How likely is a sweep to work at 41 weeks & 2nd pregnancy?

[inadreamworld]

Midwife coming to do a sweep on Wednesday when I will be 41 weeks. This is my 2nd pregnancy. I was induced on the drip at 40 + 8 with DD. Waters started leaking and I didn't go into labour naturally. I would like to avoid the drip again if possible as it was very painful and I had a pph (over a litre of blood) which I think is more likely when you are induced.

I am worried that the sweep will just give me period pains and be really uncomfortable and won't actually make me go into labour. So my question is - how likely is it to work and should I bother?

[inadreamworld]

Good point about waters - she didn't bust mine......I would have the sweep as better than induction....good luck and please report back!

[Wuxiapian]

Hi again.

How are you and baby doing, Inadreamworld?

After much umm-ing and ahh-ing, I decided to have the sweep. It was nowhere near as bad as I was expecting. She said cervix was 1cm dilated and forward, but couldn't feel baby's head and that he's still only 4/5ths engaged. Tut.

She's booked me in for induction this Sunday if no progress, so I have only 4 days, effectively, for this boy to make his moves!!

Is there anything I can do to aid sweep?

Thanks in advance to anyone who replies.

[inadreamworld]

Hi Wuxia Let us know if it works - mine took just over 48 hours to work (unless I was going to go into labour anyway). I remember midwife said cervix was soft and 1cm open and that she could feel baby's head. She also said she was famous among her midwife team for her success rate at getting women into labour!!!

[StarlightMcKenzie]

I wouldn't bother. In fact, more than that, I would actively decline if you are hoping for an optimal outcome.

Don't interfere with your body. It knows what it is doing. If labour isn't triggered it could be for a variety of reasons, but most likely because the baby isn't in the right position to put the triggering pressure on your cervix.

If you have a sweep and it tells your body that the baby is in the right position when he isn't, they labour could be longer and more difficult. Also, you risk both infection and waters breaking, and waters breaking with your baby in a terrible position is also something to avoid.

[inadreamworld]

Starlight has a point - it worked for me but I could have been just lucky. But I really really wanted to avoid induction on the drip which I had with 1st baby.

[StarlightMcKenzie]

Perhaps, but I think induction is more likely with a sweep, because if things are triggered but don't go smoothly because of bad timing, then they need to intervene.

If nothing is happening, then nothing 'bad' is happening either, so you can simply refuse induction on the basis that time is not a medical reason.

[StarlightMcKenzie]

OMG, Missed your announcement!

Massive Congratulations. Ooooh, a lovely squidgy snuffly newborn - Yay!

[inadreamworld]

Thanks Starlight!! If I ever have another baby then I will think very carefully before accepting induction as 2nd labour so easy compared to first.

[Wuxiapian]

Almost 48 hours since sweep and still nothing.

Feeling pretty disheartened.