Group B Strep

My midwife had me use tea tree oil vaginal suppositories, which you can get at the healthfood store and/or garlic clove suppository. The garlic is peeled then you string a thread through it so it's like an OB tampon. I did a cycle of both just in case, I think 3-4 days of each, but I don't remember. And a week later I tested negative as well as 2 weeks later. So no antibiotics were necessary. Anything to avoid exposing the new baby to drugs at birth.
You can research it online, too.

Hi C.,

I recommend contacting The Envita Center (www.Envita.com) to see if there is anything less harmful they could do for you. They are an amazing integrative medical clinic that specializes in chronic disease.

Best wishes to you and baby! :)

Warm Regards,
G. Van Luven
Healthy Habits Wellness Center, LLC
###-###-####

No biggie at all! I had it, they gave me the antibiotics. 99% of the time, there's nothing at all worry about.

Hi C.,

I too tested positive for Group B strep. I know how you feel and it can be worrisom. You have gotten a lot of advice, and the best advice I can give you is that you don't need to worry as long as you have the antibiotics. This isn't a bacteria that should be taken lightly, however if you have the antibiotics (I got penicilan) your baby will be fine. This bacteria is a bacteria that lives harmoniously in your body and doesn't cause you any issues, but could cause major issues during a vaginal delivery to your baby. While I am one to do the "natural" thing first by doing homeopathic things, I wouldn't mess with this. If for some reason those things don't work then your baby could get sick and even have sepsis. This isn't something to take lightly, however your baby will be just fine if you do what the Dr. says. My baby is almost 4 months old and he is perfect. Just think that it is a good thing that they test for this now. Before this test many babies were getting very sick and they couldn't figure out why, now they now and there is a way to fix it before it becomes a problem. You and the baby will be fine!

Take care,
J.

Hey C.,

I also have Group B Strep. Your doctor is right it really is nothing to worry about. Just make sure if you think you are going into labor to get to the hospital fairly fast because you need as much antibotics as possible, the doctor can only give you a bag of antibiotics every 2 hours I think it is and you need aleast 2 whole bags in your system. I have three kids and my water was broke and we didn't know so I got the bacteria called Group B Strep. I had a little girl and a little boy, both after I found out that I had this. It doesn't hurt of anything!! EVERYTHING WILL BE FINE DON'T WORRY!!!!!

Hi C.,

I had the same issue. I too had a dose of antibiotics during labor. I don't think there is anything to worry about except getting an ivy stuck to your hand. If I remember correctly I read about it happening when bacteria enters your v spot. Most commonly from wiping incorrectly? Back to front instead of front to back. You may want to research if you are going to breastfeed but I have also read that sometimes the baby has a hard time latching on due to antibiotics. My little girl had the darndest time but most baby's do anyway....I just kept trying until she finally did. So if you decide to breastfeed and your baby has a hard time latching just remember to be patient and keep trying.

They just put antibiotics into the IV, you don't even notice. I was told some people just have it and it's normal, but it's not good for the baby. The IV should take care of it.

Hi C., my third pregnancy was diagnosed with the Strep B. I had the same concerns as you do. My labor was quick and unfortunately they could not administer all the antibiotics. The doctors did not seem concerned and they did an extra blood test after the baby was born with a follow up the next day (we had to stay at the hospital for the two days). He is now 6 months with no worries. Our Pediatrician (whom I recommend you contact for more info) informed me that in her opinion she had never seen any infant in any danger after one month.
Take care, relax....we are all in God's hands
S.

C.
Your in Luck this is my Field of Nursing! During Labor you will be given some antibiotics usually a type of Penicillin, If your allergic there are other types. We like to have at least 3 doses in before delivery, but if not all go in then your baby Dr might want you to stay for 48 hours after delivery, to monitor for temps and infection. Group B Strep (GBS) is a normal flora that our bodies carry it just depends on the point in our life that we are having children. Alot of women who have babies are GBS+, very few have any complications. You will want to go to the hospital when your contractions are getting strong 3-4 minutes apart so they can start your antibiotics, your DR should tell you what to do when labor starts. If for some reason you end of with a C-Section then the GBS doesn't even matter because it's only when the baby passes through your vagina. Hope this helps.

