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Pregnancy

Stretch & sweep

26 replies

bluey11 · 08/10/2015 13:29

Hi all. I'm 41+6 and at my mw appointment tomorrow I'll be offered a stretch & sweep. I want to go for it because I'm more than ready to meet this baby! Problem is I'm quite nervous due to a previous bad smear experience (lots of blood and tears), plus the only people I know in rl who have had one found theirs v painful. If you've had one, how was it? Was it effective, worth the discomfort (if you experienced any)?

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Chillyegg · 08/10/2015 13:35

Had one and couldn't feel a thing.
Good luck lovely!

TheOriginalWinkly · 08/10/2015 13:36

Did the hypnobirthing techniques throughout mine, didn't feel a thing, contractions kicked off about an hour later, though I was already at 2 or 3cm dilated.

LucozadeBreath · 08/10/2015 13:40

My midwife told me that the position of your cervix can determine how uncomfortable it could be...mine tilts slightly upwards, so my internal examinations were horrible! But then I've had friends who didn't feel a thing good luck, and congrats on the baby in advance

bluey11 · 08/10/2015 13:41

Oops I meant 40+6, not 41+6. Still fed up though!

Thanks chilly and winkly. Good idea on practicing the hypnobirthing, think I'll give that a go.

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pocketsized · 08/10/2015 13:42

I had one, I could feel it and it wasn't the most pleasant thing, but I wouldn't have said it was painful.

bluey11 · 08/10/2015 13:43

Thanks lucozade, nice to know that there might be a reason and I'm not just being a whimp!

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LibrariesGaveUsP0wer · 08/10/2015 13:43

Also found smears painful and sad to say internals and an attempted sweep.

In my next pregnancy my lovely mw sorted out a sweep at the clinic with gas and air. Which sorted me out a treat. I bloody love gas and air. (So much so that my predictive text suggested this whole sentence from "I bloody" onwards )

60sname · 08/10/2015 13:45

I found it painful for a moment, but nothing horrendous. Had the s&s at 40 + 0 (the Thursday) , lost my plug on the Saturday, DS born on the Monday. Of course no way of knowing if it would have happened anyway.

pocketsized · 08/10/2015 13:50

The MW got me to put my fists under my bum to tilt my hips back, don't know if it actually makes any difference, but gave me something to do!

Hesalovernotabiter · 08/10/2015 13:50

I had one and didn't feel anything really. I was 40+6 and in very very early labour already. Five minutes later I had first proper contraction. They can be useful too as midwife can check position of your cervix etc and will hopefully give you some hope you may have baby soon.

Remember in a sweep, no speculum is used.

Hope you have your baby soon

Kittymum03 · 08/10/2015 13:51

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

AmberLav · 08/10/2015 14:09

I had one with my normal midwife at 39 weeks and barely felt a thing. It didn't do anything... The one I had at 41+1 was definitely more vigorous, and I would describe it as painful, but not as painful as childbirth. Labour started the next day.

I find smears painful, and actually the one I had just after DD was born was even more painful than the s+s...

Never had any blood though from either s+s or smear...

I'm okay with things that are limited in nature, so the s+s was short-lived, so bearable... I'm planning on demanding one at 40 weeks this time, and I want it to be vigorous, as I'm due on 18th December, and I would like to have baby long before Christmas, or I'm crossing my legs till after! I'll see how successful that plan is in a few months time!

Good luck!

bluey11 · 08/10/2015 16:29

Thank you everyone for the replies, it's really helpful to hear different experiences!

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CityDweller · 08/10/2015 16:31

I had one this morning. Wasn't looking forward to it - even though I had three when I was pregnant last time. In fact, it wasn't painful at all! a bit uncomfortable once she really got in there and started poking around, but I was surprised at how not painful the whole thing was.

I'm only 40 + 1 and apparently cervix was long, posterior, but soft. So I'm not expecting any joy from it. I more wanted to have it done because I had the opportunity to and also just to see if anything was going on (e.g. if I was dilated at all, etc). I'm glad I had it done, if only because it's given me an idea that labour probably isn't going to happen before next week...

