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Unfortunately, we was unaware of GBS and the symptoms, our daughter Rebecca was born 1st Sept 2007, our third child. Rebecca was full term and healthy at birth, she was checked by a paediatrician and we she was given the all clear to take her home.

The next two days were filled with pure happiness, Rebecca's older brother and sister adored her... A house filled with family, cards, gifts, cuddles and balloons.

When Rebecca was 3 days old she started to make grunting noises , I noticed her breathing pattern wasn't normal;  short periods without breathing then it would become rapid.

I took Rebecca to A&E , she was taken from me straight away and was hooked up to machines and drips, she was transferred to St Thomas' that evening.

Over the next two days we sat by her incubator still unaware of what was wrong, hoping she would wake up and be fine, so we could take our daughter back home.

On day 6 we were told Rebecca had developed meningitis and septicaemia as a result of group b strep, by this point she had severe hypoxic brain damage and had little to no chance of survival.

Rebecca's machine was switched off on 6th Sept, she passed away peacefully on 9th Sept.

GBS is preventable and I hope to raise awareness so no one has to go through losing a child or a loved one.

Many countries such as Germany, Canada, USA, Spain and France all routinely check for GBS as part of their antenatal care. In the UK it seems to be a taboo subject, midwifes are not educating expectant mothers about group b streptococcus.

The aims of www.gbss.org.uk  are;

 All women should be educated by health professionals on GBS and given the choice to then have a test done privately if not freely available.

Every low-risk pregnant woman should be offered a sensitive test for GBS at 35-37 wks.

Every high-risk woman to be offered intravenous antibiotics from the start of labour until delivery.

please pass and share this page, especially to pregnant friends, thank you for your support x

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