I had the lovely group b strep swabbing done last week. Today at my appointment, the midwife told me that I tested positive, so that means I get hooked up to antibiotics during labor. I don't know why, but it really is bumming me out. I didn't want any IVs during labor. I bruise so easily with them and contrary to what they tell me, I can feel them in me when they say I shouldn't be able to (the only place they can normally find to put them in at is in the wrist under my thumb). They have to give me penicillian because of my sulfite allergy (it eliminates all the sulfa drugs). However, my husband's family is all allergic to penicillian. I told the midwife that and she didn't say a thing about it. What if Dainyah is allergic to penicillian too? It isn't a small allergy in his family either. His mom went into anaphylaxsis and nearly died from hers, and his sister went into a horrible shock. Because of Peter's family history, no doctor has ever been willing to even prescribe it for him, so we don't know if it he or not for sure. And now because of the mandatory IV, I proably won't be allowed into the whirlpool for labor or a shower. That is what I wanted most. Floating in water has always helped my menstrual cramps, I figure same prinicipal while in labor.

Then, I go and start reading more about group b, and from what I've read, once you've tested positive, most ob's will just assume you are positive the next time and just hook up the antibiotics during labor instead of checking first. Is this the case with other's who have tested positive?

Then, the midwife starts pushing birth control options for after the baby. She is really into the IUD. Our insurance won't cover b/c anyway and we've been using NFP. She doesn't buy into that. Go figure. I felt so cornered in that office. She did tell me that the clinic she also works out of south of here would put in the IUD for less than a third of the cost of in town here. Or that if I wanted the pill, it would only be about five bucks a pack down there. I don't want either!!!! I don't believe in either. You can't prove how the IUD actually works (I've read so many conflicting reports on them I don't know what to believe and I don't believe in hormonal b/c for many reasons, and I am allergic to latex!) I don't want another baby any time in the near future, but she is convinced that ecological b/f won't prevent it. She's too into the whole pharmaceutical route. Most are around here.

On a happy note, I am now about 60% effaced and 1 cm dilated. I told her that I do not want pitocin at all for any reason. Last week, I hadn't started to efface and no dilatiing either. I'm glad. Now, just to really get this show on the road. I don't know how much longer I can stand being pregnant at this point.

I don't know why I'm so upset at the moment. I think I need a nap. I can take one for an hour before I have to start dinner.

I am deathly allergic to pennicillin and they can give you other drugs if you want! I used erythromycin (sp?) and it worked fine. I didn't have time to test since I delivered a month early so I had to have them....I am very susceptible to drugs to and can feel them going in....I didn't have any bad feeling with this drip though and no problems....I would suggest asking for the other drug choice though if you and your hubby don't have allergies there. My OB and pediatrician said that it wasn't worth risking crossover to the baby due to my shock/death reaction to the drug...and of course I couldn't have it due to my own allergy. All you have to do is request the other medicine! Do it before hand though so they bring it if you have the midwife thing! Don't take NO for an answer, it's your birth and you have the right to a different medicine! DO take the meds though! My friend was positive and didn't get the meds and it nearly killed her baby at delivery! It's a miracle he survived after spending nearly a month in the NICU simply due to the Group B!

I don't know if any of us have an erythromycain allergy. I have only been on antibiotics once, and it was actually a sulfa drug (helped to make the sulfite allergy worse) and with the family history of penicillian in Peter's family, I'm scared to death. I have been in anaphylaxis myself from sulfite, and there is no way I want to risk anything like that with a newborn. Who knows if my midwife would even listen to me. She didn't seem too concerned when I brought up the penicillian allergy in Peter's family. I just know I wan't be getting any sulfa drugs (when, I am mainly allergic to the ite in it, not the sulf. It is more the preservatives used in foods that gives me problems, but for safety's sake, I can't take sulfa drugs at all now). Hopefully she listens. I just wonder if there is a way to make an antibiotic ****** to use instead. I think I would much rather have that, since it would be attacking the bacteria at the source instead of having to go all the way through a person's system. And then one would think that the chance of side effects would be lessened somewhat too.

Crystal,

Sorry to hear how your appt went. My hubby and I chose to decline Group B Strep testing during pregnancy, so I don't know whether I'm positive or negative. I did do some reading though that indicates that if you test positive there is an herbal regimen that you can go on for a week or so and then go back and retest and come out negative.

