Mum Lily writes “On Wednesday 6th February 2019 we welcomed our perfect little rainbow baby into the world. Elsie Grace, born at 35+1 weighing 4lb 13oz . Elsie spent 2 weeks on the Special Care Baby Unit at Barnsley Hospital and had 48 hours of antibiotics straight after birth as a precaution against group B Strep because of our history with Esther (click here to read more).
Again, we took a perfect healthy little girl home. On Wednesday 6th March, exactly 12 months after losing Esther, Elsie woke at 10.30am making the same cry as Esther (also showing all the typical signs of colic). We brought her to Barnsley Hospital A&E and admitted to the children’s ward later on that day. Blood tests and cultures showed that Elsie also had a late-onset group B Strep infection. Luckily this time we had recognised the signs a lot earlier, and acted faster. Elsie had a 3-week course of antibiotics and tests for meningitis came back negative, so the doctors treated her for group B Strep sepsis until they got more results.
Elsie will have a hearing test in the future, and close monitoring as she grows up. We’re hoping and praying for good news, and a happy and healthy little girl.
The doctors and nurses at both Barnsley and Sheffield Children’s Hospital were amazing, and we cannot thank them enough for everything they have done and continue to do for both our precious girls.
30-40% of adults are carriers of group B Strep and although it is perfectly innocent in adults, in newborn babies it can be FATAL!! Most adults will never be aware that they are carriers so please make sure EVERYBODY washes and dries their hands before they touch newborn babies.
PLEASE , PLEASE , PLEASE make sure you know the signs for to look out for. Time is crucial, their bodies are so small they cannot fight the infection without RAPID treatment.”
You can download our poster highlighting the most common signs of GBS infection in babies here.
