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EMERSYN SAVANNAH — USA
Born March 11, 2016 Late-onset Mother's GBS Status: Tested positive Gestational Age: Full term Age harmed: 3 weeks |
When I found out I was GBS pos, my doctor told me not to worry and that it was very rare for babies to get sick after birth from it. I had planned on getting to the hospital as soon as possible to start IV antibiotics because I have a history of fast labors. I informed the hospital of this when I got there and told them that I was GBS pos and needed antibiotics immediately.
Unfortunately, the nurses did not listen to me and waited until it was too late. My daughter was born less than an hour after labor started and I did not get even one full dose of antibiotics. Although my GBS was untreated during delivery, my daughter seemed to be fine and we were released from the hospital. All seemed well until April 5, 2016.
She was only 3 weeks old the day she got sick. I put her down for a nap and she woke up a couple hours later, crying uncontrollably. I took her temperature and it was 101 degrees (F) so I packed her up and rushed to the Emergency Room. Once we got there they immediately took her in and started running tests. Her fever was 103 by then and I knew something was horribly wrong.
They did a spinal tap and several blood tests and determined that she had sepsis (an infection in her blood) and meningitis caused by late onset GBS. She was put in the NICU (neonatal intensive care unit) and was on antibiotics for 16 days. My husband and I stayed by her side every single moment.
Our poor newborn baby went through more in those 16 days than I have my whole life. It was so difficult seeing her go through all of that... blood tests, spinal taps, IVs, and a PIC line. She had multiple X-rays and brain scans. But she got through it. She survived! We are so incredibly lucky that we got her to the hospital as quick as we did. The doctors told us if we had been even an hour later getting there, she might not have made it. She is a miracle and we are truly blessed to have her in our lives!
— Melissa Hall, USA
Melissa shares their story on social media.
Unfortunately, the nurses did not listen to me and waited until it was too late. My daughter was born less than an hour after labor started and I did not get even one full dose of antibiotics. Although my GBS was untreated during delivery, my daughter seemed to be fine and we were released from the hospital. All seemed well until April 5, 2016.
She was only 3 weeks old the day she got sick. I put her down for a nap and she woke up a couple hours later, crying uncontrollably. I took her temperature and it was 101 degrees (F) so I packed her up and rushed to the Emergency Room. Once we got there they immediately took her in and started running tests. Her fever was 103 by then and I knew something was horribly wrong.
They did a spinal tap and several blood tests and determined that she had sepsis (an infection in her blood) and meningitis caused by late onset GBS. She was put in the NICU (neonatal intensive care unit) and was on antibiotics for 16 days. My husband and I stayed by her side every single moment.
Our poor newborn baby went through more in those 16 days than I have my whole life. It was so difficult seeing her go through all of that... blood tests, spinal taps, IVs, and a PIC line. She had multiple X-rays and brain scans. But she got through it. She survived! We are so incredibly lucky that we got her to the hospital as quick as we did. The doctors told us if we had been even an hour later getting there, she might not have made it. She is a miracle and we are truly blessed to have her in our lives!
— Melissa Hall, USA
Melissa shares their story on social media.
To learn more about Perinatal & GBS Misconceptions, click HERE.
To learn more about the Signs & Symptoms of Preterm Labor, click HERE.
To learn more about the Signs & Symptoms of GBS Infection, click HERE.
To learn more about Why Membranes Should NOT Be Stripped, click HERE.
To learn more about How to Help Protect Your Baby from Group B Strep (GBS), click HERE.
To learn more about the Signs & Symptoms of Preterm Labor, click HERE.
To learn more about the Signs & Symptoms of GBS Infection, click HERE.
To learn more about Why Membranes Should NOT Be Stripped, click HERE.
To learn more about How to Help Protect Your Baby from Group B Strep (GBS), click HERE.