Plus 1 Please

[Lostand]

I feel awful for her for the way it turned out. Her doctor was bullying her and using scare tactics.

There was absolutely no medical reason why she needed to keep one hand on the bed. She needed someone to speak for her or to be at a more natural friendly hospital.

If she felt the urge to push I wish they would have let her. And I wish she would have had the option of a water birth. It can relax you and progress labor. She probably could have avoided the epidural (which I do agree with her getting since the hospital had such limited options).

The bottom line is the American birthing system sucks and needs a complete rehaul.

Epidurals and pitocin shouldn't be our only options to manage the births of OUR babies from OUR bodies.

[JennaLuvBug]

I feel awful for her for the way it turned out. Her doctor was bullying her and using scare tactics.

There was absolutely no medical reason why she needed to keep one hand on the bed. She needed someone to speak for her or to be at a more natural friendly hospital.

If she felt the urge to push I wish they would have let her. And I wish she would have had the option of a water birth. It can relax you and progress labor. She probably could have avoided the epidural (which I do agree with her getting since the hospital had such limited options).

The bottom line is the American birthing system sucks and needs a complete rehaul.

Epidurals and pitocin shouldn't be our only options to manage the births of OUR babies from OUR bodies.

She wasn't interested in a water birth. But I agree w/everything else... I was lucky w/my first and even though the birth center was ruled out late in my pregnancy, the hospital was very, very natural friendly.

[FLOSSY77]

I totally agree. Let us not get natural and water confused though. She doesn't like being in the water for labor. She enjoyed it her last time in the beginning but it wasn't comfortable for her. It's all about what you feel comfortable doing. Like I said, she should have stayed home for a bit. The strep thing got her anxious.

[JennaLuvBug]

I was reading about transmutation of strep b (I've never been positive so I've never had to worry) and it's not even a guarantee baby will get it if you don't receive antibiotics... And they could still get it if you do get antibiotics. Of course chances go up/down. I think if I personally (again this is just for me and my comfort) was positive I still would have stuck it out at home a little longer. (Keep in mind though I know nothing about strep b and maybe my doctor would scare me into getting there as soon as I felt a contraction)

[thegooseiscooked]

I vaguely know a woman whose perfectly healthy baby died after contracting strep b from her because she ignored medical advice and thought she could resolve it via natural remedies. She couldn't. Bet she wishes she'd accepted the antibiotic drip now.

I personally would never muck around with that. I'd rather have a horrible labour and a safe baby than a natural one and a dead baby. It's the first of many sacrifices a mother will make for her children. The mistake a lot of mothers are making these days is thinking that the labour is about them. They might long for a natural water birth with all their heart but if they stubbornly stick to that desire despite the fact that medical professionals consider it to be unsafe, then they're frigging idiots. They're no longer number one. Baby's health is paramount. Labour is about getting baby here safely. Yes, there are too many interferences in hospital now days but I still listen to medical advice. You CAN have a natural birth in hospital. You just have to stick up for yourself and take control. Or get your husband to do it. And there's no shame in having an epidural. Shop around for an obgyn. Not all of them are induction happy.

Good for you if you plan on having a home birth or a water birth. I admire your courage. It wasn't for me. I liked being in a place where emergencies could be taken care of quickly and easily. But if a doctor tells you that your plans are unsafe or risky for the baby and you ignore that advice.....well, good luck.

[ohaudrey]

I was reading about transmutation of strep b (I've never been positive so I've never had to worry) and it's not even a guarantee baby will get it if you don't receive antibiotics... And they could still get it if you do get antibiotics. Of course chances go up/down. I think if I personally (again this is just for me and my comfort) was positive I still would have stuck it out at home a little longer. (Keep in mind though I know nothing about strep b and maybe my doctor would scare me into getting there as soon as I felt a contraction)

I was GBS+ and refused the antibiotics, baby was fine.

[thegooseiscooked]

You were lucky. Does anyone watch Kaity (katulka2)? Her first baby Alice was desperately ill after birth and had to stay in the hospital for weeks...maybe even a month after Kaity refused the antibiotics. Then she had a home birth with her second and "treated" her GBS with natural remedies. As I said previously! I know a woman whose otherwise healthy baby died. Gah..... I personally wouldn't risk it with the safety of my babies but meh...maybe that's just me.

