having a sweep and raspberry leaf tea?

[SineadLegge]

hello, I'm 39 weeks and 1 day I'm booked in with my GP midwife next Wednesday for a sweep and I just want to know if it's worked for anyone the first one? As I'm going to hospital for my 2nd one on the 29th if the one on the 24th doesn't work.. i really want my baby now and I'm so ready for labour... also as anyone tried raspberry leaf tea? As I'm thinking of trying that tonight. I'd appreciate anyone and everyone's opinion on both of these subjects. Thank you.

[TinyMonkey]

I think raspberry leaf tea is something you need to have been drinking for several weeks for it to have any effect.

Other stuff to try, eating pineapple, oral sex/sex (semen contains prostaglandins), bouncing on a gym ball, nipple twiddling.

My mw swears by a stretch and sweep at 38 weeks and says she gets all her women into labour naturally (I'm choosing to believe her at this point).

Good luck!

[SineadLegge]

Thank you. I have the ball but when I get in from work I just wanna sit down an drink tea haha!
I haven't tried the sex as of yet for a while as I haven't got the energy as I'm so big haha! But gonna try the nipples to:) thank.you x

[squizita]

Tiny Many women wouldn't be 'open' at 38 weeks! A sweep would be painful and pointless.
I have 2 teams of MW (local team and specialists at hospital) neither of whom will not sweep unless you're a few cm dilated.

[CordeliaScott]

I had a sweep at 40 + 2 which didn't appear to take and repeated today at 40 + 5. Fingers crossed this one works. I'm drinking the tea too but forgot to start until last week. I think you are supposed to start at about 36 weeks or so, so not sure how effective it will be.

[Topsyloulou]

Raspberry leaf tea / capsules won't bring on labour but it will help the uterus contract more effectively and therefore labour should be quicker. They should be taken from 36 weeks on until after birth when they then help the uterus shrink back down.

I've had two attempted sweeps, one at 40 weeks and one at 40+6 and my cervix was no where near ready. Most mw won't do a sweep until your due date and if your cervix isn't already softening etc they tend not to be that effective.

My mw said the best things to try are walking, bouncing on a gym ball and nipple tweaking. The walking & ball are to get the baby engaged and then the nipple tweaking encourages the right hormones to be released to soften the cervix, much like sex does but you don't have to try and find a comfortable position. The sex only works if you both orgasm apparently.

[SineadLegge]

The midwife just said I am booked in for one on my 40 week mark and then 5 days after if that doesn't work then if that doesn't work I get a date to get induced.

Think the nipple stimulating and bouncing on the ball will have to be given a try x

[squizita]

Sinead You're generally allowed three so don't be afraid to ask for them all before induction.

Also, my hospital (bearing in mind I'm higher risk so will never be allowed to go over) take a look at 40 weeks and then decide when to sweep; I was booked for a sweep at 41 weeks because I was not yet favourable so it would be a waste of a sweep! My first one is the day after tomorrow (41+1). So ask for a check up before they do the sweep! You don't want them wasted. :)

[TinyMonkey]

Tell me about it squizita, I was a bit at her! Immaterial for me as I'm almost certainly on course for an ELCS due to various complications.

[SineadLegge]

Thankyou everyone. My partner works in Holland and Barrett so he's gonna get me some to try but I've been on the ball I'm at work atm so when I go home gonna tidy and get back on the ball:) trying to do anything before the sweep haha!

[Sillysausage2]

I had 2 sweeps, walked miles, 3 raspberry teas a day, at least 1 pineapple, hot baths with lavender and sage oil, lots of sex and still went 14 days over and still ended up being induced

[SineadLegge]

I'm so scared, it's my first watched all my sisters do it and never thought I would... so every little sign I'm jumping and looking it up which i shouldn't do haha!

[squizita]

I have this weird paranoia my body just doesn't have the "time to labour" switch.
One mw looked dismayed when I described my Braxton hicks like they were just too feeble for a 40 week woman! Though many people find them painless I WAS told. I keep checking my colostrum hasn't vanished and my nippers not gone pale again ...

[Sillysausage2]

Any movement OP?

[SineadLegge]

What's op? New with all this stuff haha

[Sillysausage2]

Original poster!

[SineadLegge]

Ohh haha nope nothing :( go for my sweep today:)

[Sillysausage2]

Good luck

[Jenny1231990]

Hi, I had my 2nd baby 5months ago. I had my first sweep at 40weeks. Nothing came of it. Just slight cramping.
Then at 41 another at 2.20pm. I was 1cm dilated but had been since the previous week. The midwife just said that made me female and there was no way my baby was coming any time soon, they asked if I wanted to induced and I refused.
By 3pm at school I was having contractions mildly every 10mins. At 6.30 they were every 1min. I got to the hospital at 7pm and my daughter was born at 7.10pm. It was an amazing labour with no pain relief.
I believe this was because she was ready to come.
I was induced with my first and personally it's not for me.
Wait it out. I know it's hard, but worth it, I got sick of people telling me she should come when ready but I believe this is very true.

Good luck and I hope all goes well today x

[SineadLegge]

Thank.you ladies nothing worked so getting induced Sunday x