Josephine, mum to Tommy, says:
“My waters broke at 11pm on 6 February 2023. I was told to try and sleep and come into the hospital in the morning. On arrival I was checked by a midwife and told I was 3cm dilated. I was given the options to walk around the hospital grounds or go home and come back later. Due to living an hour away, I asked if we could walk around and stay around the area, which was agreed. The midwife organised a delivery room for me and my partner to keep our stuff in.
Around 2/3am I was having contractions. The midwife told me the contractions needed to be 45 seconds and 2 minutes apart before I entered the birthing pool. I asked to be checked again as surely I was getting close. To my disappointment I was still only 3cm and in a lot of pain. It was suggested we both be monitored as they weren’t sure why I hadn’t dilated further. Upon further examination and doctors coming to look at the monitor, I was told my temperature was too high and baby’s heart rate was beating too fast. Baby and I were monitored closely every 30 minutes. I was given an injection to stop my contractions to see if baby’s heart rate would go back to normal, which it didn’t.
After 24 hours in hospital, planning to have a water birth, I was then monitored as I hadn’t dilated anymore. I was then put on a monitor where it was discovered my son’s heart rate was spiking, as was my temperature. They were concerned with the baby’s heart rate, so I was rushed into an emergency c-section.
On 8 February 2023, Tommy was born at 9.22am weighing 7lbs 9oz. However, it wasn’t all happy tears. He was rushed to a medical table where he was given breathing support and his first of many doses of antibiotics through a cannula. Later that day Tommy was taken off for a lumbar puncture to check for meningitis. His blood cultures were also taken from the bottom of his foot to see what infection he had.
After a week in hospital and two-hourly observations on us both, a doctor spoke to me and told me when my placenta was tested it was revealed I had GBS. I was confused as I had never heard of this before. The doctor said when my waters broke the GBS was passed to Tommy, which made him poorly when he first came out. If it wasn’t for his heart rate indicating something was unusual then the outcome could have been a lot worse, even fatal. The doctor added next time round I would be given antibiotics as soon as my waters break to prevent this from happening again.
Tommy is now a happy, healthy and fully recovered 4-month-old who can smile, giggle and roll over. He has spread such happiness between our families, and we cannot wait to make more memories with him and reach milestones.
I am incredibly thankful to the doctors and nurses at the hospital. If it wasn’t for their knowledge and quick decisions, I dread to think about what could’ve happened. I had never ever heard of GBS before, not even during pregnancy. Only now after I have looked more into what it is, and how vital it is to test during pregnancy, can I now understand the risks and other outcomes of this.”