GBS can be fatal for a newborn. Fact. Letting your baby play with a sharp knife and a box of matches might turn out fine too but I'm sure you'd avoid it due to the risk involved. It's about weighing up the risk and making the best decision for your baby's safety, not desperately clinging to the ideal of an unmedicated birth.

[SomeoneNew2]

^^^^^^this!! Times a thousand!!

[JennaLuvBug]

I'm glad she seems very happy with her birth and the epidural. It's refreshing.

[ohaudrey]

Well to be honest, I didn't have enough time, so saying I refused them means more that I got there late. This baby ill get them if I have time, but its not a huge concern. I'm not making vlogs crying about how I'm GBS+... But I'm not Kelsey so

[TheEnd]

You were lucky. Does anyone watch Kaity (katulka2)? Her first baby Alice was desperately ill after birth and had to stay in the hospital for weeks...maybe even a month after Kaity refused the antibiotics. Then she had a home birth with her second and "treated" her GBS with natural remedies. As I said previously! I know a woman whose otherwise healthy baby died. Gah..... I personally wouldn't risk it with the safety of my babies but meh...maybe that's just me.

GBS can be fatal for a newborn. Fact. Letting your baby play with a sharp knife and a box of matches might turn out fine too but I'm sure you'd avoid it due to the risk involved. It's about weighing up the risk and making the best decision for your baby's safety, not desperately clinging to the ideal of an unmedicated birth.

If I remember right, Katy didn't refuse the antibiotics. She tested negative but the baby got a GBS infection anyway. GBS can come and go and you can be negative one day and positive the next.

I agree though, I don't mess with that stuff. I had a home birth but would have gotten the antibiotics for sure if I was GBS positive.

[thegooseiscooked]

You may be right, I can't remember exactly. My understanding of GBS is that if you test positive, you're positive for life. But I'm certainly not an expert so I'll defer to your judgement on that. But she certainly tested positive before August was born and refused the antibiotics then. After what she went through with Alice, I remember being quite shocked that she would risk it a second time.

[JennaLuvBug]

The presence of the bacteria comes and goes. You can be negative 1 pregnancy and not the next, and positive one pregnancy and negative the next. But I think if you had previous positive GBS tests they give you antibiotics even if you test negative. (But I am not too sure about that)
I know they test for it 5 weeks or so from labor because the status isn't likely to change within that amount of time.

[mandylouwho]

I was GBS+ the first time and got three rounds of antibiotics. I tested negative with my second baby and they didn't give me antibiotics. That's something that could very well differ from doctor to doctor though

[proudmama]

I was GBS positive my first pregnancy and negative my second. I got several doses of antibiotics since I was induced so there was plenty of time. I consented to the antibiotics because I knew I'd feel guilty if I opted not to get it and then my son ended up getting sick. I tested negative with my second child so I didn't need the antibiotics. I could have received them though if need be even though I had a home birth. My midwife told me the GBS test isn't all that accurate anyway because most doctors swab your rectal area which a lot of times contains GBS bacteria. She said that area having the bacteria doesn't matter since the baby isn't coming out of there lol

[FibroMommy]

I tested negative and my baby has an infection that needed antibiotics. The peds suspected that I went from negative to positive in the week between testing and delivering. I delivered at 37 weeks. I wish I had been treated with antibiotics.

[thegooseiscooked]

You were tested a week before? Huh. I went in to be induced, they tested me then and there. The results took about 15 minutes, came back negative and then it was all systems go.

The more I learn from you ladies, the more I realise how hit and miss the whole thing is. That's terrible.

[proudmama]

In the US, they typically test for GBS around 36-37 weeks so someone could test negative then but be positive say three weeks later when the baby is born. It's a coin toss really.

[JennaLuvBug]

I am surprised to see her so insecure about her stretch marks. I never pegged her as someone who would care, but say it comes with the territory of having kids.

[ohaudrey]

Idk her belly is looking a little more beat up than what us average I think. She gained quite a bit if weight so I assume that's part of it.