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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Midwife did a sweep last night without asking

352 replies

Katnisnevergreen · 17/12/2018 09:10

Hi all, I’m just after some advice. I went to the maternity unit last night with bad contractions (am 39 weeks) which had been building over the past few days to every 3.5 mins.
When the midwife was checking to see how dilated I was, it was really painful, like trying to get away painful, and I could really feel her moving around.
When she finished she said ‘I’ve done you a sweep too...’
is this out of order as I didn’t ask or want one?

OP posts:
strawberrisc · 17/12/2018 10:30

In terms of birth plans I howled laughing at mine after dd was born. Absolutely NOTHING went to plan!

She was out of order. Maybe she’s had panicking Mums before and thought she’d do it without asking to get it done without worrying you. Still out of order.

lalalalyra · 17/12/2018 10:32

maybe she should’ve asked but perhaps she thought it was best and didn’t want to be told not to

If she didn't ask for permission specifically because she thought she wouldn't get it then she'd deserve to be struck off.

In no other field would it be acceptable for a medical professional to just do something to a patient and announce it without requesting consent first. I'd absolutely complain about this - she needs a refresher course in patient consent.

Melamin · 17/12/2018 10:33

I'm ancient enough to have had babies before sweeps became a thing, and I and my contemporaries seemed to manage to go into labour and give birth perfectly satisfactorily without.

I honestly had never heard of them before Mumsnet (but never went overdue so thought that was why). Most of the time, when I had mine, it was minimal examination if possible. I mistakenly consented to rupture of membranes to 'speed up labour' when I had my twins in spite of contractions every 3 minutes from the start. I was asked belatedly when the fumbly doctor had his hand up my foof and asked for the amnio hook to be passed. That lead to a panic delivery in the bedroom, then the opposite delivery room (not the safe one next to the theatre where I should have been) less half an hour later.

If I had been properly informed and asked beforehand, we could have discussed the reasons and maybe discussed the concept of precipitate labour as it was not the first time Hmm but we were on a treadmill of one-size-fits-all check list actions coordinated by the registrar from her bed.

I am not a fan of routine intervention.

tynext · 17/12/2018 10:37

How can anyone try to justify this?
Nobody has the right to do anything like that without your explicit permission and consent.

It’s violation and assault.
Doesn’t matter what the reason for it is, just because a woman is pregnant doesn’t mean their body parts are owned by other people and any medical staff can just stick their hands and fingers in them without asking permission.

Every procedure is offered. It is up to women whether they wish to accept or decline.

BeanTownNancy · 17/12/2018 10:39

I trust doctors and nurses and midwives to make medical decisions for me, and do what is best for me and my baby. If I was in the same position, even if I hadn't necessarily wanted a sweep, I would have consented to it if they told me they thought it was in my best interest.

But you can't consent if they don't ask. That would have upset me too.

oh4forkssake · 17/12/2018 10:40

OP you absolutely should complain. This is completely unacceptable. You absolutely should have been the opportunity to consent (or not) to this.

When I was pregnant with DD1 I had a routine midwife appt at 40 weeks and asked for a sweep. My wonderful midwife said no as she said the chances of it working on a first-timer at that stage were very low and all it would do would be to make me uncomfortable. She was finally born at 41+3 so clearly hadn't been ready.

Complain, and make sure you tell the midwife that it happened at delivery and emphasize you want to consent to everything.

Wishing you all the best.

Singingtherapy · 17/12/2018 10:42

Doesn’t matter what the reason for it is, just because a woman is pregnant doesn’t mean their body parts are owned by other people and any medical staff can just stick their hands and fingers in them without asking permission.

But op had consented to an internal examination. Again I'm not saying there was absolutely nothing wrong with what the midwife did. Carrying out an intervention without consent is wrong. But so is accusing someone of assault for moving their fingers a few millimetres into a cervix during a consented vaginal examination.

M3lon · 17/12/2018 10:42

absolutely not okay OP. I am so sorry this happened to you.

I have had similar issues in the past and now suffer from a serious lack of trust about HCPs.

What I have found helpful is to tell the people caring for me that I have had problems with consent in the past and find it difficult to trust. This usually causes them to be very kind, very gentle, and very careful about explaining everything they are doing and making sure I'm okay with it.

Please do let the people who see you during labour know that you have had this problem and it is affecting you.

smerlin · 17/12/2018 10:44

Completely out of order. Please do complain. I had three sweeps with my pg (with consent) and the third was so violent, there is actually no other word, that I felt like I had been assaulted. Another way that pg women's rights can be ignored unfortunately.

tynext · 17/12/2018 10:45

There is fab ‘birth rights’ advent calendar on FB currently. Each day there is a different bit of information on women’s rights in maternity care and they are all very eye-opening.

We forget that actually the woman giving birth does the ‘allowing’ about what happens to her- everything the drs and medical staff do is only with her permission and consent. Yet with language choices and other factors we try and turn this around and switch the power dynamics to the hospital staff.

easyandy101 · 17/12/2018 10:48

What is a sweep?

