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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:
ethelfleda · 17/12/2018 11:22

This reply has been deleted

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Lookingforadvice123 · 17/12/2018 11:22

Although mine worked within 24 hours by the way! DS was born at 39 exactly.

Namestheyareachangin · 17/12/2018 11:26

@fieryginger

*Maybe when she was there, she found a good position to do one.

I don't think her motives were anything but to see if it helped.*

And what - spontaneously lost the use of her lips and couldn't pause to ask if the OP consented?

Her motives are 100% fucking irrelevant. She is obliged by law to seek consent and did not.

GrabEmByThePatriarchy · 17/12/2018 11:27

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.

A clinician who doesn't understand the need for patient consent is many things, but an expert is not one of them.

SoyDora · 17/12/2018 11:30

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

I trust that experts should know that consent is needed for medical procedures.

lostfrequencies · 17/12/2018 11:42

Agree with PP totally unacceptable.

TheyDoItOnPurposeLynne · 17/12/2018 11:46

Thing is, a vaginal examination is effectively a sweep as it stimulates the hormones in the same way. Often the midwife will have to move their fingers around to ascertain dilatation, position of the baby etc which is a similar movement to a sweep. So I suspect this is what happened, she just didn't explain it very well. Sounds like you are going into labour but do get the bleeding checked out.

longestlurkerever · 17/12/2018 11:52

Just as an aside, because I totally agree consent was 100% required here, I do hate the attitude that "it's all nonsense, we managed just fine without sweeps". In case it's escaped your notice plenty of women don't go into spontaneous labour at term. Sweeps are used to try and avoid the need for more invasive induction procedures, which are in turn used to avoid the risks associated with going very overdue.

TinkerSpy · 17/12/2018 12:03

According to the NHS website:

"Before inducing labour, you'll be offered a "membrane sweep", also known as a "cervical sweep", to bring on labour."

Key word, is offered. She should have offered, and gained your consent, I don't think there's any middle ground here. I'd complain.

bobstersmum · 17/12/2018 12:07

Can I just say this happened to me with my first. I went to the birth centre in the night and she did a sweep really roughly, I was already 5cm and felt like I wanted to push, however because I kept having little bleeds following how rough she was I had to be blue lighted to the next door but one town, in snow and ice to have my baby, and when we arrived there was no doctor to check me over so they wouldn't let me push! My babies head was literally there ready to come out but they made me hang on so the doctor could check because of the little (and I mean little) bits of blood. In the end my ds got distressed and the midwife panicked and said just get the baby out, he came flying out in one push with the cord round his neck three times, I honestly think we could have lost him. If that midwife hadn't done what she did at the birth centre I could have had him there, in the pool within 30 mins with no stress.

TenForward82 · 17/12/2018 12:07

Some right twats on this thread.

YY to "cascade of interventions". And this was assault. When you can, complain to PALS. Good luck with the rest of your Labour op Flowers

Original poster
Katnisnevergreen · 17/12/2018 12:08

THank you all. You have been very kind and understanding.
I’m still having very spaced out contractions but nothing like they were last night so it hasn’t even benefitted me 12 hours later.

It was so painful I was practically climbing the table to get away from her, I had a speculum inspection a few days before that didn’t hurt at all so I don’t think I am overreacting.
I’m sure Shen thought she was doing the right thing but it doesn’t negate the fact o wasn’t asked before she did it.

When I’m feeling wa bit better and have delivered I’ll get on to PALS as I have hardly slept in 2 days so am not really in the right frame of mind to put together a valid complaint

OP posts:
BlytheSpiritsSpirit · 17/12/2018 12:09

Unnecessary medical procedure without your consent? Report.

I consented to a sweep once and felt violated for days afterwards. Will never allow one again.

Confusedbeetle · 17/12/2018 12:10

Be very careful here. Yes there should be explanations and yes there should be consent. Birth plans and choices/preferences do not take precedence over a baby safely arriving. Long un productive labour is a problem for both mother and child. It may be that this labour does need hurrying up. Talk to your health team

Confusedbeetle · 17/12/2018 12:10

Ps you are taking huge risks if you say no vaginal exams

BlytheSpiritsSpirit · 17/12/2018 12:16

Oh come off it Confused - vaginal exams are not always necessary and only give a snapshot of what the cervix is doing at that exact moment. Plenty of women give birth just fine without any vaginal exams whatsoever. Women get to decide what happens to their vaginas!

Original poster
Katnisnevergreen · 17/12/2018 12:16

confusedbeetle if you read my posts you will see I clearly didn’t refuse vaginal exams but as I am not comfortable with this I did write it in my birth plan so that midwives are aware. The one you looked with a speculum was so gentle and considerate about it

OP posts:
RunningFeisty · 17/12/2018 12:23

Midwife did the same to me i was having contractions anyway she said I'll just give you a quick sweep then immediately did it (and it fucking hurt)

I had my baby 8 hours later so swings and roundabouts (one day early)

GrabEmByThePatriarchy · 17/12/2018 12:25

In any case, if a woman is competent to consent, her birth choices most certainly do take precedence over safety, insofaras refusing any particular intervention or treatment at least. One couldn't force a clinician to perform a sweep, but one shouldn't be done to a woman without her consent. Regardless of whether the woman is making objectively sensible decisions or not.

It's obviously theoretical given that OP won't be refusing all VEs anyway. But if she weren't, that would take precedence.

RCohle · 17/12/2018 12:26

I do think this is a bit more nuanced than some posters are allowing. A vaginal examination to assess dilation can be virtually indistinguishable from a sweep. If the midwife had phrased her explanation as "that may have had much the same effect as a sweep" then would the issue have arisen?

Woodward12 · 17/12/2018 12:32

Absolutely not ok. It's your choice and no one else's to accept or refuse any offered intervention. Ridiculous that anyone is arguing otherwise really; just because you're pregnant, this doesn't negate the principle of consent!

GrabEmByThePatriarchy · 17/12/2018 12:34

That the midwife said she had done OP a sweep too indicates that this was something additional to the dilation check.

If it wasn't, then she's not explaining properly to the patient what she did, so yes of course there's an issue. If it happened as you describe it, that she needed to perform an examination that would have the same effects as a sweep in order to assess dilation, that's what she ought to have said.

RoomOfRequirement · 17/12/2018 12:35

@Veggy

The midwife's job is to facilitate the mother having a birthshe wants. That's her fucking job

This is not true at all. A midwifes job is to facilitate the mother having a safe birth for her and baby.

OP, that's not me saying what your midwife did was right - I agree consent should have been sought!

NotAnEMERGENCY · 17/12/2018 12:40

This is appalling.

Even if the midwife thought she was doing it in your best interests, she must be educated that it is NOT OK to do this without consent. Please report this so it does not continue to happen to others.

HopeHopity · 17/12/2018 12:40

@Confusedbeetle besides the point.
Even when I was delivering my baby and I needed an emergency procedure I was asked for consent
I was asked at every single step
"Be very careful" ffs