As far as the birth control advice, I'd know that it's a pain, but your best bet is to ignore your midwife. Sounds like she isn't very well informed on natural options.

sulfa drugs are not related to erythromycin either...my dad is allergic to sulfas and he can take the erythromicin....you know if you're not happy with your midwife...you can change!

I am due in 19 days. I think it is more of a personality thing anyway. I happend to be one of those people who read and are normally pretty informed about stuff (I'm a HUGE patient's rights believer). And chances are, she won't be the one there to deliver. It depends on who is on call that day. And since she shares that duty with five other midwives in the hosptial, it could be any one else. Next time, if we are still here, I will not be going to her. During dinner I made the comment that I can't be that horrible of a patient, but Hubby said that I am the sort of patient that most medical people fear. Because I know the rights (for the most part, unless my hormones are clouding my judgement which I have been finding happening a lot recently) and I read and try to be as informed as possible. She asked me if I wanted pain meds while in labor today to mark it in my chart and I said no way. She looked hard at me and I told her I go manic on ibuprophin, no way I wanted to try a higher class drug and find out how I act on it while in labor. And I told her that very fast labors run in my family anyway, so chances are, there won't be time.

Ruth, I'm planning on going through my phamphlets I got when I did the NFP home study course and taking those with me next time. Maybe some evidence would help. Who knows though since most people like that won't listen anyway. Most people in the medical field are all for pharmecueuticals. Because man made must be better than not, right? She pretty much told me that if I didn't go on a b/c method (like pills or IUD) that I could plan on getting pregnant again in the very near future. I wasn't feeling like argueing with her today. I was tired and upset over the strep b thing. And here, you have pretty much no choice but to be tested. Or be automatically hooked to drugs during labor. What a great choice is that?

I need to go and find the price chart of what all the delivery services cost. I know antibiotics are an extra one. I wonder if the insurance will cover it. So far, they have refused to pay for most of the ultrasound, and the GD test. I'm not sure it will cover the strep test at the moment. And this is stuff that I thought was covered. Talk about annoying.

Yeah, that's a good idea to take her some pamphlets, Crystal. It probably won't convince her, but at least you will have done the best that you could. In my opinion, it's not really her business what b/c you use or don't use anyway. And she shouldn't patronize you about it! If she isn't aware of ecological breastfeeding, then that definitely shows lack of information. Because my midwife and I were talking about breastfeeding, etc. and she said that I could easily go a year without periods after childbirth, although it varies from person to person.

(With my breastfeeding style, if I sincerely wanted to get pregnant in the first 6 months after childbirth it would be probably pretty difficult since I nurse on demand night and day, sleep with my baby, pacify my baby at my breasts, don't use bottles and pacifiers or babysitters)

I wonder if it's really mandatory to be tested or if they push it on you as if it is? We decided not to get tested because the results of the test wouldn't change our mind about having a home birth and because GBS infection is really rare anyway. (Even if you test positive, you still have a 99.5% chance of your newborn not being infected) We also declined eye drops for our baby and the vitamin K shot.

Way to go about patient rights, Crystal! I'm a very firm believer in "informed consent." Unfortunately in the medical world, informed consent is generally a joke. My midwife commented once that I'm the type of patient who would intimidate a doctor. So I can totally relate!

Courage, sister!

I hate the interventions used in the name of "safetly." That is what the GBS test, the GD, episotomies, vitamin K and eye drops are for. I know the risk factors. However, that means nothing around here. I think if I pass on something they consider major (like the vitamin K, or antibiotics) I could end up with social services called and risk the baby being taken from me for negligence. I never want to give birth in this state again. They present you with "options" which really aren't options, just to make it seem like you have this great control over things. The eye drops were first instituted to keep the baby from getting syphilus in their eyes. Then, pretty much every state made it law it had to be done to prevent that form of blindness. And I am not a carrier of any form of it!!!! So, my child will have to needlessly suffer for it. I thought it was hilairous though. In the What to Expect book, it had a list of what to possibly expect the newborn to look like. One was puffy eyes from the eyedrops. Then, on the next page that describes what the "standard" procedures are at birth, it says they administer non-irritating eye drops to prevent infection. So, why on the previous page does it talk about the eye puffiness? Just checking.