Hi C.-
I too tested positive with this when I had my second baby. It really is nothing to worry about. They just hook up an IV line with antibiotics in it and give it to you as you are in labor. I went into labor with my son at 1:00 AM and was so worried that I wouldn't get to the hospital with enough time for them to give it to me before he was born. However, It only took about an hour for the IV line to drip in. Since this is your first you'll probably have plenty of time to get the antibiotics!! I'm not sure what your birthing plans are, but most of the time if you deliver at a hospital, even if you don't have pain medication, they will hook you up to an IV anyway just in case anything should happen. So, having them add some antibiotics to a drip line that is already there won't even be noticeable!
My sister and I were actually pregnant at the same time, me with my second and she with her 4th. We both tested positive for the Group B Strep and neither of us had had it before. I'm still not sure what causes it but just because you have it this time, doesn't necessarilly mean you will have it again.
Really, it's nothing to worry about. Just enjoy the experience (as much as possible :) and welcome to the wonderful world of parenting!!
-M.

No worries. As long as you are tested and treated you and your baby will be fine. When you are in labor your doctor will give you IV antibiotics to assure that your baby will not be infected. Group B strep is commonly found in the vagina or rectum of healthy women. 1 in 4 women are carriers of Group B strep. The bacteria is not harmful to you, only to your baby during delivery. But again, as long as you are treated with IV antibiotics, your baby will be fine. Also, make sure you are tested for Group B Strep with each pregnancy. Good luck.

You have gotten plenty of responses so I'll just tell you that I did and my baby is almost 10 months old and he's perfectly healthy!

Good luck :)

You have nothing to worry about. I had it with both of my children. As long as they get antibiotics into you then there is nothing to worry about. Both of my children are 100% healthy and had no complications during childbirth or after. You and the baby will be just fine. Congratulaions.

Hi there C.!

Don't be scared. Group B Strep (GBS or Beta-Strep) is EXTREMELY common and if treated during labor will not cause ill harm to your little one. It is very rare that babies are affected from the Type B strep so rest assure that you and yours are going to be fine!!!! Be happy that you have discovered that your have GBS since there are many woman who don't even know they are carriers and pose a higher risk of infecting their children since they aren't given antibiotics during childbirth. I too am a carrier and have 3 beautiful children, not to mention I work in the hospital and see it everyday!

Think happy thoughts and no worries!

A.

I tested positive for Group B Strep with my second. The nurses had to give me antibiotics through IV before my dr induced me. I had no problems and my daughter is perfectly normal.

Hey C.,
I tested positive for Group B Strep. It is a bacteria that doesn't harm the host, but has a small possibility of getting your baby sick if it passes to her during labor. That is why they give you antibiotics. 40% of women have this bacteria, so you are not alone! Nothing to worry about really. My pediatrician had it too, had a very short labor so they were not able to give her the antibiotics and her son was just fine.
Congrats and good luck!

E.

I didn't deal w/ group B strep, but a friend of mine had it w/ 3 out of 4 of her kids.... she was fine! My sister-in-law had it w/ 1 out of 4 kids & all is well.... don't worry. The dr. is right - nothing to worry about. From what I understand the strep is something every woman has, but if you have too much then they give you the antibiotic. Hope this helps! Blessings on your new joy!

I have 2 children and I tested positive for Group B Strep with both. I got the antibiotics during both labors and my first one was fine. My second child had an infection when he was born and they never found out what infection it was. They said it could have been strep, but they didn't know for sure. We had to stay in the hospital for a week to monitor him, but after that he was fine. I think it is really common to test positive and most times it is no big deal. I just always count my blessings that they can test for these things and get us the antibiotics so nothing serious can happen. Good luck and congratualations.

