Birth plans, colostrum collection and strep b testing

I see the same midwife at my gp every 4 weeks not once has she asked about birth plan or anything same with colostrum collection ive seen other people being given kits but nothing for me? im 38weeks tomorrow, it concerns me as apparently if you want to collect colostrum then you’re supposed to do it as of 36 weeks which I was hoping to do because it can also naturally induce labour as I am against an induction, also concerned that I should have been offered a strep test by now and I still haven’t. she was on holiday last week when i was due to see her but i had a scan and consultant appt anyway so was no need to see her apparently. i am due to see her just before i turn 40 weeks (i am 40 weeks on the 18th i see her on the 16th) so cant leave it till then surely? she only works wed&thursday i have called loads for her to contact me and i have also rang the other gp in my area to speak to that community midwife from and concerned pov but neither have called me ?

Show your support

I never got a kit, I just bought my self some syringes from Amazon and started collecting from 37 weeks… & it never induced me lol I had my boy 41week 5 days 😅

Not all hospitals/areas do a birth plan appointment anymore. With colostrum collecting you can just start on your own, again not every area will have the budget for or a protocol for offering colostrum collecting kits. Buuuuut btw colostrum collecting doesn't cause labour. Group b strep is not routinely tested for as it's very common for you to have it and that's not a predictor of whether baby will get an infection or not. So, I don't think you've necessarily missed out on anything vital, it's just that there are discrepancies between what's offered in different areas I'm afraid.

The UK doesn’t routinely test for strep B 🙂. They don’t deem it high risk enough. You may get one if you’ve tested positive for it before, but if not it will only be picked up if you have a swab for something else

You can get colostrum kits in boots or off of amazon. They don't seem to routinely give them out. Unless there is a reason to swab for strep B you won't get that either it's not standard practice within the NHS.

Ask her? Or send a message to the clinic?

You can start hand expressing or pumping now to help collect some and I’d just get packs on Amazon and freeze them. If you want them to have your birth plan just write it down and give it to them when you go in. Strep b test you could call and ask about it

I never had a birth plan appointment for my first. Nor a colostrum collecting kit until after I gave birth

My area don’t give out colostrum kits, do birth plan appointments or routinely check for group b strep, it is annoying that you’re struggling to get in contact with them though I do find my community midwife’s hard to pin down as well 😂 xx

It isn't that important to discuss your birth plan with your midwife unless she will be delivering your baby. As long as the midwife there when you're in labour has read it and knows what you want that's the main thing. I've had 2 pregnancies and at my appointments the midwives weren't really interested in my birth plan, but the midwives who delivered my babies read them and questioned me/made sure I had what I wanted. This was especially important with second as they made sure it was a better experience than with my first. I can't comment on strep b. I was given syringes to collect colostrum both times

Buy the positive birth book and write your own plan and buy a kit off Amazon and start collecting. I was a colustrum making machine and was a week late - it doesn’t bring on labour if collecting late

‌

‌
‌

‌

‌
‌

‌

‌
‌

‌

‌
‌

‌

‌
‌

‌

‌
‌