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Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

can i have a sweep if trying for a vbac

8 replies

juice · 14/06/2006 09:26

i am 40 weeks today. i am hoping for a vbac. i have been given a date for next week to go in and get induced if baby not arrived by then. i asked for a vbac but they dont do them locally to me. i have to go to the hospital and hour and half away. so was wondering if they generally just dont do sweeps if your trying for a vbac

ta xxx

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Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Jasnem · 14/06/2006 09:39

I had one. Didn't work, but I delivered at 40 +8 with a little help from a ventouse. (still better than another cs fo me.)

Good luck.xx

Jasnem · 14/06/2006 09:40

Ask your midwife to do it (if she doesn't suggest it)

CatherineG · 14/06/2006 09:40

Hi,

My friend had a really bad birth with her first (ended with a forceps c-section) and wanted a vbac with her second. She had three sweeps and went into labour at 41+5 and got her (rather exhausting) vbac.

How do your local hospital NOT do vbac's? What would they do if you went into labour and turned up there? Would then then insist on a c-section without letting you labour?

Good luck

TuttiFrutti · 14/06/2006 13:09

CatherineG, my local hospital said they would only let me deliver naturally if I turned up fully dilated. If I arrived partially dilated they would carry out a C-section. So presumably that's what would happen to Juice.

My local hospital does do VBACs (I think it's quite unusual not to), I just don't want one!

juice · 14/06/2006 15:09

sorry it suppose to say that my local midwife wont do a SWEEP not a VBAC.
i asked yesterday if i could have a sweep and they said they wont do it

OP posts:
Laura032004 · 14/06/2006 15:39

They are happy to sweeps on women planning VBAC's here. That said, I'm not going to have one until I am overdue - which to me will mean 42 weeks and 1 day. Last time sweeps triggered off a long slow labour, which didn't progress. I'd like to know this time that if I go into labour, it's my body doing it, rather than any external stimulus.

However, a lady on another board I read has had a similar problem (they'll do one sweep, but not two on VBACers). Somebody suggested that she try and do it herself. This was their advice:

Sit on the toilet, and put your two fingers together, reach as high as you can, and just move them around the area very gently, but in a strong sort of clockwise sweeping motion.

I suppose at least if you do it yourself, then you can stop if it hurts.

Do you want to be induced? You don't have to be - term is 37-42 weeks, so you're not 'overdue' yet. You could also delay the induction if you think you might labour spontaneously soon. Have you read up on the risks of induction after a c/s? My hospital won't induce with a previous c/s - it's naturally or nothing.

Homsa · 14/06/2006 15:44

I've had a sweep at 9 days overdue, went into labour the very same day and had a successful and very fast VBAC.

I've read on another thread, however, that you should only have a sweep if the baby's head is well engaged, otherwise, if your membranes are accidentally ruptured during the sweep, there is an increased risk of umbilical cord prolapse.

Jasnem · 14/06/2006 15:49

Never heard that before homsa. I had a sweep at 40 weeks, and it was the consultant that did it. Baby not engaged at all. (he didn't drop 'til I was fully dilated)

I've seen lots of recommendations for home-sweeps though.

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