You got your GBS results back and they're positive - and suddenly it feels like your entire birth plan just got ripped out of your hands. Does this mean induction? Antibiotics no matter what? Is an unmedicated birth even still on the table?
Before you spiral into a Google hole at midnight, Trish is here to set the record straight. As a 16-year high-risk L&D nurse who's been in the room with hundreds of GBS positive mamas, she's breaking down exactly what this diagnosis does - and doesn't - mean for your birth.
In this episode, Trish covers:
- What GBS actually is (and why it's not about hygiene or "doing something wrong")
- Myth #1: GBS positive means automatic induction - it doesn't
- Myth #2: No membrane sweeps allowed - what the Strip G Study really found
- Myth #3: You have to rush to the hospital the second contractions start - Trish's real timing rules for first-time and experienced moms
- Myth #4: You can't have an unmedicated birth - how the antibiotics actually work with your birth plan
- The real numbers behind antibiotic prophylaxis, and what happens if you decline
- What other countries do differently - and why that matters for how you think about your options
The bottom line: GBS positive is a piece of information, not a life sentence for your birth plan. You deserve a provider who explains the "why," shows you the evidence, and lets you be part of the decision. This is still your birth.
Loved this episode? Share it with a pregnant friend who just got her GBS results, or post it in your birth group - these are the conversations that should be happening at every 36-week appointment. And if you want more of Trish's no-fear-mongering, straight-from-research approach, hit subscribe so you never miss an episode.
More resources for GBS+ Pregnancy:
Read the blog: Here's What You Need to Know About GBS (Group B Strep) and Pregnancy
Listen to episode 196: Pregnancy Unpacked Week 36: Preparing For the Final Stretch
Listen to episode 189: Membrane Sweeps - What You Need to Know and How to Handle Them
Helpful Timestamps:
- 00:00 GBS Positive Pregnancy
- 02:24 What GBS Really Is
- 04:25 Myth One
- 05:19 Myth Two
- 07:14 Myth Three
- 09:42 Myth Four
- 11:37 Antibiotics Risks And Rights
- 15:03 Other Countries Approach
Join The Calm Labor Birth Bundle - everything you need from bump to baby! Use code POD50 for $50 off!
Over 15k mamas have used our classes to prepare for a birth that they love 🤍
⭐ Download immediately ⭐App available ⭐Life-time access⭐
Connect w/ Trish:
On Instagram
On YouTube
For more pregnancy & birth education, subscribe to The Birth Experience on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
Produced and Edited by Vaden Podcast Services
