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Pregnancy

stretch and sweep- what are people's experiences?

17 replies

ronniemummy · 24/08/2006 15:53

I am booked for the midwife to come around and do a stretch and sweep on Sunday.

I am interested in other people's experiences of having one- did it work? if so, how long did it take? was it painful? how long does it take?

Am a bit nervous aboit it to be honest!

OP posts:

Report

Olihan · 24/08/2006 16:12

The statistic I was quoted by my mw was 50% of women go into labour within 24 hours of having one.

I was one of the 50% who didn't (dd stayed put through 5 sweeps and I was induced at 12 days over) but I just don't think she was ready to come!!

I didn't find them painful, maybe slightly more uncomfortable than a smear test. You lie on your back with your legs akimbo and the midwife runs a finger around the edge of your cervix to slightly separate the bag of waters. I think it's supposed to stimulate the production of prostaglandins that encourage labour to start. It only takes a couple of minutes at the most, not even that. It helps if you relax though.

Be warned though - if your cervix is very tightly closed and not at all ready for labour then the midwife can't do it because she can't get at the right bit.

HTH a bit!! Good luck, let us know how you get on.

MamaG · 24/08/2006 16:20

I had one when in early labour with DS to speed things along - it certainly did, within 5 minutes I was in full blown "wheres the f*cking epidural" labour!

Not too painful, just a bit uncomfortable. Only lasted a few mins.

sweetkitty · 24/08/2006 16:29

I had one at 41 weeks with DD2 never again, didn't work and was bloody uncomfortable (think she yanked on my tonsils).

They come when they are ready next time I'm telling everyone the due date is 3 weeks on from the actual date and am not doing any RLT, curries, pineapple, sex, clary sage oil stuff!

(oh DD2 popped out 12 days late just in case you thought I was bitter about being induced, I'm just bitter)

slalomsuki · 24/08/2006 16:38

Didn't work for me and was induced withdd 5 days later.

It was sore and was told since she was my third that I would be one of the 50% who go in to labour. I was 3-4 cm dilated at the time and the parting words from the consultant were "see you later after your coffee"

Induction didn't work either very easily, pessary had no effect, they couldn't break my waters....I am a tough old bird and they wouldn't put me on a drip since the waters were intact and ds2 had been born in 3 contractions and they didn't want to have a panic. DD hung on in there and I was the topic of many a student doctors and midwifes log book as to what they could do next.

In the end a trainee midwife who was on birth no 3 and bag of waters no one managed to break the bag and dd was born 15 mins after

TheBlonde · 24/08/2006 17:09

Really painful for me
Wouldn't have another
Didn't work as I wasn't dilated
Baby came when he was good and ready

lle1971 · 24/08/2006 17:22

I had one with DD1 and was in the delivery suite less than 12 hours later but tbh I'll never know if the sweep was directly responsible or not.
It wasn't painful but uncomfortable and felt uncomfortable afterwards (but pales into insignificance compared to labour pains that night!)
Didn't have one with DD2, she came of her own accord but would defintiely be happy to have a another sweep if I have another baby. When i'm that pregnant anything is worth a shot!

mrspf · 25/08/2006 15:35

I had one on my EDD and found it really painful and wouldn't have one again! Agree with others that they'll come when they are ready - my DD arrived 7 days later, after 40 hours of contractions!

JessaJam · 25/08/2006 15:37

I had one, I was a little bit dilated. I wouldn't say it was a comfortable experience, and there was certainly not an immediate effect in terms of labour starting, think it started about 36hrs afterwards?

divastrop · 25/08/2006 21:01

i had one with dd2,i was being induced at 38wks due to high bp(as usual)and after 3 or 4 pessaries was only 1-2 cm dilated.they were going to send me home and i was like,no way,im not being induced for fun,and my mum is going home on thursday(this was on the tuesday),so they said it was my only option.well next morning i had a show and they said i was 3cm d/l so could go for ARM if i wished.so it worked for me in a way,and i dont remember it being painful or anything but they'd been fiddling about up there for days so i just didnt care by then

magicfarawaytree · 25/08/2006 21:30

didnt even feel it - was going to tell midwife i didnt want it as I had heard it was painful. labour started within 12 hours.

sarahlou1uk · 28/08/2006 17:07

Had 2 - one with ds and then I went into labour 3 days later.

This time with dd I was in the early stages of labour. Seemed to speed things up as she was born 3 hours later!

Both uncomfortable but not painful like labour contractions. Be prepared for bleeding afterwards.

Jaysecond · 28/08/2006 17:27

ronniemummy, how did it go?

ronniemummy · 28/08/2006 20:22

To be honest it was quite uncomfortable- had to focus on my breathing.Was a bit disturbed when she said I am now poking your baby's head!!! She said that my cervix was softening and sounded promising.

Roday, have had a show- quite a lot of the stuff, so it's obviously done something!

OP posts:

Lucy1985 · 19/06/2008 08:58

Im just about to have one done im so nervous =S but helps to read what others have said about it !

kaya24 · 09/07/2010 07:46

I am due 2moro & my MW is doing a s&s at 10am this morning! i went to hospital with slight bleeding last sunday & they said im 2cm dilated & cervix is partially effaced,so im in early labour,but iv had no contractions since then,just braxton hicks occasionally.was wondering if anyone has had similar situation?? and more importantly if a s&s is likely to work????im desperate to get labour moving

DuelingFanjo · 09/07/2010 08:37

slalomsuki and others who have been induced, out of interest why were they so keen to induce? Were they saying there would be a problem otherwise or was it your choice?

ayjayjay · 09/07/2010 08:49

I had 2 s&s this week the first on weds (41 +2) and the second on thurs (41 + 3).

The first one on weds was very uncomfortable but this because I was only 1cm dilated and my cervix was still hard.

The second one on thurs I hardly felt at all but this was because by this time I had dilated to 2cm and my cervix was now soft.

Unfortunately this second sweep also doesn't seem to have worked so I'm going to be induced today (41 + 4).

It is hospital policy to induce at (41+5) but as this a weekend they asked if I minded being induced today instead. I could have declined and opted for regular fetal monitoring instead.

Until this week I always thought I would decline induction. However the baby is now so far down that she is continually pressing on my bladder and causing quite a lot of pain which has meant I haven't slept for longer than 1 hour at a time since last sunday.

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