I know a woman who used to be a naturopath. I think I'm going to ask her at church on Sunday about the group b thing. She's pretty knowledgeable.

This whole mess is making me stressed out and I think I may have a migraine coming on. Haven't had one of those in a month and a half now. Would really prefer not to get one right now. Guess I'll go and sit in the recliner and maybe make some hot tea. Wait, Hubby turned on the wrong burner on the stove last week and pretty much destroyed my tea kettle. And I hate microwaving the cup of water. It never tastes right after that. I'll find something. I know a bath will be happening in a little while with some sweet pea scented bath bomb in it. That helps. Though, I have to wait to get in the tub until close to the time Peter is to be coming home since I have the tendancy to get myself kind of stuck in there. I can't wait to have this baby out!

Yeah, I hate those interventions too. They should give you a choice whether or not to employ those measures based on relevant information. I.e. if you're not a carrier of any STD's why get the eye drops?

you can forego the group b strep AMA. not sure if you would still be required to have the antibiotics at delivery or not, but it's your body. YOU have full control of it. Doctors just don't want you to know b/c they get a cut of it, money wise. I swear there are more docs in it for the money than will admit to it.

I think it depends on what the current AMA concensis is at the moment as to whether or not you get antibiotics during labor if you don't test. It was just, ok, this is what we are doing, no time to really question when it was done. I should have asked if it was mandatory. I just hate going there.

The current reccomendations that I found were:

http://pregnancy.about.com/cs/groupbstrep/a/aa101397.htm

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines are summarized as follows:

* Every woman should be tested between weeks 35-37 of gestation with a simple vaginal and rectal swab.
* If she tests positive she should be treated with antibiotics in labor.
* If a woman has tested negative within five weeks of labor, she does not need to be treated in labor, even if she develops risk factors.
* If a woman has an unknown GBS status in labor, she should only be treated if she develops risk factors.
* A woman should be treated in labor if she has ever had a previous baby born with GBS or if she has tested positive at any time during her current pregnancy

Then, I find at AskDr.Sears. com that once you've tested positive with one pregnancy, most ob's will omit the group b test in subsequent pregnancies and just automatically put you on antibiotics during labor under the thought process of, you will always be a carrier, you will have dormant and latent periods, so, you will test positive again sometime, so why bother with it? I am annoyed and hacked at the moment, to say the least. And then, every medical website I've looked at has different statistics on GBS and rates of infection in infants. Guess I'll try the CDC's site next and see what it has to say.

With regard to allergies, I'm allergic to penicillan, sulfa, and a whole host of other things, including pethadine :wink:. Erythromycin is one of the few antibiotics I can take safely. However, neither of our boys is allergic to any antibiotics that they've had so far, so hopefully your baby will be the same! Sounds like your inlaws have similar reactions to me. I swell up, have trouble breathing, break out in not just a rash, but blisters - eeewww! Needless to say, I try to avoid antibiotics. My dr. saves them for when I'm really, really sick, so that when I do take them, they work well.

Praying for your whole situation! Those last few weeks are so difficult, physically, emotionally, everything! Praying that you will feel God's peace surrounding you over the next couple of weeks!

It's just crazy how many propylactic measures there are out there. Next thing you know, they'll make you take some drug during delivery to prevent Alzheimer's in your child! [rofl]

I had the lovely group b strep swabbing done last week. Today at my appointment, the midwife told me that I tested positive, so that means I get hooked up to antibiotics during labor. I don't know why, but it really is bumming me out. I didn't want any IVs during labor. I bruise so easily with them and contrary to what they tell me, I can feel them in me when they say I shouldn't be able to (the only place they can normally find to put them in at is in the wrist under my thumb). They have to give me penicillian because of my sulfite allergy (it eliminates all the sulfa drugs). However, my husband's family is all allergic to penicillian. I told the midwife that and she didn't say a thing about it. What if Dainyah is allergic to penicillian too? It isn't a small allergy in his family either. His mom went into anaphylaxsis and nearly died from hers, and his sister went into a horrible shock. Because of Peter's family history, no doctor has ever been willing to even prescribe it for him, so we don't know if it he or not for sure. And now because of the mandatory IV, I proably won't be allowed into the whirlpool for labor or a shower. That is what I wanted most. Floating in water has always helped my menstrual cramps, I figure same prinicipal while in labor.

