Been told I have strep B freaking out

[Mama_noni]

So last week I had some off colour discharge, slight brown tinge but didnt look like blood so my doctor took a swab. I called this morning at half 8 and the receptionist told me that the results had come back with abnormalities and that the doctor would call me back to discuss, the doctor called at half 5 this evening and basically said I have strep B and need to start on antibiotics and I need to let the midwives know that I'm a carrier once I go into labour and that was it, all the info I got! So I've since done the worse thing ever and googled it and now I'm freaking out!
Any other carriers or previous carriers that can offer me some insight that won't have me in a complete mess! X

 

[chulie]

Omg!!! Biiiiiiggggg deep breath!! Get away from google. Strep B is totally normal and not a big deal at all! The only time it would be bad is if you didn't know you had it and then delivered. But because you know (which they would have tested for soon enough anyways) you'll just have head to the hospital once your in labour. You won't be waiting at home like most women do. Especially if your water breaks. Still not life or death but you'll definitely need to just go there. You need antibiotics like at minimum 2 or 3 hours before labour. My cousin had it. Nothing to fret about. Baby will be amazingly fine!!!

 

[Courtney917]

NO worries! They'll put you on iv antibiotics when you go into labor. I tested positive with my last two pregnancies and my kids are fine!!

 

[justhoping]

hd strep b with two pregnancies...not a big deal..they will give you andi biotic drip before you have your baby

 

[brinib]

Something like 30% of women have that. I had it with my DS. You just get IV antibiotics while you are in labor. It's mildly annoying but not a big deal. Even if you had a really fast labor and didn't get antibiotics in time they would just watch your baby closely and possibly give the baby antibiotics. Even with no treatment, the likelihood of if effecting your baby is around 1%.

 

[Eleanor ace]

Most people don't know they have GBS- 1 in 4 ladies have it at any one time, possibly more. The risks to LO are minimal but if LO does get it it can be very serious so they suggest you get IV antibiotics during labour to minimise the risk of LO catching it.
When your waters break or you start to feel contractions you should head on into hospital. Call ahead (as you would normally) and advise that you're coming in and that you are GBS+. When you get there they'll confirm you're in labour and get your IV set up. You'll be given antibiotics every 4 hours. In between doses the drip will be taken out, cannula (the bit in your hand) will be bandaged up and you should be able to be active as you would normally . When LO is born they'll most likely be monitored for 6 hours (temperature checks etc) to make sure they're not showing signs of GBS. They should stay with you though. If you don't get the antibiotics for the minimum 4 hours LO will probably be monitored for 12 hours.
That's pretty much it!

 

[Lara310809]

I had Strep B in my last pregnancy; found by a fluke really as they don't test for it here (neither do they in the UK). As you were told, I was told that when I went into labour OR when my waters broke (whichever came first), I had to contact the maternity ward ans let them know I was positive for Strep B.

It was fine, but the only hassle was that I had a lot of false labours and PLENTY of regular contractions that turned into nothing; so I went to the ward a few times asking if I was in labour. I also accidentally peed myself AFTER having gone to the loo once, so I thought that was my waters, so again I went to hospital, had an internal (they shone a high powered torch up there to double check LOL), and they declared i was a false alarm.

Eventually my waters went in a trickle (opposed to a gush like in the films) so off I went again. They administered IV antibiotics when I arrived, and once more during labour, but that was it. When she was born they checked her over, and I stayed in overnight with her so that they could do additional checks, but she was absolutely fine.

It's a good thing that they found it TBH, because now they can give you the antibiotics you need to make sure your LO will be okay during the birth. It's not something to be worried about though.

Since I had Strep B last time, I think it's assumed that I'm still a carrier this time, so I'll probably get the antibiotics all over again this time too, but such is life. I'd rather have the antibiotics than risk not having them and having Strep B undiagnosed.

 

[Lara310809]

... But because you know (which they would have tested for soon enough anyways)...

I think it's important to mention that in the UK a Strep B test during pregnancy is not routine. Mine was only found as part of a urine test which came back with anomalies. It was only when I gave a second sample that they found the Strep B. then I had to provide a swab to confirm. But the NHS like to save money on "unnecessary tests" so choose not to test all pregnant women.

 

[fairsinger]

It's a routine test where I live (US) and I have tested positive for it every time. I get IV antibiotics and the baby and I required to stay 48 hours in the hospital after delivery (that's the policy at my local hospital and birthing center, anyway) and it hasn't caused any problems at all for my babies! I hope that reassures you!

 

[bitethebullet]

Yip try not to worry- two of my friends were strep b positive during pregnancy and had iv antibiotics at onset of labour. Everything was fine. A lot of people will carry strep b and not know about it as it is not routinely screened for in the uk- it's
Great that you know about it and can take action.

 

[starshinebby]

I've just found out that I have tested positive for strep b as well and was wondering if the antibiotic drip they have you on is there until you give birth. I was planning on an non-medicated, natural birth, and was going to use the shower as much as possible as a form of pain management. I was also going to try and labor at home as long as I could, which I now can't because of strep b.

It would really piss me off if I was stuck in bed on an IV for my entire labor and delivery and wasn't allowed to use the shower like I had planned because of strep b.

Any answers would be nice.

 

[ready4family]

I had it with my son, and they too told me just to let the hospital know once I got there. Well, I ended up only having a 4 hour labor and was already dilated to 8cm when I got to the hospital. After, I got yelled at for not telling them. Oh, I'm sorry, I was in the thick of natural childbirth, sorry if my mind wasn't on that haha. They had to keep him 1 extra day, I'm assuming to monitor and administer antibiotics. No worries!!

 

[Lara310809]

I've just found out that I have tested positive for strep b as well and was wondering if the antibiotic drip they have you on is there until you give birth. I was planning on an non-medicated, natural birth, and was going to use the shower as much as possible as a form of pain management. I was also going to try and labor at home as long as I could, which I now can't because of strep b.

It would really piss me off if I was stuck in bed on an IV for my entire labor and delivery and wasn't allowed to use the shower like I had planned because of strep b.

Any answers would be nice.

the canula will stay in your hand until after the birth, bt once the medication has ben administered you'll be taken off the drip, and you can move about as you wish. tbh you can even ask to mpve about while the antibiotics are given, but obviously you'll have to take it with you and be connected to it via the tube