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LAURA — USA
Born December 20, 2006 Early-onset Mother's GBS Status: Tested negative Gestational Age: Full-term Age harmed: only minutes old |
As I read all the stories of other parents who suffered terrible tragedies from GBS, I felt compelled to share my story for other parents like me--those with a happy ending!!
My pregnancy went smoothly, except for the constant morning sickness that only went away for about 4 weeks of the 40. One of the attendings that I was rotating through performed the GBS test at 37 weeks and it came back negative. I continued on with the pregnancy extremely uncomfortable and ready to deliver. The only kink I had was my stubborn baby liked to hide when it came time to hear the heartbeat at each prenatal visit. It became a joke between my doctor and I. My OB decided that if I didn't go on my own she would induce after the 40 week mark because ultrasound revealed that Laura was estimated to be over 9 pounds when I delivered. Laura must have liked her surroundings because she never did drop or cause me to dialate on my own.
Laura was born without labor complications on December 20, 2006; two days past my due date at a healthy 8 pounds and 21 inches long. My doctor had me admitted the night before to start preparing my cervix and then we started induction in the morning. The day went fine and I was doing great. My doctor came over during her break between morning and afternoon clinics and broke my water. Things continued to progress and when she returned after clinic, I was ready to start pushing. She went on to a meeting next door because she thought with it being my first child, I would be pushing for hours. Well, one hour and 15 minutes later, Laura came into the world with only the nurse, my husband, my mother and I in the room. The nurse had me stop pushing until my doctor arrived, but Laura thought she shouldn't have to wait. The doctor joined us about 30 seconds after Laura was born, but only shortly after the nursery nurses were rushed into the room.
Laura looked beautiful, and had the right amount of fingers and toes. I noticed that she wasn't crying and I turned to my Mom and said a few times, "Why isn't she crying?" She reassured me that Laura was fine and that not all babies immediately cry when they are born. Later she told me that she was only trying to keep me from worrying because she knew something was wrong by the look on the nurse's face. They put Laura on my chest for about a minute and I wasn't able to hold her again for 3 days. I thank God for Sue every day of my life. She is the nurse that noticed that there just wasn't something right about Laura, as she put it, and she whisked her off to the special cure nursery where she stayed for the next 7 days.
I can remember the Neonatologist physician assistant coming into my room a few hours after Laura was born. She was telling me how they were treating Laura and what they thought was wrong with her. I heard her talking, but I was out of it in sorts, and didn't really comprehend who she was and what she was saying to me. I would just have my husband explain it all to me later when everyone was out of the room and there wasn't a hundred things going on at once. After she left, I can remember thinking that she was just one of the nursery nurses and I would be able to talk to her again shortly. I still thought Laura wasn't sick and she was going to be fine. I thought they would be bringing her down to my room anytime now. Boy, was I wrong.
Laura was started on antibiotics within an hour of delivery, even though they didn't know exactly what was wrong with her. She was later diagnosed with GBS, pneumonia, and sepsis. She was treated with IV antibiotics, underwent x-rays, frequent blood draws, MRI's and a spinal tap. She was under an oxygen hood, had all kinds of monitors attached to her little body and was splinted to keep from pulling the IV out. She was seen by her primary care physician, my OB and several neonatologists.
As the days went on the antibiotics did their job and she improved. Finally on the third day I was able to hold her for the first time and it was the best feeling I have ever had. It was so hard to have her connected to so many different lines, with monitors beeping at us if we overstimulated her or moved her in a bad way. As the days went on, Laura graduated from the different types of beds and treatments as her blood culture numbers continued to decline. She was getting better and the light at the end of the tunnel was beginning to shine.
We spent Christmas in the hospital with our little girl still too sick to have many visitors. This was fine with my huband and I because, what better gift could we have asked for, God had blessed us with a baby girl. The only thing we did was pray for her to continue to get better so that she could go home. Our families came to visit her in shifts so that we didn't overstimulate her and make her stats go down.
I work in the medical field, but nothing could have prepared me for what my little girl, husband and I would go through, not thinking about all the medical terms and treatments that we would have to quickly learn about. We were blessed to have a wonderful nursing staff taking care of our baby, most of which we became close with as the days went on. They took the time to make sure we understood everything they were doing to our baby and why.
Laura was released two days after Christmas after 14 full doses of antibiotics. Her GBS was found and treated early and she is a healthy happy 4 month old. She has a wonderful disposition and full of constant smiles. She is developing like every other infant and has her own little personality that draws you to her.
I thank God for her and that He chose me to be her Mommy!
I wanted to share this story because as I read other stories, most of them had not so happy endings. I can't even imagine how these parents must be feeling.
I want to share Laura with you so other parents know that a GBS diagnosis doesn't always have to be deadly. If caught early, it can be treated and have no long lasting side effects.