Not to worry. I tested positive too with my son almost 4 years ago. Basically, all that is that you get anitbiotics while in labor. After I dialated to 4, I had chosen to get an epidural, so they hooked me up to the antibiotic at that point. You just can't get up as easily and walk around once the IV is in. It really was no big deal.

Hope this helps and reassures you.

Congrats on the girl.

I tested positive for group b strep when I was pregnant, and it is no big deal - it's actually pretty common. You just get antibiotics in the hospital (mine was through IV with my epidural). My daughter was totally healthy! Good luck :)

C.,

"All that you get is antibiotics in labor" -- what can I tell you? This is some of the worst advice ever. I tested positive also, and so did some of my friends and some of my students. Most of us chose to give birth at home, unmolested. I researched GBS extensively when I was told to give up my hopes for a home birth by my physician, but what I found was that, unless you have risk factors for the disease, your chances of your baby getting infected or having any symptoms are minute. Your chances of adverse reaction or your baby's adverse reaction to antibiotics, however, are quite a bit higher. Also, IV antibiotics have not been shown to actually reduce the incidence of morbidity or mortality, so what's the point? I'm being very general here on purpose, as I believe this is a subject that requires your own due diligence -- do you homework. Go to sites like the Midwife Archives, http://www.gentlebirth.org/archives/ to do a search for what the natural experts say about Group B Strep. Google it to find out what others (besides doctors) say about it. What the docs say is predictable fear-mongering.

I can't tell you if you have risk factors. I can't tell you if your baby is likely to contract the strep. I can tell you that you can test positive, negative, positive and negative again all in the space of one day, and that there are things you can do naturally to be sure you would be negative at the time of birth. I can tell you that once you allow anything to flow through an IV into your veins during labor in a hospital you are more likely to get more interventions, which will lead to a higher likelihood of a surgical outcome.

I urge you to do your research and come to your own conclusion.

S.

P.S. I know Diana has suggested a garlic suppository to get a negative re-test. One thing I'll tell you is that, though this has sometimes proved to work and is very good advice, my midwife friend tells me it doesn't work as well as a chlorhexidine vaginal rinse. You could also try vinegar and water, but check with a qualified midwife. Either way, your doc will not likely care to retest you, as they seem to think that once you are positive you're always positive (which is ludicrous). But if the goal here is to remove the GBS from the vaginal canal, a chlorhexidine rinse might do the trick. Starting now and doing it for a few days could keep the infection from getting systemic (in the urine, etc.) Chlorhexidine isn't the greatest, but it sure beats IV antibiotics, and you'll be much more comfortable if allowed to labor without being injected, poked, prodded etc.

C., I too was GBS positive when I had my daughter last June. I have to admit that I was a little freaked out about it at first but it really is nothing to worry about and it's something you can't change to there's no need to stress over it. I will share with you what I experienced, not to scare you, but to give you a possible scenario. I didn't end up making it to the hospital in time to get all of the antibiotics. They tried to give me what they could but my labor and delivery happened too fast and the IV actually came out when I was pushing. So, after Katelynn was born they did some blood work to determine if the GBS had been passed to her. Her tests showed that her baby bands were elevated which was either a sign of possible infection or they were elevated from the stress of an extremely quick labor and delivery (my water broke just after 8am we got to the hospital just after 9am and she was born just after 10am). To be safe, they kept us in the hospital for 72 hours. The horrible part was that Katelynn had to get rounds of antibiotics to make sure she wasn't getting the GBS. It was done as a precautionary measure because it takes 48 hours (I think) for them to do a culture to determine if she had the virus or not. Seeing that IV in her little hand was a little hard for me especially since she was my first. The other difficult part was that it meant she had to spend a lot of time in the nursery and not with me which I was not okay with. The nurses at Banner Baywood were really great though and ended up letting her stay with us most of the time. So if you should end up in a similar situation, be warned that she may have to stay in the nursery. That doesn't mean you can't see her but it's more restricted on who can and when. In the end, she was fine. No infection and they thought that her elevated baby bands were just high because of the fast delivery. If you have any other questions, or would like to talk more about this, just send me a message and we can get in touch.

