GBF vs. GBS

A good friend, Rebecca, recommended the Gentle Birth Formula when I asked how in the world her first birth went so well. So, I hopped on board and took it for the last four weeks of my pregnancy with Abigail (didn't want to miss those last two shifts at work). =) Not sure if it was the magic herbs or just that a second labor goes easier and faster, but wow, I will recommend the GBF to anyone who is pregnant. It only costs $30, doesn't taste that bad, and if nothing else has a great placebo effect.

However, there should be a disclaimer on the bottle: don't dwaddle once those contractions start! I figured we had hours and hours of labor ahead of us and didn't dare hope that Abigail could come so fast. When we got to the hospital, the nurse noticed on the chart that I had tested positive for Group B Strep a few weeks before. I hadn't heard the results from the midwife so I had just assumed that I was negative again (as I had been with Nathaniel). GBS positive moms are supposed to get an IV with antibiotics during labor to pass the antibiotics on to the newborn, protecting the baby from the exposure she receives during birth. Alas, there was no time to even think of starting an IV with Abigail's birth. This was great in that I don't really care for needles, but not so great because the protocol is to monitor newborns in the hospital for 48 hrs. after birth if they miss the antibiotics. 48 hrs! We were planning on going home the same day! We were not very happy. Luckily, Abigail looked great and they agreed to let us go early with lots of instructions. So, the moral of the story is: if you're going to take the GBF, know your status on the GBS. =)