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NOAH — AUSTRIA
Born May 12, 2020 Late-onset Mother's GBS Status: Tested positive Gestational Age: 38 weeks Age Harmed: 4 months |
I was induced at 37+5 due to poor heart rates during a check up in my hospital. I tested positive for strep B weeks before, which is a standard test during pregnancy in Austria. No problem - they told me. Just get the antibiotics during birth.
Being induced as a first time mom, they told me it would take days - 8hours later I told them I feel pressure, but they told me to rest and that they would wait with the meds for Strep B. Thirty minutes later he was born (small, needed help with breathing, sleepy but fine).
Noah didn’t cry at all, slept like a dream, but they told me he would just need a little bit extra time as he was just small and not ready to be born (although he was better off outside, he stopped growing for the last 3 weeks).
So everything good. Until 4 weeks later during the day he was fussy. I had a check up at our doctor and I was concerned. The doc told me that Noah will be a cry baby and I will have to accept that my baby cries.
It became worse hour by hour, he stopped drinking and screamed when being touched. At midnight, my husband also said that something is wrong - but our doctor said he was just fine.
I called our children’s hospital explaining the symptoms - which we totally misunderstood. Then we drove there - the doctor waited for us at the door (covid) and just with one quick look at Noah the nightmare began - it took the doctor one second to see that we need intensive care. They were severely concerned about meningitis, and after the puncture Noah’s heart stopped beating twice.
But - after 4 hours he started to get better. A lot of medication later, it was “just” late onset sepsis due to Strep B…but his condition got better from hour to hour. Which would have been just poor luck if we would have waited until the next day for a doctor’s appointment...Noah wouldn’t be here today.
Seven days icu, seven days in the normal children’s unit, 14 days of antibiotics later….nobody told me what Strep B could do. I was furious. I called my hospital and I wanted something to happen. They changed their policy - and mothers with Strep B are now told to watch for specific signs for the first three months - whining, fever, refusing to drink, stretching.
My second child was born in November. I wanted antibiotics before birth (tested positive 3 weeks before). I got them during labor. (I insisted and they remembered our story and my lawyer.) She is perfectly fine, but to be honest - it was a tough road. These two weeks have been the worst - although everybody was soo kind and we were in such good hands, but just the thought that this could happen again still makes my heart stop for a second.
I get furious when I hear that Strep B is nothing - it can be dangerous. Of course, most of the time everything is fine, but everybody should be aware of it!
- Kathrin
Being induced as a first time mom, they told me it would take days - 8hours later I told them I feel pressure, but they told me to rest and that they would wait with the meds for Strep B. Thirty minutes later he was born (small, needed help with breathing, sleepy but fine).
Noah didn’t cry at all, slept like a dream, but they told me he would just need a little bit extra time as he was just small and not ready to be born (although he was better off outside, he stopped growing for the last 3 weeks).
So everything good. Until 4 weeks later during the day he was fussy. I had a check up at our doctor and I was concerned. The doc told me that Noah will be a cry baby and I will have to accept that my baby cries.
It became worse hour by hour, he stopped drinking and screamed when being touched. At midnight, my husband also said that something is wrong - but our doctor said he was just fine.
I called our children’s hospital explaining the symptoms - which we totally misunderstood. Then we drove there - the doctor waited for us at the door (covid) and just with one quick look at Noah the nightmare began - it took the doctor one second to see that we need intensive care. They were severely concerned about meningitis, and after the puncture Noah’s heart stopped beating twice.
But - after 4 hours he started to get better. A lot of medication later, it was “just” late onset sepsis due to Strep B…but his condition got better from hour to hour. Which would have been just poor luck if we would have waited until the next day for a doctor’s appointment...Noah wouldn’t be here today.
Seven days icu, seven days in the normal children’s unit, 14 days of antibiotics later….nobody told me what Strep B could do. I was furious. I called my hospital and I wanted something to happen. They changed their policy - and mothers with Strep B are now told to watch for specific signs for the first three months - whining, fever, refusing to drink, stretching.
My second child was born in November. I wanted antibiotics before birth (tested positive 3 weeks before). I got them during labor. (I insisted and they remembered our story and my lawyer.) She is perfectly fine, but to be honest - it was a tough road. These two weeks have been the worst - although everybody was soo kind and we were in such good hands, but just the thought that this could happen again still makes my heart stop for a second.
I get furious when I hear that Strep B is nothing - it can be dangerous. Of course, most of the time everything is fine, but everybody should be aware of it!
- Kathrin
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.