PanamaPattie · 17/12/2018 10:48

The issue isn’t moving your fingers a few millimetres into a cervix. The issue is performing a sweep without permission and telling the OP after the exam. When the MW had her fingers in the cervix, it would have taken seconds to ask for consent. Why can’t you see the difference?

tynext · 17/12/2018 10:51

Yes a sweep is a very specific procedure and some women choose not to have one, even if they go overdue. We all have different choices for our bodies and our babies and they must be respected.

CardinalCat · 17/12/2018 10:55

This is horrendous OP.

So many cases of malpractice which occur during birth/ the lead up to births seem to involve midwives who seem to think that they know best. I do wonder if this is a case of that, where she has thought 'I bet this nice lady would like to meet her baby before Christmas, let's just get her moving then.)

It is not her place to make that decision for you- especially not at 39 weeks, for Christ's sake. What she did to you was an assault and she ought to be struck off along with the others like her (who thankfully are in the minority and seem to be dying out as a breed- and not before time.)

Please complain now OP. I know it will feel like the last thing you want to do today, but you need to get this off your chest before labour begins, as you don't want it clouding your thought processes during this time. Good luck with everything and I hope that you get the birth experience that you want and meet your lovely baby soon.

Ated · 17/12/2018 11:01

Not to worry. If you don't trust the experts then have your baby at home with a few friends round, a bottle of wine and get on with it.

FestiveLemur · 17/12/2018 11:02

Bear in mind that you had consented to an internal examination to assess dilatation.
Shock The key words being "consented to an internal examination". Do not put the blame on the OP.

And FYI, depending on the level of dilation and effacement, a sweep can be VERY different to an examination.

TruckLoadOfSubtleGlitter · 17/12/2018 11:02

Wow.

A cunt.

How apt.

AssassinatedBeauty · 17/12/2018 11:04

@Ated as many people have said, it's not at all a question of trusting professionals. It's about being able to consent to what happens to you, which should be such a basic principle of HCPs procedures. You can trust that they know what they're doing and still expect to be able to consent to the procedure.

Any HCP should be able to explain why they want to do a procedure, what the risks are and what any alternatives are before asking for consent. It's not too much to ask.

cadburysflake · 17/12/2018 11:06

They are meant to ask for your consent even if they are already "down there". I actually had exactly the same thing, I was 39 weeks and had been having contractions every 2 minutes for the best part of 6 hours, when I got to hospital I was only 2cm. It was 1am and I wasn't really far enough along to stay in the delivery suite. I was clearly in agony though so she said I'll let you stay 2 hours and see if you go into labour, she gave me a sweep when she checked me. It was my second child so when it was very uncomfortable I did wonder what she was doing. She just said "I did you a sweep" when she'd finished.

To be honest I didn't mind, it got me into labour 2 hours later so I didn't have to go home and I gave birth 5 hours after the sweep. I did say to my husband that was a bit wrong not asking me, I would have consented anyway though. I wouldn't have complained, she was amazing in every other possible way.

Sloegin2 · 17/12/2018 11:07

Midwife here.

This was assault. Informed consent should be obtained before carrying out any procedure - I normally discuss this prior to an examination, to gain consent before I have gloves on and am mid examination.
Then following the examination I discuss my findings and ensure she and her birth partner understand and agree a plan with her - for eg in this case are they happy to go home. I also discuss the risk of bleeding prior to examination and when this is normal/not normal.

I’m sorry this happened OP.

JacquesHammer · 17/12/2018 11:08

Not to worry. If you don't trust the experts then have your baby at home with a few friends round, a bottle of wine and get on with it

Way to miss the point.

Why would you trust someone who gave invasive procedures without consent, ergo not doing their job correctly.

HopeHopity · 17/12/2018 11:14

Absolutely appalling and against the guidelines to say the least.
I would be quickly contacting midwife associations and of course PALS

No way on earth they would do a procedure on a man without asking

I refuse to have a sweep and I have yet to see enough medical data that shows that it actually works.

For those saying "doing her job" absolutely not, my midwife friends were horrified when I told them

Disgusting

HopeHopity · 17/12/2018 11:16

Thanks @Sloegin2 for that, my midwife friends (US) are very upset about this as it is such an appalling thing when the vast majority Of midwives across the world are the most amazing and caring professionals I have encountered

ethelfleda · 17/12/2018 11:20

Of course it’s out of order - she should have asked! I had similar when my waters broke at 38 weeks... she was already digging around and then she said ‘I’m just going to do a sweep...’ when I stopped her and said I didn’t want one!
They really should ask before they do stuff like that...

Lookingforadvice123 · 17/12/2018 11:21

She was out of order! You should definitely complain as she shouldn't get away with it.

I had a sweep at 38+4 as I had terrible anxiety and wanted to get things moving. The midwife who performed it talked me through it beforehand etc so I would've had plenty of chance to back out (not that I would've as it was organised specifically on my request by a consultant midwife).