Natural & Holistic Remedies for Group B Strep (GBS) and Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs)
- Dr. Heather Bird
- Jun 14
- 6 min read
When it comes to pregnancy and overall vaginal health, Group B Streptococcus (GBS) and urinary tract infections (UTIs) can feel overwhelming—especially when antibiotics are often the first (and sometimes only) treatment option presented. But many people are now looking for holistic, body-supportive ways to rebalance naturally—without disrupting the microbiome or relying solely on pharmaceuticals.
This post is not a replacement for medical care. Instead, it’s a compassionate, pregnancy-safe guide for reducing GBS colonization and supporting urinary and vaginal health using time-tested natural methods.
Understanding GBS: A Common but Often Misunderstood Bacteria
Group B Streptococcus is a bacterium naturally found in the gut and vaginal canal of many healthy people. While it’s usually harmless in everyday life, GBS can pose a risk during childbirth, which is why routine screening is done between 35–37 weeks of pregnancy.
Antibiotics are typically recommended during labor for GBS-positive individuals to prevent newborn infection—but they can also wipe out beneficial flora and disrupt the mother-baby microbiome transfer. This raises the empowering question:
Can I reduce or eliminate GBS naturally before labor?
In many cases, the answer is: yes—with time, consistency, and a whole-body approach.
The Holistic Protocol for GBS & UTIs
To address GBS and UTIs naturally, we focus on three key areas:
Microbiome Support
Anti-Inflammatory, Antimicrobial Nutrition
Topical & Internal Remedies
Pregnancy is a time to care gently for yourself—choose the approaches that fit your energy and comfort level. Let’s walk through each step with pregnancy safety in mind.
1. Restore and Support the Microbiome
Since GBS often begins in the digestive tract and migrates, healing must start from the inside out.
Probiotic Support (Daily):
Oral: Take 50 Billion CFU of a broad-spectrum probiotic with at least 14 strains.
Vaginal: Insert 25 Billion CFU every other day (ask your provider first during pregnancy).
Saccharomyces boulardii: Add 7 Billion CFU daily of this beneficial yeast to help crowd out harmful bacteria.
Fermented Foods (Daily):
Sauerkraut
Kimchi
Plain, unsweetened yogurt
Miso (unpasteurized is best)
Water kefir or kombucha (low sugar only)
2. Eat to Heal: Antimicrobial Nutrition
Support your immune system and suppress bacterial overgrowth with antibacterial, anti-inflammatory foods:
Raw garlic: Eat 2 raw cloves daily, minced and swallowed with honey or water.
Coconut oil: Take 1–2 tablespoons daily for its antifungal and antibacterial properties.
Vitamin C: 1,000 mg twice daily to support immune response.
Warm lemon water: Begin the day with fresh-squeezed lemon in warm water to gently alkalize and detoxify. Hydration is key to reducing discomfort during an UTI.
Eat foods that support urination
Cucumbers – Hydrating, cleansing
Asparagus – Gentle diuretic, cooked is best
Watermelon – Hydrating, anti-inflammatory
Sweet potatoes – Nourishing, kidney-friendly
Leafy greens (spinach, kale) – Mineral rich
Pumpkin seeds – Bladder support, high in zinc
Cranberries (unsweetened) – UTI prevention
Barley water – Soothing to urinary tract (mild)
Avoid:
Refined sugar
Gluten and white carbs
These feed bad bacteria and increase inflammation.
3. Topical & Vaginal Treatments
After each bathroom visit:
Wipe or spray with a 50/50 mix of apple cider vinegar and water to maintain healthy pH. For more powerful antibacterial effect, use white vinegar diluted similarly.
Hypochlorous acid spray is another gentle and pregnancy-safe option for external use—it’s antimicrobial, soothing, and helps reduce irritation without harming beneficial flora.
Additional topical & internal remedies (with professional guidance):
Garlic clove vaginally: Peel and slightly pierce a garlic clove and insert overnight. Remove in the morning.
Tea tree oil suppositories: Only with practitioner approval (some find them helpful; others too strong in pregnancy).
Organic coconut oil: Use externally for its soothing and antimicrobial properties.
Sitz baths: Add a cup of apple cider vinegar, epsom salt, or calendula tea to warm (not hot) water and soak for 10–15 minutes. This can soothe irritation, support healing, and reduce inflammation naturally.
UT Intensive Chewables™ by Designs for Health This blend of whole-fruit cranberry and D-mannose helps prevent bacterial adhesion to the urinary tract lining—without disrupting the gut like antibiotics can.
Corn Silk Tea Gentle and powerful diuretic, corn silk tea helps flush the urinary tract. Steep fresh or dried silk for 10 minutes and sip throughout the day at first signs of UTI.
