Retaking the GBS Test

On Monday, right when I turned 41 weeks, I asked to retake my Group B Strep (GBS) test. If you recall, I originally tested positive for GBS when I took my first test at 36 weeks. This was a huge bummer for me because it meant that I was going to have to be put on an IV either right when my water broke or when I went into active labor and had antibiotics pumped into me every four hours. They would have taken the IV off after each dose of antibiotics (which would take about 30 minutes each time), but I would still have had to had the IV put in and been strapped to a pole for parts of my labor. As someone who really hates needles, I initially cried a little from disappointment when I heard I had GBS and would need the antibiotics. The midwives knew how disappointed I was and told me if I was still pregnant five weeks later I would be able to retake the test. They gave me a list of things I could try in the meantime to clear my system of the bacteria (see my previous blog post about GBS for details).

Ever since then I have been drinking lots of Vitamin C; one of my tangerine coconut waters has almost 400% of your daily Vitamin C needs an eighteen ounce container. The Vitamin C is supposed to help your immune system clear your body of harmful bacteria.

Delicious tangerine coconut water that is a great source of vitamin c and is wonderful for hydration

I have also been taking probiotics everyday. I have never been a big fan of yogurt, so I decided if I really wanted to pump up my system with healthy bacteria, that I should just take some probiotics. I have been very happy with using New Chapter Organics for my prenatal vitamins, so I decided to continue to use that brand for my probiotics. I have been taking the New Chapter Organics Probiotic All-Flora, which has 9 strains of healthy bacteria cultured and kept on w whole food-medium. Most probiotics you can buy aren't kept with the food they are grown on and loose their potency, but drying the bacteria with its food medium makes them much more effective. These probiotics are stored in the refrigerator and you take 2 capsules a day on an empty stomach. They never made me feel queasy unless I took them too close to a mealtime; otherwise they were very gentle on my stomach.

Probiotics that possibly helped me clear my system of GBS

Today Back Cove Midwives called me to let me know my test results: I am now GBS negative! I am so happy/thrilled/excited/relieved! No more IV or antibiotics for me! Even though I had kind of come to terms with the fact that I was going to have to deal with the antibiotics, I feel SO much better knowing that I may now be able to have a natural birth with absolutely no interventions. Some people have told me that maybe Meo was just waiting for my test results to come back before he decides to come out. Hopefully that's true and he will sense that I feel more ready now and we can have a wonderful birth experience. He needs to come out soon though, because they will have to induce my at 43 weeks which means I will end up being stuck on an IV after all! Come on out little Meo; we can do this!

If you are pregnant and worried about GBS, it is definitely worth trying to cleanse your system and filling it with healthy bacteria. GBS naturally cycles in and out of your system, so it may not even have been the probiotics and Vitamin C that helped me get rid of it. When I am pregnant again though, I will be taking probiotics much earlier in my pregnancy for sure. Here is a description of the probiotics I was taking that I copied from their website (http://www.newchapter.com/probiotics/probiotic-all-flora):

Live Probiotics for Optimal Digestive and Immune System Function*

Probiotic All-Flora contains nine strains of live probiotics cultured together on a non- dairy whole-food medium and then combined with growth-stimulating prebiotic Organic Apples, and Organic Inulin sourced from Organic Jerusalem Artichokes.

The live probiotics in Probiotic All-Flora, including revered probiotic strains such as Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, and Lactobacillus helveticus, help support optimal digestive and immune system function.

When the culturing of Probiotic All-Flora is complete, the synbiotic-rich whole-food medium and live probiotics are freeze-dried together, a process that preserves their potency until consumed. Once consumed, the cultured whole-food medium and prebiotic whole foods activate the probiotics and enhance their effects. Both are part of the synergistic whole that benefits the entire digestive tract and immune system.

Whole-Food Probiotics for Digestive Health and Immune Support

The Medium is the Message!  Probiotics are beneficial bacteria that occur naturally in the human intestinal tract. Foods “cultured” with beneficial strains of probiotics such as yogurt and kefir have been used throughout history to improve overall health and vitality, and today, there are many studies reinforcing their ability to balance and promote digestive health.* Probiotics also play an important role in modulating the immune system, 70% of which is located in the gut.

To make a probiotic supplement, selected strains of beneficial bacteria must first be cultured on a food medium, such as milk or soy. Since each strain of probiotics has an affinity for a different part of the digestive tract, and a unique mechanism of action, a product that delivers multiple strains is preferable to single strain products. As the probiotics replicate, they biotransform the food medium, breaking down nutrients and making them more bioavailable while secreting beneficial compounds into the medium called “synbiotics.” Research suggests that synbiotics are largely responsible for the benefits of probiotics. In other words, “the medium is the message.”

Most probiotic supplement manufacturers separate the probiotics from their food medium once the desired number of cultures is achieved, and therefore fail to deliver the full range of health benefits associated with eating probiotic foods. New Chapter ’s Probiotics with a Purpose line, however, uniquely offers multi- species blends of live probiotics with the synbiotic-rich organic growth medium intact.

		2 Vcaps contain Organic Fermented Soy 750 mg • Organic Jerusalem Artichoke Inulin (tuber) 125 mg • Organic Apple (fruit) 90 mg • Proprietary Probiotic Blend** (S. thermophilus; L. rhamnosus; B. breve; L. acidophilus; B. infantis; B. longum; L. plantarum; L. salivarius; L. helveticus) 35 mg • • Daily value not established **  At the time of manufacture, there are 8 billion probiotic live cells in 2 capsules of All-Flora. Other ingredients: Organic rice flour and sunflower lecithin. Capsule: Modified cellulose. Contains: Fermented soy.     Naturally gluten free. 100& vegetarian; no artificial flavors or colors.