cassidy at home at 41.5 weeks. But in the last 15 years I've heard about GBS over, and over, and over again – and how the test changes birth plans, ruins early breastfeeding experiences, and causes babies to be kept away from their moms.
A lot of women are left wondering if treating tens of thousands of moms and babies every year is really making a difference.
And a lot of women are left wondering if they can do anything to prevent Group B Strep in the first place.
I hear this question again and again:
“Is it possible to prevent or get rid of GBS before my baby comes?”
That's why I chose GBS for a focused class topic. You need a lot of information when it comes to GBS:
- You need the truth about routine GBS testing
- You need the truth about how GBS impacts babies
- You need the truth about what Group B Strep actually is
- You need the truth about what being “GBS positive” means for you
See, you do want to be informed about GBS because it can cause problems for newborns. But the universal testing for millions of moms, and the antibiotic treatment given to thousands of moms (and by extension, their babies), isn't making the difference policy makers had hoped for.
It is causing many moms and babies to start life under heavy antibiotic loads, and we do know that that may cause unintended consequences for not just moms, but lifelong unintended consequences for babies.
Again, I'm not saying you should decline testing or treatment, or that either one is a bad thing – what I'm saying is that you need to be informed. You need to know the truth. And that is what you'll discover in this class.
You'll get the truth, and you'll get my very favorite thing to give – proven, practical steps to stop GBS worry in its tracks!
Here's what we'll cover in class:
- What is GBS and why is it so important during pregnancy and birth?
- Is GBS really a disease to worry about? (hint: you shouldn't think of GBS as a “infection”)
- The difference between early-onset and late-onset Group B Strep and what it means for your baby
- Why all women are screen for GBS, plus why this hasn't helped GBS babies
* What the evidence says about antibiotic treatment (the good AND the bad, and yes, there is bad) - Why other countries have decided not follow the USA's recommendations for GBS
- What to do if you're told you're GBS positive
- How to decide on accepting or declining antibiotics in labor (and if you can decline!)
- and more!
You'll also discover:
- How to prevent GBS colonization – or get rid of it if you have (or had) it
- Supplements you should add to your daily regime
- The role diet plays in Group B Strep (you can make a few simple changes to dramatically reduce GBS)
- Other places to look for hidden GBS risks (hint: we'll talk about undies, laundry soap, and more!)
- Exactly when you can start a GBS prevention routine
- The safety of GBS treatments while breastfeeding your older baby
- How to restore balance if you were given antibiotics for GBS
- The exact steps you need to take if you had a positive GBS swab in a previous pregnancy
I cover all of these topics and more in the class. You'll feel informed and ready to make the right choices for yourself and your baby, plus you'll have an actionable plan to kick GBS out (and feel healthier and happier in the process!).
My normal consultation rate is $300 an hour, and since this is a full class recording with Q&A, the charge would be around $197. But since I'm offering this as a recorded class, I won't charge anywhere near the individual consultation rate. I want as many mamas as possible to feel confident and informed – so you don't feel bullied – so you can make the right choice for your baby. So I'm offering this class for $47. Click below to register now!
