sweep from?

[MrsH2010]

Does anyone know how early you can get a sweep done??
A friend had one at DD+2 apparently - performed by her midwife, but my midwife says that's not possible, and isn't an option until I'm DD+12...

Does anyone know??
Where are they done (home? GP?) and by whom, and from what date??

Thanks!

I had mine with ds at 40+5 , it didnt work. I will be having one next week at 40+6. My SIL had one at 40+4 and she had her wee boy the next day.

Ours are done at antenatal clinic. I dont know if you can get them done at midwife's clinic as GP surgery or not.

+12 seems a little late to bother trying with a sweep, that's more like when they try induction. I had mine done by a consultant twice at about +7, then third time was told they didn't do them anymore, but my midwife offered to do it when she came and did a home visit (she is under a different hospital)

I had mine at 38weeks becasue the previous baby had been late.
ds2 was still late and didnt make an appearance with sweeps up to 42 weeks

My MW offered to do it there and then at 40+1 in the surgery. I declined but she has left it open for me if on fri at 41+1 nothing has happened.

I am not aware that there is an 'earliest' time for a sweep - I suppose not before your due date.

They can only be performed when the cervix is pointing forward (anterior) and is open enough to allow at least 1 finger to enter which will then stretch and sweep around the membranes in an attempt to ge a cascade of hormones going that will start labour. As nobody really ultimately knows why labour starts when it starts, it is a bit hit and miss when a sweep will result in a baby .

FWIW, I had 2 sweeps with DS1, at +10 and + 14, and then had my induction at +15 - that did the trick.

With DS3 I had 2 sweeps at +7 and +10 with babe in my arms 24 hours later .

DS4 arrived after 3 hour labour on his due date without any outside interference.

Go figure. Nature, tsk .

IME, the success of a sweep depends on how ready your body is for labour to start anyway and how 'good' your HCP is at doing them. Mine were done at ANCs by MWs and doctors.

HTH .

x-posted with mosschops - so they can be done before date, hmm? Learn something new every day .

I'm 38+1 and have an appt with the consultant at the hospital at 40 weeks (hopefully will not be attending and will have already had him!), and my midwife has told me to ask for a sweep at this appointment. She said if they won't do it just to call her and she will come to the house and do one.

HTH

With DS had one at 40+11 at hospital and was induced at 40+12.

This time there is a change of policy and I had one today at 40+7, at my house and am booked for another at home on Friday (40+10), then will book me for induction Sunday or Monday. Seems to be a lot of variation across the country!

I just posted on your other thread but I had a sweep at 39+5 and another on my edd, where the conultant told me that there was no chance it would work.

DD2 was born about 18 hours later and is now 3 days old!!

Nice guidelines say you can request a sweep from 37 weeks. They can be done by your midwife or consultant in my experience.

Thanks June2008 - the part about the Nice guidlines is particularly helpful - as it gives me something to mention if I'm told no and decide I want one by then (quickly approaching!). Appreciate it a lot.

congrats with your 3 day old :)

In my area they do it from due date onwards if you want one.

Hi There
I am in Surrey - I had one at 39+3 in hospital clinic, was also the day a consultant took over my care as she felt that doing 3 24 hr urines in a week was too much, high BP and feeling unwell!
She said I needed it for my own sanity and Im guessing she was a little worried about PE as my BP had been constantly high for 3 wks!
She then appologised and said she would make sure I wasnt messed around from here.

good luck!
x

I got given an appt months ago for a sweep at 40+5 and it's at the antenatal clinic that happens at my GP surgery every weds. My sister has been given her appt for 41+2 but she's at a different surgery to me so they obviously work a bit differently.

I'm 39+6 (due tomorrow!). Have my 40 week appt at 40+2, and midwife has said she can do one then if I want it.

With DS (living in different area), you couldn't have them until 41 weeks if things were going well, but I got one at my 40 week appt because they were worried about my bp. 24 hours later I went into labour.

So it does seem to differ depending on which area you're in.

Sweep done by MW at local Maternity Unit (where I had all antenatal appts) 6 days past due date.

My labour stopped and started and stopped for a few days on and after due date so MW offered a sweep at +5 days. It was uncomfortable but not painful IYKWIM. She said the sign she looked for was a little bit of blood on her glove after the sweep and that she always did "a right good sweep" which was over in about 30 seconds. I went into labour that night and had DS the next day. MW at the hospital asked who did my sweep when I went in and when I told her MW's name she nodded n went "Yup! Knew it." So, I guess it depends on the MW you get doing your sweep as well as how ready your body is etc.

Good luck with your sweep (if you need one! You might go yourself before too long!)

Normal policy round here is term + 10 but ive been given permission to get one at term + 7 (in 3 days) if I haven't gone in to labour before then as I'm trying to avoid an elcs booked in for term + 12.

Midwife said they usually work within 48 hours if they are going to anyway and the longer you wait the more chance there is of it working anyway.

Daft how different everything is!
When I asked mine (MW at GP's antenatal clinic that I've had all my appointments with) she said it had to be a consultant (at the hospital), and couldn't be until 41 +5 'because otherwise the umbilical cord could wrap around the babies neck when it descends'... seemed to be a complete nonsense answer to me... espeically at that time - if the babies head isn't in place surely you've got bigger issues than needing a sweep at that time!!
Annoys me how there can be so much variation when all most women want is a straight answer that they can depend upon, if or when they need it, instead of confusing non-sense.

Will ask her again next week at my 36 week check and see if she comes up with a more sensible answer on the second attempt!!

Had my 36 week appointment yesterday. my faith in my midwife is slowly dwindling - not good! (had to remind her what tests she'd told me I'd be having at this appointment - bloods).
Asked again about the sweeps - her first answer was yes you can have them here by me at 41 weeks... then she totally did a 180 and said at my next appointment (38 weeks) I have to get a referral to the Hospital to see a consultant (not the one I'm under but one his is very 'pro' sweeps apparently). He then says whether I can or can't have them, and at what stage, and then that gets referred back to the midwife at the GP, and only then can she do it...
It just seems so ridiculous. Espeically when I know for a fact that other friends, in the same PCT Trust as me, same area, different GP though have had no hassle - requested them from 38 weeks and had several done at the midwifes clinic without faff, or referrals or more stress...

What on earth is the problem!?! It didn't fill me with confidence either when my midwife said 'NICE Guidelines - yeah I've heard about them, don't know what it says though', and that she was retiring in the next few months...
I feel like I'm getting the run-around just because, as sweet as she is, she doesn't have a clue...

37 weeks due to SPD with the promise of induction at 38 weeks if not successful. Done during ante natal clinic appointment but I know our midwives do it on a home visit too.

Following on from my last post - am 40+2 and have had a sweep today.x

I'm 40+2 today and am due for a sweep at 41 weeks (monday) if nothing has happened.