Just had a sweep - am 1.5cm dilated: any tips on what to do now?

[Charingcrossbun]

Just had a "digital membrane sweep" am impressed with how high tech they can make the midwife sticking her fingers up and waggling them round sound!
My cervix was far forward and already 1.5cm dilated which she said was all good. I'm 40+6 and my parents have just announced they are driving down tomorrow "just in case". It's a long story which involves them having to go to a funeral next week and just being desperate to see me so I can't judge too harshly but Good god do I want to be in labour before they arrive!!
So any tips? So far I walked the 2.4miles home from the clinic and have had a nap......

sweeps never worked for me. I had 2 with dd and ended up getting induced instead

sex if possible! another sweep in a few days if nothings happened?

I had a few sweeps with both of mine. Didn't make any difference. I went over by 7 days and 8 days. Induced 2nd time.

Keep active. Lots of walking is good. Ultimately it will happen when baby is ready. Make the most of the peace and quiet and being able to finish a hot cuppa . If your parents do arrive before baby let then spoil you a bit. It may be your last chance for a while.

Do whatever makes you happy. You deserve to

Put on some music and strut your funky stuff!

Thanks ladies - am I getting my hopes up with the already 1.5 dilated?
At the time it seemed really positive but lookIng online you have to be a bit dilated to even do a sweep....

I was 2 cm dilated at my first sweep abd baby was born 3 days later. So it doesn't mean it is imminent .

I went 13 days over, and finally went into labour naturally the afternoon of day 13 (I had declined the automatically booked induction, which would have been that morning).

In the few days I went into labour I had sex several times, had a couple of sweeps, had acupuncture, walked A LOT - including marching up and down the stairs in my building, went swimming. Who knows if any of them actually worked - if I had to point at one, I'd probably say having sex. But even if none of them were responsible for me going into labour, they were at least distractions.

But I agree with others, use this time to do whatever makes you happy.

Um, I don't want to be doom and gloom, but you can be 1.5 cm for quite a long time. Days and days.

If this is your first baby, it might be quite a long labour (though, of course, it could be a 3 hour wonder, it's just you don't know). By all means get active, but try and get plenty of rest too. I do wonder sometimes about all this advice about 'getting things going' that you get from midwives, online, etc. It sometimes seems to serve simply to wear you out before you need the energy.

Yup, I'm 3cm dilated, had two sweeps, not done a thing, next one Saturday and expect that will fail too... I was walking around 5cm dilated with my first, not a sign of being so far gone, just an odd walk

Sleep. Then eat. Then sleep. You'll need it!
She says with 9 week old DS

Hopefully you are in delivery or even better holding baby?

If not I second dancing, Will.i.am helped me. Also climb stairs, that's what got my waters broken.

Sadly not in labour.... It is so weird to be wishing pain on myself but I get very disappointment every time backache/period pains fade!
I went for a 2 mile walk this morning, then napped, then have eaten..... Now awaiting the decent of the parents - that should help me feel even more like a watched pot!!
Marched up and down the stairs at 0300 this morning - somehow it seemed the sensible thing to do

Now I have bruising type pain across my pubic bone - head further engaged?? Would have thought that pain would have been further back.... Arg!

I've just posted something similar. I had a sweep this afternoon and have had painful contractions thereafter. I was 2cm at the time of the sweep. did you have contraction type pain after your sweep?

To be honest I'm not sure what contraction type pain is. I've had lots of strong Braxton hicks and period pain but nothing that seems comparable with a contraction (from what I've been told)

Sex in an ahem doggy type position is apparently best.

I think my sweep worked I'm cuddled up in bed with my beautiful new daughter hope you are too op

Ah congrats!! Wish mine had, had a third one yesterday, 3cm dilated, membranes bulging, pain all night, nothing now!!

Sex and a meal that will cause minor irritation to your bowel which should give your uterus a little nudge (such as a generous load of pineapple or curry). Good luck!

Tried all those, not at once mind this ones not moving!!

I ate chillis picked out of a curry and dd was born the next day

Congrats ahdidly!
I have another sweep booked for tomorrow. The last sweep definitely had an effect but not enough! I had a show the day after and have had pressure on the front of my pelvis.
But still I'm here at 9days over.
I have had pain all night (although I did manage quite a lot of sleep too). It comes in waves from under my ribs and then down. It's not really bad though. My back is painful with period pain type cramps..... It all sounds positive but it's not getting closer together or more intense.
I guess I was expecting a lightening bolt - whenever I ask about contraction pain I get knowing smiles and "you'll just know" but I don't! I didn't know about baby movements either - it took seeing bump kick on the 20week scan and tallying that with feelings in my belly to convince me I knew what a kick felt like....

It sounds like things might be getting started, but you might be in for a slow start. Contractions aren't always easily identifiable. Sometimes you just get to the point after x hours where you say 'yes, I think that they are'. My best advice if you are in for a long one is rest, rest, rest. Yes, some periods of activity to encourage things along, but in between rest, rest, rest. You will need that energy. Too often the conventional wisdom of 'getting things going' results in women going into the process feeling like they have already run the marathon.

Good luck. You can do it.