Note: Man Yue Mei herbal supplements by Health Concerns are powerful and not safe for pregnancy. Use only postpartum or under professional guidance.
When to See a Doctor:
If symptoms (burning, urgency, fever, back pain) persist >24–48 hrs.
If you develop fever, chills, or flank pain (signs of kidney infection).
What About Chlorhexidine?
Some midwives recommend a chlorhexidine vaginal rinse before and during labor as a compromise for GBS-positive parents who want to avoid IV antibiotics. It's not a natural product, but it’s considered less disruptive to gut flora and may reduce neonatal GBS transmission. Discuss this option with your provider.
Ask for a GBS Retest
After following this protocol for 2 full weeks, you may request a GBS retest before your due date. If negative, you may be able to avoid antibiotics during hopsital labor altogether.
If you still test positive, talk with your care provider about laboring at home for as long as safely possible before hospital admission, as antibiotics are usually given upon arrival.
A Gentle Reminder
If you’re dealing with GBS or a UTI, it’s not a personal failure. These are common and manageable issues—and your body is not broken. With nurturing care, consistency, and deep trust in your body’s wisdom, healing is possible.
Incorporate practices like guided healing meditations, deep breathing, and restorative sleep to help your body return to balance. Mental-emotional support is just as vital as physical care.
Final Thoughts
A natural approach to GBS or UTIs is not just about eliminating bacteria—it’s about creating a vibrant, thriving inner ecosystem that supports both you and your baby.
Nourish your body.
Restore your microbiome.
Lean into daily rituals of healing and care.
You’re not alone, and you have powerful, natural tools at your fingertips. If you try this protocol or have questions, I’d love to hear from you. Supporting each other on this journey is how we heal—together.
Here’s a gentle healing meditation designed for pregnancy, specifically to help energetically support the clearing of GBS, UTIs, or any genital infections—while strengthening your connection to your body, your baby, and your innate healing power. It emphasizes safety, peace, and deep visualization of a happy, healthy baby.
Practice daily, ideally in a quiet, comfortable place where you can sit or lie down undisturbed for 10–15 minutes.
🌸 Pregnancy Healing Meditation for Clearing and Protection 🌸
Begin by getting comfortable. Sit or lie down with your hands resting gently on your belly. Close your eyes. Allow your jaw to soften. Let your shoulders melt downward. Breathe.
Take a deep breath in… and release. Again… inhale through the nose, filling your belly…And exhale slowly through the mouth.
Let’s do this one more time. Inhale peace…Exhale tension.
Grounding
Feel your body supported by the earth beneath you. Visualize gentle roots growing down from your spine, anchoring you into the earth—steady, safe, and strong. Find your connection to your favorite version of you, your best possible self. Notice how healthy and vibrant you are in your highest self. You are grounded. You are safe.
Womb & Body Healing Visualization
Now, gently bring your awareness to your womb and lower belly. Visualize a warm golden light beginning to form there. This is your body’s healing intelligence—loving, wise, and powerful.
With every breath, this golden light grows brighter, expanding through your reproductive and urinary systems.It softly touches every cell—cleansing, soothing, and restoring balance. See this light moving gently through your womb, vagina, bladder, and kidneys… dissolving any infection, inflammation, or imbalance. You may imagine it as warmth, light, or a waterfall of healing energy washing through you.
Repeat silently or aloud:
“My body knows how to heal.”
“I release what no longer serves me.”
“I am clear, clean, and whole.”
Now imagine this golden light nourishing the beneficial bacteria—the good flora that protect you and your baby. See them multiplying joyfully, creating a vibrant inner ecosystem. Everything is coming back into harmony.
Connection to Baby
Now bring your awareness to your baby.
Visualize your baby surrounded by a bubble of soft pink or white light. See them floating peacefully, smiling, growing strong and healthy.
Feel the love between you. A deep, ancient bond.
Say softly to your baby:
“You are safe, little one.”
“You are growing beautifully.”
“We are healing together.”
Take a moment to visualize your baby being born with ease. See their healthy pink skin, their bright eyes, their joyful energy. They are protected. You are their sanctuary.
Final Affirmations
Allow all of this healing energy to integrate. Feel your whole body glowing with peace and vitality. Trust that your immune system is working in your favor. Trust your body. Trust your journey.
Repeat:
“I am healthy, I am whole.”
“My baby is safe and deeply loved.”
“We are guided, protected, and blessed.”
Take a few final breaths… slowly return to your space… and when you’re ready, gently open your eyes.
💛 After the Meditation:
You may want to place a warm hand on your womb and thank your body. You can also pair this meditation with gentle herbal teas, a nourishing bath, or journaling any emotions that arose.
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