Every1KnowsJeffTheJerkOlantern · 08/10/2015 16:38

I remember having one with my first and it was quite a shock, a bit painful and I felt utterly humiliated. But now I'm on my fifth baby and a bit of a seasoned pro tbh.

Its a bit uncomfortable and a bit scratchy but just try to maintain a devil may care attitude and relax. It really takes so little time. I try not to look my midwife in the eye while shes in there

My most recent one was on tuesday. It didnt work, my cervix is still posterior and closed but soft, and my midwife doesnt have very long fingers...bugger something you think you'll never say!

LastOneDancing · 08/10/2015 16:44

I had one and my waters went with a huge pop 40 mins later but like PP I was already 3cm dilated.

It wasn't pleasant but I also did the hypno breathing and I can remember grunting 'are you nearly done?' to the consultant because it was really uncomfortable rather than painful.

Good luck OP!

CloudsofBrick · 09/10/2015 08:00

I had three with my first (12 days overdue). I think it fully depends on the midwife. Two of them were uncomfortable but not painful - we all had a good laugh at my first because mw kept exclaiming to dh she had no idea how he managed to get me pregnant because I do nothing but giggle and clench (nerves!)

However, my second was very painful and felt like a bloody violation. But that midwife was a wee bit rough and impatient! Hopefully you get a friendly one with a gentle touch!

Gosling90 · 09/10/2015 11:42

Not pleasent but not painful. I had one and babe arrived next day. Good luck

LoveLetters · 10/10/2015 07:25

Found it horrendous. Refuse to do it for number 2 and will be refusing to do it again.

minijoeyjojo · 10/10/2015 07:51

I've had three now, the first two were fine mildly uncomfortable but nothing awful, but both midwives said my cervix was posterior and closed so I don't think they actually did the sweep. Yesterdays sweep was done by a consultant and it was more uncomfortable, but he said it would be because he wanted to give it a good stretch to give me the best chance of going into labour. Plus my cervix was still closed so he had to be a bit more forceful to actually do it. It was a little painful, but it only lasts a short amount of time (less than a minute) so I just breathed through it.

None have worked as yet, I'm 40+10 but have an uncooperative baby who was breech at 40+7 and is now posterior all of which means I'm likely to go well overdue. Joy. I want this baby out now!!

sonyak87 · 10/10/2015 09:10

Im 39&4 on number 4
Iv had two so far last one being yesterday and she also pulled my cervix/neck of womb forward as its tilted. Didn't feel a thing to be honest other than her rooting around up there but I was in a lot of pain within an hour of leaving. Maybe this is from her pulling my cervix? Iv never had the pain before on any other sweeps. Other than the pains and feeling quite sickly I was ok ??
Best of luck with yours

bluey11 · 10/10/2015 16:40

So I said yes and had it done yesterday evening, it was nowhere near as bad as I was worrying it might be! MW was wonderful, v understanding. I was 1cm dilated so she was able to perform the sweep and feel the baby's head (ahhhhhh!!). Had a bit of a show earlier today and plenty of cramping so really hoping this baby is on her way out

Good luck to everybody else waiting for their little ones to arrive and thank you all again for the different experiences!

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TheOriginalWinkly · 11/10/2015 11:43

Hope it's all going well and that you'll have good news soon OP

Doublebubblebubble · 11/10/2015 11:47

I'm 40+7 and I had an attempted sweep at 40+2. (my uterus/cervix is an impenetrable fortress lol) because of that she ended up giving me a cervical massage which wasn't painful just a little uncomfortable (I hate VEs with a passion - I've written in my birth plan I need gas and air for any and all so that's what makes me think its not that bad.. Hope something happens for you soon - you must have the patience of a saint ??

NoArmaniNoPunani · 11/10/2015 12:04

I have no idea if this will be of use to you, but on the hypnobirthing app by Paola someone, there's a special section for encouraging late babies. Might be worth a try.

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