I'm really sorry to hear that. Is your husband allergic to Penicillin too? I would think the midwife would be a bit more concerned about this. Can they give you another drug other than Penicillin? There are so many different antibiotics out there ...

Then, I go and start reading more about group b, and from what I've read, once you've tested positive, most ob's will just assume you are positive the next time and just hook up the antibiotics during labor instead of checking first. Is this the case with other's who have tested positive?

I have never tested positive for Strep B however I don't think they even test for it here in NZ... which is very weird :? I think next time around you should just tell them they have to test you for it and if the test comes back negative then you are not agreeing to the antibiotics. It's YOU having the baby. You tell them what you WANT. Not the other way around ok? *HUGS*

Then, the midwife starts pushing birth control options for after the baby. She is really into the IUD. Our insurance won't cover b/c anyway and we've been using NFP. She doesn't buy into that. Go figure. I felt so cornered in that office. She did tell me that the clinic she also works out of south of here would put in the IUD for less than a third of the cost of in town here. Or that if I wanted the pill, it would only be about five bucks a pack down there. I don't want either!!!! I don't believe in either. You can't prove how the IUD actually works (I've read so many conflicting reports on them I don't know what to believe and I don't believe in hormonal b/c for many reasons, and I am allergic to latex!) I don't want another baby any time in the near future, but she is convinced that ecological b/f won't prevent it. She's too into the whole pharmaceutical route. Most are around here.

As for b/c methods.. that is totally up to you and don't let her push you into having an IUD or anything. If you are happy with NFP then keep using it. We have been using the withdrawal method for ages. Because my body just can't handle the pill. I know it's not 100 percent but it's always worked fine for us. I would continue the NFP and if you are concerned use the pull out method as well.


On a happy note, I am now about 60% effaced and 1 cm dilated. I told her that I do not want pitocin at all for any reason. Last week, I hadn't started to efface and no dilatiing either. I'm glad. Now, just to really get this show on the road. I don't know how much longer I can stand being pregnant at this point.

When is baby due? I hope it happens for you soon. I know what the waiting is like. And how uncomfortable you must be.

I don't know why I'm so upset at the moment. I think I need a nap. I can take one for an hour before I have to start dinner.

I hope you are able to have a nap. And I'm really sorry that labour isn't going to go the way you wanted it to. I wouldn't want to be hooked up to an IV either. And I know what you mean about being able to feel the IV in ... my sister has the same problem.

Thanks all. I am somewhat better about this whole mess right now. I have decided that I will not let them put penicillian in me. The midwife can either go with the erythromycian, or I will not have any. The chance of passing it on to the baby is rare even without antibiotics. And if she doesn't listen to me, then perhaps a complaint to the state medical board would do the trick.

Renee, we aren't sure if my husband is allergic. Because of the severity of his mom's and sister's allergy to it, his mom would never let anyone prescribe it for him. She was scared of him having a reaction. So, we don't actually have proof that he is, just a huge probable cause.

I told my mom I was strep B positive and she totally freaked out yesterday. She thought I was sick or something. It was kind of funny actually. She then asked what the test was, and what it does. She was like, I had never heard of that before. Granted, she was done having babies in 1981 and this wasn't mandated in the states until 2002. My MIL called this morning wondering why my husband didn't answer his phone (he's at work right now mom....) and I told her and she was like, that is insane. She then suggested that I up my cranberry intake to get rid of the yeast. I told her this is a pretty harmless form of strep that will occasionally cause problems, cranberry won't fix it.

My migraine is nearly gone now finally. They normally stick around for about 24 or so hours. This one didn't stay quite as long as normal. I'm glad. I need to get caught up on the stuff I didn't get done yesterday.

I'm sorry about this whole mess, Crystal. I'll bet it's enough to make you want to pull your hair out. Sounds like the antibiotics could be worse for the baby than a very remote chance of getting GBS infection. Man, with all the fun stuff in the hospital, it probably practically makes you want to stay away until you're about 8-9 centimeters dilated.

Praying for you.

