Does a sweep hurt?

[Genevieve1976]

What does a sweep entail, and does it hurt?

I had a sweep 18 years ago today at 37 weeks pregnant. I had severe SPD, so the consultant did it with me on my side so I didn't have to open my legs very far. It was uncomfortable, but not painful.

It was so worth it, DS2 was born on Christmas Eve (the consultant was convinced it wouldn't work) after a 20 minute labour!

I had two sweeps. One was at about 38 weeks, the second at 40+5.

The first was uncomfortable but okay. The second was very painful BUT I had pre eclampsia (diagnosed at the appt) and was likely already in labour at the time as DD arrived the following morning, so I was sore and feeling awful anyway.

For me, the worst part of labour was the seemingly endless stream of midwives sticking their fingers up there. In the end I apparently started begging them not to do it anymore, and pressed the epidural button everytime one of them came in the room. And I sort of remember muttering to DH/DM that I was going to kick the MW in the face if she dared come near me again with her horrible gloves

I had two. A bit uncomfortable, odd twinge at the 'ouch!' level.
The second one worked and evicted the culprit.

Remember OP, you may decline all internal exams from a sweep to being in labour. They cannot be of any benefit to you as they are used by HCP as a diagnostic tool. Don't be bullied by a MW or consultant into having any procedures that you are not 100% comfortable with.

How sympathetic is your mw?

I was very clear with my third that I had found them very, very painful in the past (ditto smears and internals) and she was willing to do it at the MLU with gas and air. It helped a lot.

Don't be embarrassed Coodle by your comment about kicking a MW in the face. I assume that the MW hadn't bothered to ask for consent or explain the reason for the exam before assaulting you. I expect if you knew the reasons why an internal exam was "needed" or you were aware that you could decline the exam, you may feel more positive about your experience.

Strange and uncomfortable but not painful. They usually only do if its already softening.

I had three and the last one which worked seemed be the only one which was uncomfortable, but I wouldn't say painful. If you've ever had a smear test, it's comparable to that. You can always neck a few paracetamol first!

It was painful, not to the point of jumping off the bed and running out of the door but to the point of curling my toes and gripping the side of the bed with my hands and making a funny squealing noise like a stuffed pig! And to add insult to injury it didn't work, just gave me cramps and bleeding. Why am I doing it again next week? This thread has just brought the memory of the last one 2.6 years ago come flooding back! Hmmm perhaps a change of mind in order!

I had my first on Saturday and it was fine, just felt like i'd been caught in the wrong place haha! But was over within 20 seconds so i'm quite happy to endure another on Boxing Day :)

Mine really hurt and I have a high pain threshold, worst thing was the mw didn't ask if I wanted one or say she was going to do it.
I was in early stages of labour and had gone in as I had a bit of bloody discharge, I was examined by two mw's who said maybe 1cm dilated and I would be examined again in about an hour,.that was the one who did the sweep, I was gripping the bed sides as it hurt so much but as it was my first child I thought that maybe that was just how it was. Another hour later the same mw said she wanted to check for progress and I then commented that I'd rather not as the last one had really hurt and she said "yes, I gave you a sweep to get things moving".

Both painful with first because I was nowhere near ready. As someone else said, medical evidence on them starting or speeding up labour doesn't exist. So with DC2 I was very clear that I would not be having any.

Had an attempted sweep at 39 weeks. The mid wife's fingers were too short so she couldn't do it! My DP couldn't stop laughing when I told him. Apparently I have a tilted cervix so she couldn't "get" to it. I walked out of the Drs in floods of tears. It wouldn't have done anything anyway as I went to 42 + 2 and only went 1/2 a centimetre after over 30 hours of silent labour. No pain just massive contractions. Hats off to women who endure labour for any amount of time. I had 20 minutes of pain and had to have emergency c section as baby was distressed.That 20 minutes was awful and I have a very high pain threshold and can deal with pain usually.

Smears don't bother me at all, nor having my waters broken.

However a sweep I found very painful. Having said that it never worked for me because my cervix is the wrong shape or something.

I think it depends on the individual.

I found it painful and horrible - I actually felt as if I had been violated. Five years on I still remember how distressed I felt afterwards.

I have been offered one for next week (DS3) but have said no.

No mine didn't hurt at all, didn't what all the fuss was about.

melanie I'm sorry you feel like that. Actually I feel much the same. I had several sweeps while they tried to induce DS1. Every single one without consent during examinations or while inserting pessaries. A lot happened during that induction that should not have done, and I actually had an unsolicited apology when I saw my consultant when pregnant with DS2.

berrypicking, yes it would be hard to know what the fuss was about if you were lucky enough to have the sweeps done when you were reasonably ready and / or by someone who did it gently. Lucky you. I had gas and air during some of mine, they still left me a wreck.

Yes if it's fine properly

With my first the midwife who did it was retiring that day and said she was going to go out with a success ... She did, I was in labour within the hour

With baby two I had 5 (yes 5) and none of them worked and none of them hurt

Done*