When will I be induced if sweep unsuccessful?

[Mummy2014]

Hi all,

Baby was due on 8th & no signs of labour so far. I'm booked in for a sweep on Thursday, if that is unsuccessful when would I be booked in for induction? Is it at 42 weeks? Or 48 hours after sweep?

Not uncomfortable or in pain, just impatient & want to know if I have a son or a daughter :) xx

You don't have to have an induction. You can also have lots of sweeps. I had three! One thing to try to remember is that due is any between 37 and 42 weeks.

opps any day :)

Thank you for getting back to me. My midwife has said she will only offer 1 sweep. I'm 41 weeks this Wednesday. Xx

I had a sweep at 41+2 which was utterly unsuccessful and told I could book myself in for induction at any point then. I booked in for 41+4 as I was getting so uncomfortable I just wanted the baby out - I was told if I wanted to wait I could, and that we could discuss it again at my 42 week appointment. This was at Queen Charlottes in London btw

In our area you go in for induction at 40+12.

You may go into labour before your sweep; the sweep may work; the sweep may not work, but you may still go into labour before you are induced... You can also choose not to be induced and have extra monitoring. I chose induction and it took another 48 hours before I gave birth.

Not very reassuring, sorry - just trying to point out that you can't control when this will happen, so you may as well try to relax and enjoy a restful few hours/days before you meet your baby. Try to go for a few walks, this may help bring on labour. It didn't bring on labour for me but once contractions had started, being active helped keep them going.

Thank you all. I think in just excited to meet baby more than anything :)
I'm very lucky in that I'm not in pain, not uncomfortable, quite happy being pregnant.
Unfortunately I don't think a walk will help, still walking the dog a few miles every day, only recently stopped my "exercise" walks (5/6 miles) - tried to keep active throughout as I wanted to eat the entire world lol!

Suppose I'll get some trashy mags, have a bath & make the most of being able to cat nap :) xx

It isn't generally X hours after a sweep. There is normally a policy on induction which varies but is generally 40+10, +12 or +14.

And as others have said, you can choose not to be induced. I will be doing so this time if I get that far as I don't agree with their dates (unless there was some miracle of immaculate conception, which seems less likely than their date being wrong ). I'll be hanging on until what they consider about +16/+17 if it comes to it, as then I genuinely think I'll be about +12

My induction was booked for 40+11 - the closest to the weekend that they could do.

I asked for a second sweep, and the one at 40+10 seemed to kick things off (with a long walk up a steep hill for good measure). I think anyone can do your sweep (what I mean is, either your midwife, a prenatal team one or a birth centre midwife - not just anyone ).

In our area, it doesn't matter about sweeps, you are induced at 40 + 14, i.e. 2 weeks after your due date.

I had 2 sweeps and they didn't work. It's quite common to be induced, although many women go into labour naturally before this happens.

I had three and I think they'd have been happy to doing them. Born at 41 weeks exactly. Good luck!

I had two failed sweeps last week (my cervix was still too high to reach and closed). Depends on hospital policy, where I am they like to do a scan at 40+10, then induce between 40+12 and 40+14. I'm 41+4 today, went in for scan and heart tracing, they checked fluid levels, had a really lovely midwife who answered my questions and I'm now feeling less anxious about induction. I'm booked in to start induction tomorrow but could have waited if I wanted to. Was told induction can take a long time and is unlikely to happen same day I go in. Also lost mucus plug and had another sweep today, this time she was able to get a finger in my cervix so there is progress. Like you I'm comfortable, feel like I could be pregnant for another few weeks, but decided to be guided by hospital policy. Hope things happen for you soon x