— Jennifer Wayman, IL, USA
Laura's mother tells every pregnant woman to make sure she gets tested.
My pregnancy went smoothly, except for the constant morning sickness that only went away for about 4 weeks of the 40. One of the attendings that I was rotating through performed the GBS test at 37 weeks and it came back negative. I continued on with the pregnancy extremely uncomfortable and ready to deliver. The only kink I had was my stubborn baby liked to hide when it came time to hear the heartbeat at each prenatal visit. It became a joke between my doctor and I. My OB decided that if I didn't go on my own she would induce after the 40 week mark because ultrasound revealed that Laura was estimated to be over 9 pounds when I delivered. Laura must have liked her surroundings because she never did drop or cause me to dialate on my own.
Laura was born without labor complications on December 20, 2006; two days past my due date at a healthy 8 pounds and 21 inches long. My doctor had me admitted the night before to start preparing my cervix and then we started induction in the morning. The day went fine and I was doing great. My doctor came over during her break between morning and afternoon clinics and broke my water. Things continued to progress and when she returned after clinic, I was ready to start pushing. She went on to a meeting next door because she thought with it being my first child, I would be pushing for hours. Well, one hour and 15 minutes later, Laura came into the world with only the nurse, my husband, my mother and I in the room. The nurse had me stop pushing until my doctor arrived, but Laura thought she shouldn't have to wait. The doctor joined us about 30 seconds after Laura was born, but only shortly after the nursery nurses were rushed into the room.
Laura looked beautiful, and had the right amount of fingers and toes. I noticed that she wasn't crying and I turned to my Mom and said a few times, "Why isn't she crying?" She reassured me that Laura was fine and that not all babies immediately cry when they are born. Later she told me that she was only trying to keep me from worrying because she knew something was wrong by the look on the nurse's face. They put Laura on my chest for about a minute and I wasn't able to hold her again for 3 days. I thank God for Sue every day of my life. She is the nurse that noticed that there just wasn't something right about Laura, as she put it, and she whisked her off to the special cure nursery where she stayed for the next 7 days.
I can remember the Neonatologist physician assistant coming into my room a few hours after Laura was born. She was telling me how they were treating Laura and what they thought was wrong with her. I heard her talking, but I was out of it in sorts, and didn't really comprehend who she was and what she was saying to me. I would just have my husband explain it all to me later when everyone was out of the room and there wasn't a hundred things going on at once. After she left, I can remember thinking that she was just one of the nursery nurses and I would be able to talk to her again shortly. I still thought Laura wasn't sick and she was going to be fine. I thought they would be bringing her down to my room anytime now. Boy, was I wrong.
Laura was started on antibiotics within an hour of delivery, even though they didn't know exactly what was wrong with her. She was later diagnosed with GBS, pneumonia, and sepsis. She was treated with IV antibiotics, underwent x-rays, frequent blood draws, MRI's and a spinal tap. She was under an oxygen hood, had all kinds of monitors attached to her little body and was splinted to keep from pulling the IV out. She was seen by her primary care physician, my OB and several neonatologists.
As the days went on the antibiotics did their job and she improved. Finally on the third day I was able to hold her for the first time and it was the best feeling I have ever had. It was so hard to have her connected to so many different lines, with monitors beeping at us if we overstimulated her or moved her in a bad way. As the days went on, Laura graduated from the different types of beds and treatments as her blood culture numbers continued to decline. She was getting better and the light at the end of the tunnel was beginning to shine.
We spent Christmas in the hospital with our little girl still too sick to have many visitors. This was fine with my huband and I because, what better gift could we have asked for, God had blessed us with a baby girl. The only thing we did was pray for her to continue to get better so that she could go home. Our families came to visit her in shifts so that we didn't overstimulate her and make her stats go down.
I work in the medical field, but nothing could have prepared me for what my little girl, husband and I would go through, not thinking about all the medical terms and treatments that we would have to quickly learn about. We were blessed to have a wonderful nursing staff taking care of our baby, most of which we became close with as the days went on. They took the time to make sure we understood everything they were doing to our baby and why.
Laura was released two days after Christmas after 14 full doses of antibiotics. Her GBS was found and treated early and she is a healthy happy 4 month old. She has a wonderful disposition and full of constant smiles. She is developing like every other infant and has her own little personality that draws you to her.
I thank God for her and that He chose me to be her Mommy!
I wanted to share this story because as I read other stories, most of them had not so happy endings. I can't even imagine how these parents must be feeling.
I want to share Laura with you so other parents know that a GBS diagnosis doesn't always have to be deadly. If caught early, it can be treated and have no long lasting side effects.
— Jennifer Wayman, IL, USA
Laura's mother tells every pregnant woman to make sure she gets tested.
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.