Man, with all the fun stuff in the hospital, it probably practically makes you want to stay away until you're about 8-9 centimeters dilated. Now that would solve everything! LOL. I think you already said you plan to labour at home for as long as you can. So do it. Stay home for as long as possible! A friend of a friend was having a baby and they live 45 min to an hour away from our hospital (there are hosptials closer but this is the one that delivers babies) and so when she went into labour, her husband, 2 year old, and herself got in the truck and started to drive to the hospital. They had been driving about 20 min when she had to push and the baby's head was right there. Her husband pulled over, 2 year old was sitting in the back, and she delivered right there. They went to the nearest hospital (about 5 min away) and she was treated like royalty bc they never deliver babies there anymore! LOL, no intervention there.

My dh always wants to take me to the hospital early... he doesn't want me to have a baby in the van I guess, but if I could, I'd stay home longer. It's way better and way more private. My dream would be to get to the hospital and deliver right then and there. No time to be offered drugs, cajoled to use drugs, etc. What are they going to do then? LOL, beat the system!!!

LOL, I totally agree Jaylene. I think that having a baby right when you got to the hospital or on the way there would be much better than having all those drugs pushed at you.

My friend had the best labour IMO, she dreamt she was in labour, woke up because she had to go to bathroom and planned on going back to bed. Then her water broke and suddenly, she had to push. The baby was 5 days early and all the people who had been lined up to look after her older daughter were away so her husband was on the phone trying to find someone (okay, that part wasn't so great I guess!), but then they had to call an ambulance because she wasn't going to make it. The ambulance came, a friend looked after her daughter, her husband followed in the car, they got to the hospital, she was on the stretcher in the hallway and an Ob/gyn came along and asked, would you like me to deliver that baby for you? She said, sure, just get it out, one push later, she had a daughter :shock: they had great fun calling their parents at 8:00 to say that her water had broken. The parents got all excited and said to call when the baby was born and her husband said, oh, and we have a new daughter! LOL, 1/2 hour and it was done. No time for anything. She did say it took her a while to recover but that's the way to go! Short and sweet.

Too funny about that the babies Jaylene. I have a good possibility of something like that happening. Fast labors run in my family on my mom's side (I pray I inherited that one) and then, extremely high pain tolerances run in both sides, which I know I inherited. My grandma went into labor with my mom while she was canning pears. Got it finished, got the hospital, she was in the labor room a little while, they decide to finally wheel her into delivery, and she starts yelling the hallway that the baby was coming out. So, they paused long enough to look, and sure enough, there was my mom's rear end coming out of grandma (she was a breech). Then, for me, mom was induced at six in the morning after being admitted two days before for false labor (I dropped and engaged at six months, so mom was on bed rest for the last three, and they decided to not take any chances). They figured after the labor stopped the first time, it would start up again real soon. So, on Veteran's day, my mother laid in the hospital and filled out the birth announcements with my name and the fact that I was born the next day (Nov. 12). They decided that since she didn't go back into labor on the 11th, they would induce at six in the morning on the 12th. I was out a quarter after ten, just over four hours total. My sister was induced on Dec. 22 two years later (her due date was Christmas day and mom cajoled the OB into taking her a few days early since she was his only patient due that week, so neither of them would have to spend Christmas in the hospital) and she was born two hours after they started the pitocin. Being induced is supposed to make your labor longer from everything I've read. I can just imagine an inducement free labor for my mother. I hope I inherited the quickness.

My husband's music minister a long time ago was driving his wife to the hospital with their second baby. He had to pull over in a fire station's parking lot to deliver Silas. Peter is scared to death of having to do that one. He was freaked out enough about cutting the cord (he's over that now since he's seen a few birthing videos).

Oh, and Dainyah finally dropped today!!!!!!! You have no idea how excited I am. Peter came home from lunch and patted me on the tummy as we passed each other in the dining room. He was like, something's different. Turn around and lift up your shirt. I did (thinking he was nuts), he came closer and said, yep,. you've dropped. I took him back to work so I could get some milk to make banana bread, and even a few cashiers there noticed I had dropped!!!!!!! So, to celebrate this momentous occaison, I decided to make brownies. I will do that after the bread is out of the oven. :D [cheerful] [girlsmiley]

Man there is just too much to reply to here LOL

I'm hoping to have a fast labour like last time... but I think it was fast because I was induced... who knows. 1/2 an hour would be good LOL