C.,

Although I have never had Group B Strep, I am familiar with it from working an OB office. The most important thing is that they diagnose it and treat it during labor. It's good to be concerned, just don't let it freak you out. Congradulations on your upcoming boundle of joy.

Hi C.! Apparently, group b strep among pregnant women is a lot more common than once realized. I also tested positive for Group B strep before the birth of my daughter. I was pretty concerned, too, but my midwife assured us that things would be fine and it would be good cautionary measure to take antibiotics during labor. During labor, our midwife gave me an IV of penicillin and some sort of saline solution in order to lessen the chances of my baby contracting group b strep while being born (apparently the bacteria colonizes down yonder). All went fine with the labor and birth (we gave birth at home and without any other medications), and our babe is now almost two and very healthy!

I hope that this and other responses you receive help to set your mind at ease for the wonderful journey you're about to set out on.

J.

I was positive with both of my pregnancies and I was scared the first time too. I had no idea what it meant or how I got it but found out that it's actually very common. It can cause serious illness in the infant "if" they contract it during birth which is why the doctor has you get an IV of antibiotics during labor. My advice is that as soon as you feel that you are in active labor or your water breaks, go to the hospital so they can start the antibiotics. As long as you do that, you and your baby will do great. Don't worry too much about it. It's not worth the anxiety. Try to focus on prepping for your new little one's arrival because at 37 weeks things could get rolling any time now. Congrats and good luck! =)

Before you agree to take antibiotics, do some research. I am not saying to not take them, just that it is YOUR choice, and you need to be informed about whatever you do. Group B strep poses a concern, but the risks are small, and antibiotics have their own side effects as well. If you do accept the antibiotics, then be sure to get some probiotics from a health food store and take them, starting immediatly, so that your baby can build up the good bacteria that taking the antibiotics will wipe out. Whatever your decision, remember that it IS YOUR decision. Not your Doctors. Good Luck. J. (Expecting a son, due on May 11th!)

A lot of people test positive for this. Actually with my first I was positive, and I got an iv with anibiotics, and with my second I tested negitive, so I had nothing.

I had natural births. Nothing scary about it, when I first found out I was postive I was scared, because when you research it, you don't get the result your looking for.

But, I had no worries :)

Hi C.,

I was also positive for the B strep. I had no problems what so ever. When you get to the hospital it is just part of the prep they will do. For me they just started an IV and administered the antibiotic that way. I had two, praise the lord, very healthy new born babies.(Now 4 & 2) Thank goodness they can do a test like this to safe guard our newborns! Congratulations!

T.

C.,

I also tested positive for Group B Strep with my daughter and was told it was no big deal. The only thing that I dealt with at the hospital is that they put you on an IV with antibiotics for 8 hours (if possible) before you give birth to prevent it from passing to the baby. It's harmless in adults but can be harmful to babies. They weren't able to have me on the meds for the full 8 hours since my daughter came so quickly, so, as a result, they had to do an extra blood test (foot prick) or 2 right after she was born. It was really not a big deal to me so, I don't suggest getting to worried about it - I think it's fairly common and drs. and nurses deal with it all the time.

I hope this helps!

L. Smith
Owner/CEO - Regionz Kidz
http://www.regionzkidz.com

C.,
I too have Strep B and have 3 beautiful children.
2 of my births, I only got 1/2 of the antibiotics in while in labor. There is nothing to worry about especially when your dr isn't concerned and has experience re this.
There is nothing you did wrong. It just is.

Take care and I am so exoited for you having a little girl!

I will think of you May 12th!
T.
www.tesabartell.myarbonne.com

My midwife said she does not like giving the strep b test and was relieved when I declined. Just because you test positive right now does not mean you will be positive during birth. And the same if you test negative. All people carry strep b, but at certain times I guess it likes to show its head. Strep B testing just causes useless worry.
Congratulations on your first arrival. My little girl is a May baby too. Have a great first Mother's Day!

