I'm Group Strep B positive. Not a big deal at all. Except, see ... the particular strain I am positive for combined with my other little medical problems mean that the only "full" treatment is a rather rare (and strong and potentially potent for the little guy) drug which needs to be given via IV 2 doses, 12 hours apart.
And if that doesn't happen, the baby will be held for 48 hours in the hospital. Held because of medical liability because the only thing that the nurses will do to monitor the baby during that time is to "look at him" and "take his temperature." Two things which I am quite happy to do at home.
And even if I have a normal delivery in the birthin.g center, we will be transferred to regular L and D. You know, with shared rooms and where husbands are only allowed in during "visiting hours." For 2 nights. And I'm just not ok with that scenario for many reasons, including:
1. No one actually thinks that this type of monitoring saves lives
2. I will be alone, having to take care of myself sans husband in a hospital which doesn't provide food I can eat and certainly won't let me go out and buy my own food. The L and D ward doesn't allow co-sleeping so I will have to get myself up and out of bed everytime that I want to feed the baby. I will also presumably not get all that much sleep since I'll be sharing a room with another newborn.
3. It will be a huge and unnecessary hassle to arrange childcare for the fusspot. If JD starts his 'paternity leave' then we'll lose the chance for him to take it later when it would actually be helpful. So yeah, I'll be trying to hire basically round-the-clock babysitting (sidenote: haven't seen my husband yet this week because he's been getting home around 1:30 am every night. So no, it's not exactly viable to expect him to watch the fusspot, also drop by to "visit" his son and me in the hospital, and not start his leave. He could however call in "sick" for a 24 hour labor, which is what happened with the fusspot).
I had a long meltdown on the phone with the midwives and floated all of the following options:
1. Attempt to de-sensitize me to pen.icillin. This would not only involve a risky in-patient procedure, but also immediate induction.
2. Consider taking said drug (via IV) on a daily basis from 38 or 39 weeks so that technically I would get 2 doses in 12 hours ... except see above for risks to baby. Plus daily visits to the hospital.
So yeah. Not too many viable options. The midwives think that there is practically no chance that I'll have a 12 hour labor (my last labor was shorter, I didn't even notice I was in labor for a good half of it, and that was with a baby who was decidedly in the wrong position until the final 20 minutes). The only option I have been offered is for me to be discharged post-delivery and leave the baby behind. At least that way I could get some help getting up, dealing with the gore, get to see the fusspot, sleep in my own bed ... and cab back and forth to the hospital every 2 hours round-the-clock to try and nurse the bargain baby in a public waiting room. Delicious, eh?
Yeah, a small voice says hop on a plane to my moms and deliver there, but then there's no chance JD would be around ... and then there's the whole exposing the baby to airplane germs at a few days old to get back to NYC.
So I'm doing the only thing I can think of: cancelled all afternoon appointments and curled up in bed crying. I know, I know I'm certain I am overreacting. After all, this is just the normal procedure if I landed up with an emergency c-section, and I certainly wouldn't be upset after that. It's just the idea that I am going to have to take care of myself alone post-partum, JD is going to miss out at least spending the first 2 nights with the baby, the fusspot is going to have an unnecessarily traumatic transition being shuffled between babysitters all for ... liability reasons. I mean, they don't even test for Strep in Lalaland and they have a much higher success rate in keeping both mothers and babies alive through this whole process.
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7 comments:
Honey, I'm sorry. I have no advice or suggestions. But want you to know I am reading and acknowledging your hormones and how upset you are right now.
I think the lack of private room is extra sucky. I had one, actually every L&D room at hospital I was in is private. Had no idea that wasn't standard?!
I am incredulous that they can't accomodate your dietary needs - um, in NYC of all places?! WTF?! How is that possible??? Not to sound weird, but is there some sort of kosher-delivery (apologies if "kosher" isn't quite accurate) that could be on standby to deliver to your room? A friend near the hospital who could be on food delivery standby? Can you have a stash of acceptable foods packed along with your hospital bag until someone can get what you need delivered? Just trying to brainstorm with you.
Have you checked out hospital options near the inlaws - any better???
First off, you know that I panicked beyond belief about how disappointed I was with how my "labor" shaped up, so I totally get how upset you are. A few things:
1. I agree with the previous comment -- bring your own food to the hospital. Or surely you can order vegetarian meals? I can't imagine a hospital not having vegetarian options. But for two days, bringing your own (cold) food isn't too awful. And JD can bring you additional food when he visits.
2. Childcare for the Fusspot is probably a good idea for the first 48 hours anyway. Trust me. You'd appreciate the help even if you were at home. And every mother I know (myself included) panicked about how their toddler would handle the stress of those first few days post-new-sibling, and every toddler (mine included) handled it waaaay better than expected. Fusspot will be okay, honest, even with a patchwork of childcare.
3. Every hospital officially outlaws co-sleeping, for liability reasons. But every hospital also looks the other way, because every new mother inevitably falls asleep while breast feeding during those first 48 hours. I slept with Kermit in my arms the entire time I was in the hospital. Occasionally a nurse would mention that I shouldn't be doing that, and I'd apologize but say, "well, I'm up now, so I'll just keep holding him." It's not like you'll be sleeping deeply in the hospital anyway. So I wouldn't worry about that particular aspect.
I am also so very sorry! I think there were some very good suggestions in the other comments- I plan on bringing my own food stash this time also! We haven't even thought about childcare for Pumpkin yet- but I am also feeling stressed about how she is going to handle it. I am basically the only one who has ever put her to bed for 2 years. The hub has done it twice. In almost 2 years.
I hope you find some solutions and concessions everyone can be happy with!
Hmm, I don't know if I'm wrong here, but you are the wee Project 2.0's mama, aren't you? And as such, you have the right to deny treatment of ANY kind for him, right? In our hospital, they had a little thingy on the form for when mothers discharged themselves or their baby against medical advice, which basically kept the hospital from being liable for whatever happened as a result of said early discharge. Can you not do something like that? Just say, "Tough stuff, doc. My baby and I are going home."? I mean, they cannot legally force you to receive those services.
And yeah, I co-slept with both boys in the hospital many, many times. They continually were moving the boys into the isolette thingys on their own when they took them for monitoring, etc., and they would bring them back to me crying, and I'd take them out, hold them, fall asleep, etc. Sometimes, I'd put them in the same isolette together, which they liked, but mostly, I just kept them in bed with me. It was easier, and they couldn't really stop me.
Though honestly, I have to say that I'd be thrilled if you decided to come down this way to deliver... not that I'm encouraging you to do so, but, you know, if you did, I'd probably have to make a trip out that way...
Wish I had something better to say than "I'm sorry." How frustrating to feel like all of the decisions are being taken out of your hands.
I've heard of protocols (involving garlic, hibiclens washes, etc) for getting rid of B. strep. - perhaps it'd be worth doing those and then re-testing, if there's time?
Otherwise, I would go with kate and just refuse treatment. Sign out AMA.
private room possible? you can use a flex spending account to pay it (and a new baby counts as a change event so you can start putting in if you haven't been). what industry is JD in? sounds like awful work life balance. Is it medicine?
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