Lost my confidence...

[Drazic<3]

Hey girls,

I am not sure if this is a rant or a cry for help! I have done hypnobirthing classes and felt full of confidence for my natural, beautiful waterbirth. Then a few days ago I found out I have Group Strep B. I am waiting for my consultants appointment in 10 days, but whatever happens it's changing things. I will need to go straight to hospital (where I wanted to Labour at home as long as possible), I will need an IV (so will have restricted movement) and it's almost certain my hospital will not allow me a waterbirth (which I have always wanted)

Now, ultimately, as long as my girl gets into the world safely and healthily, really they can do whatever they need to. But I feel like my confidence has crashed because my birthing ideas have been so dramatically changed. I actually read the stuff about Epis and haven't been bothering practising my hypnobirthing at all. Crisis of confidence.

Just wondered if anyone else has/had GSB or similar and have still had their natural birth? Or if anyone has any advice? Right now, I am terrified she will be ill or poorly and it's totally changed my focus.

 

[Pixxie]

Just wanted to reassure you that just because your on the IV doesnt mean you will have to be lay on your back in bed! These things are on wheels so you can still walk around and change position etc. She wont be ill when she is born as thats what the drip prevents, so dont worry about her being poorly. Have you made a birth plan? Take it with you to your consultant appt and see what they say, you probably wont be able to have the water birth but I dont think much else will have to change?

Dont panic until you have spoke to them, make it clear that you are wanting a natural birth and Im sure they will do their best to get you what you want good luck xx

 

[jubilee]

Hey girls,

I am not sure if this is a rant or a cry for help! I have done hypnobirthing classes and felt full of confidence for my natural, beautiful waterbirth. Then a few days ago I found out I have Group Strep B. I am waiting for my consultants appointment in 10 days, but whatever happens it's changing things. I will need to go straight to hospital (where I wanted to Labour at home as long as possible), I will need an IV (so will have restricted movement) and it's almost certain my hospital will not allow me a waterbirth (which I have always wanted)

Now, ultimately, as long as my girl gets into the world safely and healthily, really they can do whatever they need to. But I feel like my confidence has crashed because my birthing ideas have been so dramatically changed. I actually read the stuff about Epis and haven't been bothering practising my hypnobirthing at all. Crisis of confidence.

Just wondered if anyone else has/had GSB or similar and have still had their natural birth? Or if anyone has any advice? Right now, I am terrified she will be ill or poorly and it's totally changed my focus.

My situation isn't totally identical as I don't hav e group B strep BUT it's looking like I will be induced and I'm basically shitting it! I too feel like you. I have a great birth plan wityh all my water birthing stuff ans now don't know what to do....I feel like my hynobirthing can't work.

I don't know how i'm supposed to breathe my way through Pitocin induced contractions?

I'll be reading any replies you get and grabbing onto anything positive that get ssaid because i have spent every night in tears for the last few nights because evry single day I go over means I'm closer to the induction I have feared since my last baby 11 years ago.

 

[Drazic<3]

Thank you for the reply Pixxie - that is a really good idea about taking my birth plan to the consultant, thank you

Jubillee - I am sorry to hear you are feeling the same. Have you spoken to any of your healthcare team about your concerns? I remember hearing they can give you a drip induction which starts everything slower so it feels much more like natural birth to stop you feeling overwhelmed? Maybe you could go for that because there is no reason your hypnobirthing couldn't work then.

Hopefully we will get more replies

 

[jenstar]

I am also a carrier for group B strep...after baby 1 was born I had 2 swab tests and one was +ve and one was -ve, then before baby 2 was due I had a -ve again. Apparently it can lie dormant in you, and also the test isn't very accurate and can give false positives.

All different midwives also have their own opinions on the antibiotics, some in the hospital said it was very important to get them while in labour, some said it was just an extra bit of protection for the baby but not the end of the world, and some pointed out that most women (in UK anyway) aren't tested for it so would never know if they 'should' be getting IV antibiotics in labour. They all said that when my waters break there is a chance of the water going up round the baby and if it has the live group b strep in it then the baby could get infected. As luck would have it my waters didn't break until I was well in labour and baby arrived 30 mins later but from what I was told that is the most important thing to look out for. Also some doctors will want the baby to stay in hosp for 48 hrs after birth (if no iv antibiotics in labour) so as medics are close at hand if the baby has picked up the infection during the birth. I don't know if that would bother you? Assuming everything else is ok you could go home sooner if you did have the antibiotics.

 

[Mrs Doddy]

ive not got gbs but I MAY have to be induced and will not be able to have my water birth and like you not be able to stay at home for half of the labour, im also struggling with the thought that it will be a medically managed labour and am scared also. Im currently reading Ina May's guide to childbirth in the hope that it may help in some way, what I think we need to say to ourselfs is as long as the babies arrive safetly thats the important thing, don't know enough about gps to advise if your little girl will be ill or not, have they given you any info on this or are you generally worried

Maybe practise your breathing, it may calm you down a bit

 

[xemmax]

aww, hun just wanted to send some good luck. i know it's a knock, but hopefully your confidence will grow again.

i've been practising natal hypnotherapy and found out last week that my baby is currently at 6.5lbs, making it likely he's going to huge at birth. i, too, went straight on read about to pain relief, totally disregarding all the belief i'd built up in myself previously. i know it's not the same, but just wanted to let you know i kind of know how you feel, and i hope you get the birth you want xx

 

[Drazic<3]

Thanks so much girls

Jenstar - thank you for sharing your experience, it makes me feel so much better to hear of things being fine.