Hi C.,

I tested positive for Group B strep and everything was fine. My doctor told me to contact her as soon as I went into labor, which I did. The hospital hooked me up to IV antibiotics and all was fine.

I ended up giving birth via c-section with no complications whatsoever.

From what my doctor told me, Group B strep is common and as long as you get to the hospital so they can get a couple doses of antibiotics in you then there is no danger to the baby.

Try to relax and enjoy this wonderful time and the doctors and nurses will know exactly what to do. Just make sure you tell them you tested positive.

God Bless,

L.

I tested positive with my daughter (who is now 4). There was nothing that I recall that was too serious. I was given IV anti-biotics during my labor, which kept me restricted to the bed, so that I could not get up and walk around at all.

I tested positive in my first, negative in my second. It really is nothing to worry about, unless it's isn't treated by the anitbiotics in your IV during labor - you won't even know. One less thing to really worry about. But you do want to remind your labor and delivery nurses about it, in case they don't notice it on your chart, or it doesn't find its way onto the chart.

I was positive w/my second...It didn't require any additional meds or testing or affect the baby during pregnancy or postnatal. In fact once I was tested my doctor never brought it back up as an issue.

Hi C.,

I tested positive, too, during my first pregnancy. At my doctor's office, if you have ever tested positive, they treat each subsequent pregnancy as if you are positive without even testing you again, just to be safe. So, during each of my deliveries(I've had 3 babies via c-section), they gave me IV antibiotics. And I have 3 healthy, smart kids! It's really not a big deal or anything to worry about. The important thing is that when you go to the hospital, you remind the nurses about it so they can make sure you get the antibiotics. And my water did break before getting to the hospital for 2 of my kids, so apparently it's not a big deal whether you get the antibiotics going before that happens or not. I hope this helps!

Group B Strep is a normal bacterial flora that is in the vagina and the rectum. Certain things cause it to grow more than others. This causes a positive test. This is why they give you antibiotics to prevent infection being passed along to the baby when she passes through the vaginal canal. If for some reason they are not able to give you antibiotics before your baby comes (especially 4 hours before) then they will either watch your baby for signs of infection or do a blood test to test for an infection. Many women test positive for Group B Strep and it is not an STD. I hope this helps you feel better about it.

I did test positive too. Don't worry, everything will be fine. I too paniced when I was told the news, but it's really normal. Nothing to worry about.

Peace and Love!

S.

Hello, I tested positive with this also, they gave me antibiotics during labor, and I had my son, he was perfectly normal. This was 7 1/2 years ago, I think that this is very common anymore so its not that big of a deal. If the baby were to get it, I think they treat him with antibiotics. No need to worry!! I wish you the best and I will say a little prayer for you!! Steph

C.,
I tested negative during my first two pregnancies, positive during my third. The chances of any complication is slim. They want you to have antibiotics to protect your baby. Of course, if you (cough) oopsie and end up having your baby at home on the floor, you don't get any antibiotics during labor. And baby is just fine anyway! It is not something to worry about, just something to be aware of. And know that you'll have some small physical restriction during labor - annoying, but not awful. Congratulations! Enjoy your labor - possibly the most empowering experience ever!

I also had this when I was pregnate with my last child. As long as you tell them that you have it after your water breaks and they get you on the meds it will be fine. We had no issues with my daughter getting it.

I had it with my first but, not my second. The only time you have to worry is if they can't get your the antibioctics. I doubt that happens very often though. It is really nothing to worry about. What I did was just make sure to get the hospital asap after I knew I was in labor for sure. That ensured to me that I would have enough time to get all the meds. Good luck!

I have had Group B strep with all 3 of my sons. As far as I am concerned the antibotics did not harm my little ones and I felt much better for it. The antibiotics are not for you since the group b strep doesn't harm you, it is for your baby so they won't get it during their time in the birth canal. If you are concerned about antibiotics for your baby I am sure that you can find natural ways to get rid of Group B,just make sure that it is completely gone. If the baby gets it, there are very serious complications to the baby. That's why they give you the antibiotics for the baby.

