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Childbirth

anyone know how to say 'membrane sweep' in French???

27 replies

nowanearlyNicemum · 15/10/2006 13:06

am 40 weeks today and due to see obstetrician on Thursday. would very much like to discuss all options fully (I know she's dying to get me booked in for a 2nd c-section) and have no idea how to say 'membrane sweep' in French.
can any of you lovely ladies out there help?

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EliBoo · 15/10/2006 14:59

I can find out for you if no one has replied by this evening - SIL and my Mum both French, though bet my Mum has forgotten. SIL had both her babies in Paris.

Meantime, 'une methode pour essayer de declencher l'accouchement' is as close as I can get...as in 'a method to try and start labour'! Will check and see if you still need precise wording later.

Congrats on the 40 weeks

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3andnomore · 15/10/2006 14:59

don't speak french, but a online dictionary came up with this
coup de balai de membrane

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EliBoo · 15/10/2006 15:00

Not sure they use a coup de balai - ouch!

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3andnomore · 15/10/2006 15:01

like I say..I don't have a clue what it all means

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juuule · 15/10/2006 15:49

Babelfish came up with champ de membrane.

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EliBoo · 15/10/2006 18:39

coup de balai is, literally, sweep of a broom

Will phone sil and ask her.

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nowanearlyNicemum · 15/10/2006 19:57

thanks Eliboo, I'd be grateful if you could ask her.
I had dd in Paris too but didn't need this particular piece of terminology!

'coup de balai' had us roaring with laughter so thanks for that one 3andnomore

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EliBoo · 15/10/2006 20:17

Failed to get hold of her so far...think they're away for the weekend. Will try again, and let you know if I have any luck! I don't think she had one herself, so fingers crossed she knows the term.

My mother didn't know the correct term, and my grandmother didn't know such a procedure existed: she's 99

If I don't manage to find out, and no one else can, I would imagine describing it to the MW would work? She will probably say 'ah oui, un xxxxxxxx de membrane' (it might be champ, no idea!) if you talk about 'ce que font les sage femmes pour declencher les choses...' my mother knew what I meant when I said that to her, at any rate.

But I will let you know if I can do better...

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tribpot · 15/10/2006 20:25

I don't think my mum had ever heard of a sweep (she is 58 and we were speaking in English at the time )

It sounds like you might need to rehearse the miming of a sweep to get your point across - that should be fun!

(Also I have emailed my friend in Paris).

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3andnomore · 15/10/2006 20:37

lololol...indeed that would be ouch...at least I got you laughing!

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tribpot · 15/10/2006 20:40

Can you imagine the conversation:

YOU: I would like the sweep of the broom, please
DR: I am a doctor, I do not sweep with a broom
YOU: It will help me have a baby
DR: I'm sorry, I am a doctor, I cannot sweep with a broom for you
YOU: How will labour start if you do not?
DR: How will labour start if I do you crazy woman?!

Ahhh, the scope for amusement is huge!

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EliBoo · 15/10/2006 20:51

I think a quick mime accompanied by 'mais oui, vous savez bien, un doigt au tour du col pour deserrez les membranes un peu...pour declencher les contractions....???'

Of course, its always possible they just don't do sweeps in France, in which case if you say all that to the MW you may get a very odd look...

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nowanearlyNicemum · 15/10/2006 21:11

oh well, I've got til Thursday to practice my swing anyway... will let you know how it goes. For the amusement factor if nothing else!!
cheers girls, you've cheered me up no end. feel like this baby is NEVER coming out!!

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vesela · 16/10/2006 11:18

Hello,

I think it might be 'décollement des membranes.' What do you reckon?

www.labedainerie.com/doucenaissance/volume4/termemedical.html

"En introduisant un doigt dans le col, et en pivotant le poignet, ils décollent ainsi les membranes de la paroi de l?utérus, autour du col. Ceci doit être fait avec précaution pour ne pas rompre les membranes de façon prématurée."

Here they translate it as 'stripping,'but that's apparently another term for membrane sweep.

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vesela · 16/10/2006 11:20

Sorry, I didn't make it a live link:

<a class="break-all" href="http://www.labedainerie.com/doucenaissance/volume4/termemedical.html{url\here" rel="nofollow noindex" target="_blank">www.labedainerie.com/doucenaissance/volume4/termemedical.html{url\here }

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vesela · 16/10/2006 11:25

duh! sorry . Will try one more time (new to Mumsnet...)
<a class="break-all" href="http://www.labedainerie.com/doucenaissance/volume4/termemedical.html{url\décollement" rel="nofollow noindex" target="_blank">www.labedainerie.com/doucenaissance/volume4/termemedical.html{url\décollement des membranes}

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EliBoo · 16/10/2006 11:40

Oh well done vesela - sounds spot on to me. It does accurately describe it, 'decollement', as in 'unsticking' and also as in 'de-cervixing'!

Just spoke to my SIL, who unfortunately didn't have a clue...she never had one, and didn't know the expression in either language. But she agreed that if you describe what it means to a MW, that should do it.

Looks like vesela got it though...good luck, hope your baby comes soon and makes all this mere distraction and not necessary

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EliBoo · 16/10/2006 11:41

ps welcome to MN, vesela

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tribpot · 16/10/2006 11:44

vesela's link

Welcome to MN!

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nowanearlyNicemum · 16/10/2006 13:01

merci mille fois les filles
me voilà renseignée!!

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vesela · 16/10/2006 15:04

Thanks - no idea what I was doing wrong there! I swear I was copying all those brackets properly...

I hope everything goes well, nowanearlyNicemum, and things get going nice and easily! I hadn't known that a membrane sweep existed, so it's nice to know there's that method (I'm only 17 weeks so have a bit to learn yet).

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thirtysomething · 16/10/2006 15:16

shame on me, I had one done in France by my French obstetrician and am struggling to remember the term - not sure they mentioned les membranes, decollement rings a bell - they didn't actually tell me till after they'd done it and then only because I wanted to know why I'd gone from v. slow contractions to full on labout in about an hour - beware they are very pro-epidural in France - in the unit I was in they assumed you wanted one unless you made it super clear you didn't...I didn't mind as I needed one for
complications but it struck me after giving birth in the UK the next time how different the apporach was.

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nowanearlyNicemum · 16/10/2006 19:46

thanks for the advice thirtysomething. I'd go even further than saying they're pro-epidural in France - I'd say they were pro-intervention in general and while we're at it why we would bother what the mother thinks at all... She's only the one giving birth, FGS!!
sorry, had bad experience with dd and feel it all going pear-shaped this time round too.... but unfortunately for them I'm older and wiser and much more difficult to deal with now!!
will let you know how I get on on Thursday, cheers!

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nowanearlyNicemum · 18/10/2006 20:36

oh well, little one still hasn't put in an appearance so looks like I'll have to try the terminology tomorrow when I see the obstetrician. Don't know if I'll be able to keep a straight face, thinking about the 'coup de balai'!

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EliBoo · 18/10/2006 22:27

Good luck!! And do let us know how it goes please....barely restrained giggles included...

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