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Yes, I just had a heplock and was still able to give birth med free.

Congrats for LO2!

I had group b strep and a med free birth with LO2. I arrived at L&D after my water broke but hadn't had any contractions at all. They administered the IV right away, which took 15-20 min. After that, I was free to get up and walk around. My contractions didn't start until 4-5 hour after my water broke, so the IV didn't interfere with anything.

@Mrs. J: I went in right away. My labor started the same way with my first LO and they told me to come in right away. With him, contractions came on their own within 2 hours and I was glad I was at the hospital because I NEEDED the epidural (they were every 2 minutes when they started). I was afraid the contractions would start fast and furiously with Lo2 too, so I didn't want to take my chances. When they finally did start, it was even worse than with Lo1. I desperately wanted an epi, but it all happened so fast that there was no time.

Eta: none of this laboring at home for two days for me, Lo2 was born within 45 min of the first contraction!

Oh, no worries, test again at 36 weeks. It can come and go.

I had to have antibiotics during delivery, but had a totally natural childbirth. It was no problem, they just gave it through an IV while I labored down before delivery.

@Mrs. J: yep, they can definitely saline lock the IV for you! Shouldn't be a problem!

@PurplePeony: @Greentea: @littleveesmommy: I tested positive for GBS in my urine around 10 weeks last time and my midwife explained that at that point they treat you as GBS+ for labour since GBS in your urine is different than GBS in your peri-rectal area. I didn't even bother getting a second swab at 35-36 weeks because of that.

I was in the bed for the IV for about 45 minute (I think?) early on in labor, but I could still stand up if I wanted. After that I was free to roam and did it natural without any interventions or meds.

@Mrs. J: @littleveesmommy:
@QBbride is correct. If you have GBS in the urine at any time in your pregnancy, the recommendation is to treat for GBS at delivery. The idea is that GBS really shouldn't be in the urine because your immune system should fight it. Since your immune system isn't fighting it, it is unlikely to go away this pregnancy so you should receive antibiotics.
Penicillin doses are give generally four hours apart and ideally you want at least two doses before baby is born. So shouldn't interfere with your plans to go without pain meds, but you'll want to be at the birthing center/ hospital with plenty of time to get your antibiotics.

It's so odd that the tested your urine. Weird because the strep b swab is done by swabbing the vagina and rectum.

It does come and go, and again, I find this test result really strange. I would start taking Femdophilus (a probiotic for vaginal health), and request a proper test at 36 weeks.

I know many moms who had unmedicated births with strep b. In fact, one of my friends had a home birth after testing positive. She just did the antibiotics at home. You've got this!!

@Greentea: Same here. The worry is that it's transferred during birth, which wouldn't matter in the urethra, right!? I would totally request a vaginal swab retest at 36 weeks.

@Mrs. J: Yep! My midwives recommend it for every woman in their practice. Of course, I would run it by your doctor. The idea is good vaginal flora. It will not make strep b go away, but since it does come and go, it will help it not come back or get there in the first place.

@Mrs. J: that's exactly what my midwife told me. I figure better be safe than sorry. It won't interfere with your plans for a natural delivery, don't worry!!

@littleveesmommy: when you pee in a cup at your appt it's to check glucose/protein in your urine. The urine culture is usually done with your bloodwork at the beginning of pregnAncy. It doesn't test specifically for GBS but rather just a urine culture.

@sapphire: @QBbride: I have a bladder condition, and my midwives were always saying that UTIs and bladder infections are so common (without many symptoms). No wonder they are checking urine at every visit!

I'm assuming they'll want you to do the vaginal swab around week 36.

@LindsayInNY: The "gold standard" is penicillin, however, if allergic to penicillin or medications in the penicillin family (like amoxicillin), they give clindamycin. Sometimes the GBS is resistant to clindamycin (which they will test it for) or a patient is allergic to clindamycin also, then they will give vancomycin.

@LindsayInNY: it is a 60 minute infusion vs a 30 minute infusion for the other two. I'm not sure if that's what the doctor meant by "more difficult" but it could be. Like you said, it is only every 12 hours which is a plus. Clindamycin is every 8 hours and penicillin is every 4 hours, so I think the hour infusion is worth the trouble.

I had 5 courses of antibiotics for GBS during my very long induction. If I'm positive again this time, I'm going to refuse routine antibiotics for it. I'll accept them if I had a fever, or my water is broken for too long, or any other reason my midwife thinks I need them. But I won't have them otherwise this time.

@sarac: What's the benefit of refusing the antibiotics?

I haven't read much about Group B strep, since I was negative this time and am not far enough along to know this time. But one of my best friends tested negative at 36 weeks but then ended up having it (they didn't know) at delivery, and her newborn developed a 105 fever within the first 24 hours. They couldn't give any medications for the fever, since the baby was too young, so they had to wait it out in the NICU for 3 weeks....and her daughter is brain damaged. =( I mean, she's 8 now and a joy, but she's mentally delayed and will never live on her own. So her personal story has me totally convinced I would sign up for antibiotics and maybe just take probiotics after.

@Anagram: how sad! I too know someone who had a baby die a few days after birth from contracting gbs.

@Anagram: @catomd00: This happened to a co-worker of my sister's as well, her baby contracted GBS and was horribly ill and in the NICU for 5 weeks. It's not something to mess with, in my opinion! It can cause meningitis, pneumonia, and sepsis.

@sarac: I'm curious if you've discussed this with your midwife yet? I haven't met a midwife who practices in a hospital setting who has not highly recommended doing the antibiotics, so I'm just wondering what other experiences are.

@IRunForFun: I have. My hospital based midwife supports not doing them unless there is an indication for them. I went prepared to speak to her with that study that I linked in hand, but she was already familiar with the research.