My second son came too fast but my ob/gyn didn't cut the cord and had the nurse push half a bag of the antibiotics thru my iv. He and the rest of my sons suffered no harmful effects from the medicine. Antibiotics are not my first choice when they get sick and I do try natural methods to help boost their immune system, but I didn't want to take a chance with the strep.

Research it on the internet and find the best method for you.

i am a labor and delivery nurse, and yes people test positive for group b strep all the time. Women actually carry this around and it is completely harmless to us, but can be harmful to your infant so they give you antibiotics in labor for your baby. You want to get at least 2 doses before the baby is born for the infant to be covered. And if you dont get the 2 doses they test your baby for infection and usually nothing is wrong!! Dont be worried this is normal and happens al the time. enjoy the last weeks of your pregnancy!!

I have two children, for the first I was negative for Group B Strep, for the second which I just had in February I tested positive. I was freaked out a little about it also, but it was really quite easy. When I went into labor I just let the nurses know and I was given the antibiotics. I was not able to get the full amount of antibiotics because my labor was so fast, so my daughter was watched a little more closely and I was given a sheet of things to look for when I went home. She was completely fine, so even without getting the full amount of antibiotics everything was still okay. So even though it is scary for us to hear try not to worry to much(I know that will be hard) because it is a pretty common thing and relatively simple thing to take care of.

I have tested positive before and your doctor is correct it's not anything to worry about as long as they give you the antibiotics while your in labor. It's what they did with me and everything turned out fine for my son.

Hi C.,

I had it as well. Do not let it freak you out. I started having anxiety about it some because of research I did on it. It can harm your child if you do not take antibiotics, but it is nothing to worry about.

Just make sure the nurses know when you go into labor that you have it at the hospital so they can hook you up. Good Luck

I tested positive with me son he is my second child. I was hooked up to an iv of antibiotics as soon as i went in. I was induced with him so the kept my patosan low till i had gotten the recommended dose. Even after the recommended dose I was kept on the antibiotics. I think this was just to be safe my body didn't flush the antibiotics before the baby was born. He came out fine.

I had my first baby last September and we are now expecting our second. I tested positive for Group B Strep during my first pregnancy as well. The doctor said it occurs in women every so often and is not a concern if handled correctly. You've likely been briefed on the details from your own doctor.

I experienced no symptoms as predicted. I was given the antibiotic shot before delivery, and my baby girl did not experience any symptoms either. They watched her in the hospital for a couple days to make sure she did not develop symptoms. If she had, they would have given her antibiotics as well. Basically, with your own antibiotic shot prior to delivery, it should be a non-issue.

Hope this helps!
K.

Hi C.,
I also tested positive for Group B when I was pregnant. I still don't really understand what it is or how you contract it. But, as for the treatment at the hospital, it really was no big deal. When you check into the hospital, you just have to make sure that the nurses are aware and they start you on an IV of antibiotics. Congratulations and best wishes for a happy, healthy baby!

I had it with both of my kids. My doctor also told me not to worry. Of course I worried and went online and researched it and all I found were the bad things that could happen. I was so stressed and for nothing!! I just told everyone at the hospital when I first got there that I had it so that it was not overlooked and they started me on the antibiotics. I also told every doctor that looked at my boys so that they were informed. If you do look into it further online just remember that the people who have nothing wrong are not writing about it just the worst cases.
Good Luck,
J.

I tested postive for Group B Strep as well...the only thing was that I went into labor before I even knew(she was 3 1/2 weeks early). Once I went into the hospital they quickly found out from the lab that I had tested positive. My labor moved so quickly they were only able to give me one dose of antibiotics (usually get two) before I had my daughter. Everything worked out fine for us. Hope this helps!

Hello C.,

I have Group B strep as well and I have had 2 births so far. I found out back when I was 31 and pregnant with my first son. They will give you antibiotics through your I.V. This will keep the Strep B from going active and making you and your baby very ill. It is nothing to be afraid of and the antibiotic doesn't harm the baby in any way. The antibiotic will keep the Strep B from harming you and the baby. I agree with the Doctor that it is not to be worried about. You just have to tell the hospital that you have it along with the doctor putting it into your file as well. they will know to put the I.V. in right away when you get to the hospital that way.

