Can they tell if your cervix is favourable before they do a sweep?

[LaTristesse]

... or do they only find that out once they're in there?

I have the option of one next week (at 39+3 due to GD) but if my body isn't ready I don't want it done as I don't believe it will be effective.

So can they tell if you're soft and ripe or whatever the terms are, before they start rummaging?

They would have to do an internal to determine if the cervix was favourable as you wouldnt be able to tell from the outside

Ok thanks, but does that mean they just look / feel? Or does the exam itself involve painful poking?! Sorry, never had one, and no idea what it involves!

They would have a feel with their hand/fingers and if the cervix is favourable then they will 'sweep' their fingers round to separate the membranes around the baby from the cervix - supposed to release prostaglandins to help start labour.

www.babycentre.co.uk/pregnancy/labourandbirth/labour/membranesweepexpert/

The midwife will just feel to assess how thin and effaced your cervix is to begin with. I had a sweep at 40+1 and she told me I was 2cm dilated already and would sweep the membranes.

The initial checking was fine (less uncomfortable than a smear test) and the sweeping part was a bit painful. I was told she would stop whenever I wanted if it was hurting but it wasn't painful enough to say stop.

Had DD at 40+3 so I like to think it helped.

I had one yesterday. Midwife was able to tell me the state of cervix etc but obviously she was already in there poking about and said if she could do the sweep she would, which she did. Wasn't that bad.

I had an internal yesterday and she said that it wasn't favourable, so she couldn't do a proper sweep. She said that they have to get their finger through the cervix to do the sweep, so they are already rummaging.

I've found from this & a previous pregnancy that they are painful if you are unfavourable, mainly because the cervix is quite high so they have to 'dig deep' But they do get easier and less painful, if they start to work.

Well all that talk of sweeps must have done the trick, DD arrived on her last night! Thanks for the replies everyone, and good luck for everyone still waiting!

Wow, congratulations! for you and a for your new DD