MrsDoddy - it's those two things (no waterbirth and having to be straight in hospital) which have knocked me too. Realistically, knowledge is power with GBS and hopefully if I get the IV then Simba has a very good chance of being healthy. But there are potential complications including meningitis, septicaemia and brain damage. Just have to be positive really. Lots of people carry GBS with no problems at all.

xemmax - thank you for sharing hun. I am sorry to hear your confidence has taken a knock too. I love the natal hypnotherapy stuff, I got that CD too and it's wonderful. Maybe bubs has had a big grow and will slow down. Also, don't forget those scans can be out by as much as 2lbs, so they are somewhat guesswork. How do you plan to deal with getting your confidence back?

 

[lozzy21]

My aunt only found out she had GBS when she was on baby number 4. She had no antibiotics with the other 3 and they were healthy.

The IV is on wheel's and surely you wont be on a drip through out your entire labour so you can still stay mobile and wont be stuck on the bed.

Get practicing those hypnoirthing methods, you spent money on those classes, you might as well use them!

 

[nikki-lou25]

I dont know if this is of any help...

https://www.homebirth.org.uk/gbs.htm

there is a small section about waterbirth with GBS!

If your babys birth isn't quite how you pictured it, I promise it will still be amazing!! Nothing on this earth can take away how amazing it feels to see your baby for the first time.

Write your birthplan and your consultant should be able to follow it as closely as they can and also put your mind at rest with anything that may be takin away your positive attitude.

This is taken from homebirth.org
Some hospitals have policies that women who have tested positive for GBS should not be 'allowed' to have a waterbirth, but the Group B Strep Support Society says that there is no reason why not (see GBSS FAQs). They reproduce a paper from Practising Midwife - Waterbirth for women with GBS - a pipe dream? by Plumb, Holwell, Burton and Steer.

I have not found any good reason to ban waterbirth when the mother is simply GBS positive, without any other risk factors. The rationale is sometimes that the unit likes to use continuous electronic fetal monitoring where the mother has tested positive for GBS, but again, this does not seem to be supported by the evidence if there are no other risk factors. If you are planning to use a birth pool at home, that is your decision, of course, and it may be easier to arrange than a waterbirth in hospital

 

[xemmax]

i think now that the initial shock has worn off i've been able to get a bit calmer and do some reading and get back into the natal hypnotherapy - i'm starting to remember what i found so convincing with it inititally. it has made me more open minded though in terms of allowing myself to see "how i feel" on the day - not what i was hoping for (i would have preferred to have ruled out the option of pain relief in my mind) but i think in the long run it will make me more accepting and less disappointed if i need any intervention during labour. afterall, as a first timer, it's tough to know how you're going to react until you're there! hopefully though we will both get births where we can stay feeling in control and all will go well

 

[Drazic<3]

Thank you so much for all the replies

 

[cantthink]

Hello

I am sorry to hear that. I am in a similar sitaution.
I planned a home/water birth, totally natural- no intervention. Now I am considered high risk for a blood clot so have been taking med to thin my blood. I found out I will need a hospital birth and if nothing has happened naturally I will be induced at 40 weeks. Initially I was horrified. All that work into hypnobirthing!

I am still working on it and also lost my confidence- fear creeps in as its harder to block out the 'compications'.

I think that I have made peace with it a bit more and will stive to use hypnobirthing in the circumstances. There was a point I thought' i wish I'd not done the course and exected a medicalised birth from the beginning' but I feel empowered that I can do it and that I will try to make it as nat as poss.

I met someone at one of our hypno dos who managed to have 2 painfree labours despite having GD and a very medical birth. So it can be done.


PS How do you know you have GBS?

xxx

 

[goddess25]

In my experience when i was a student nurse not sure if has changed it was a 4-6 hourly IV antibiotic not a continuous drip. The ladies I saw labouring with GBS asked to be disconnected from the drip in between doses and like the others say its on wheels so its designed to be mobile. Try to not let this get you down I am sure everything will be fine. I can't believe your almost ready to pop wow that was fast!

 

[Drazic<3]

Thanks Cantthink, I am sorry you are having health problems too. I have gestational hypertention now too, so home birth is defo off! Like you say, I almost wish I hadn't done the hypnobirthing and got myself so ready and excited for a natural birth. I mentioned it to a midwife and she said I might as well forget it and get myself used to the idea of a highly medicalised birth because I am going to be on IV, strapped to the CTG and a BP monitor and I won't cope. Yeahhhh, thanks! Still going to do my best, but am gutted that so many of my plans are ruined! Even have to go straight into blooming hospital now!

Oh, I got a private GBS test from mumstuff.co.uk - cost £32.00

Thanks so much goddess, that does make me feel better So pleased to see you are nearly 13 weeks too -x-x-x-

 

[quaizer]

Good luck xx

 

[Dream.A.Dream]

My birth was nothing like I wanted but it the end, it doesn't matter. You'll get your beautiful baby. I was on CTG on my back for the whole thing too, but as soon as they're out you just don't care xx

ETA: I spent ages beating myself up for having pain relief, but at the end of the day I think it's probably better to try and go into it with an open mind so you aren't overly disappointed if it doesn't go exactly as you wanted