Everything will be just fine. Have a happy and worry free pregnancy. Take care of yourself and your baby.

D.

I also had it for both of my kids. Nothing to worry about. The antiobiotics are given immediately when you go into labor and they monitor the baby to make sure nothing comes of it. My water broke with my 2nd child (which concerned me more) and everything worked out great! They're now 5 and 2 and everybody is healthy. Relax and enjoy your pregnancy and birth! It's such a wonderful thing and you don't want to be sidetracked worrying about something that is easily controllable by your doctor. Good luck!

Group B Strep can be part of normal vaginal flora. Having Group B Strep doesn't cause negative symptoms or harm to your body. That's why you didn't know you had it! Group B Strep can be harmful for a very small percentage of newborns, so before and/or during labor it's recommended that you treat it. Group B Strep is very common and easy to treat so don't let it worry you too much!

www.lifesculpting.biz

C.,

Don't worry. Many women test positive for Group B Strep all the time. It's not that there is anything wrong with you or that you could get sick, it is a normal bacteria that is present on your skin but in that amount could cause the baby to get sick when he or she is exposed to it at delivery. I've tested positive both times, and like your doctor said, you just need antibiotics during labor before you deliver.

Hope that helps! Good luck!
K.

Hi, I too had this when I was pregnant with my twins. I was so nervous about it too. The dr said it was no big deal and when I did research on line about it, I found the information was very wishy-washy. When I had the boys they just put me on penicilin drip and I was fine. I ended up having a emergency c-section so it turns out the medication wasnt necessary, but I guess they just need to be prepared.. I know at least 3 or 4 of my friends had this too. You have enough things to worry about try not to stress about this. Good luck!

It is very normal. I had Strep B with both my pregnancies. Some of us just tend to carry the strep virus (I always got strep throat as a kid, too). Anyways, it isn't a big deal at all. I know MANY women who also had it. I received the antibiotics during labor, but my second baby came so fast that none of the antibiotics were able to get to her so they had us stay at the hospital for an extra day simply as a precaution. Everything was fine. I just wanted to leave the hospital really really badly by the time I left (I was ready to sneak out the window in the middle of the night! lol I felt like a hostage. I should have just left. What would they do? Keep me at gunpoint? Some women love being taken care of at the hospital, but I was ready to go home as soon as I had my baby)

Ditto for my response! They usually don't give you an epidural until the bag of antibiotics is done...so make sure that stuff is flowing well! :)

I don't know if anyone touched on this or not (I didn't read all of them)you have to stay in the hospital an extra day for them to check the baby. (I got there thurs am and checked out sat AM).

I tested positive for this when I had my son. I am not sure what it is or where it comes from, but it was explained to me that if you had this, that there was more of a chance of your baby getting pneumonia or any other harmful sickness when they are born. All they do is give you antibiotics a few hours prior to delivery through an IV. Really, there is not much to be worried about.

Hi C.,

I had it with both kids and they will give you 2 or 3 bags anitibiotics in your iv before you deliver. Since it is your first I wouldn't worry about it at all. Sometimes with the second one it comes faster and they want to make sure to get the dose in before delivery. I was upset when they said I had it but it is not a big deal at all! Congrats on the new baby.

K.

Yep Ive had it with a few of my kids and then not with some others (I have 7 kids!) So dont worry, It really is not a big deal. Enjoy being pregnant!!!

My doctor told me when I had my GBS test that about 60% of the population has this. IT's VERY common. They just put an antibiotic on my IV while I was in the hospital. The only side effect was a strange odor in my urine, but other than that, it did not affect me or my baby.

Hello C.! Congratulations on your first baby. I was strep B positve with both my kids and all they do is give you IV antibiotics during labor. And they usually keep you 48 hours in the hospital versus 24. Which is good for first time moms anyway!! So good luck and relax!!