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Childbirth

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

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Original poster

Anyone had a successful first time sweep please ?

23 replies

CheshireDing · 28/04/2016 07:31

Am worried, DC3 due date is Saturday. DC1 and DC2 were early and hb (all nice, easy and lovely).

Am worried this one is making no efforts to get out and I will end up with a c-section if it carries on once we are at 40 plus 12.

As the others were hb's I really don't want medical intervention but have been trying all the usual stuff (ball, walking, raspberry leaf etc). I have an acupuncture session booked tomorrow and have an oil blend to rub on bump.

I am thinking the next, least invasive is a sweep but everytime I read on the internet they don't seem to be very successful, even when people have a few.

I would welcome any thoughts re a sweep as thinking of speaking to mw today to maybe get one booked for next week, but not looking forward to it !

OP posts:

IHeartKingThistle · 28/04/2016 07:37

Me! But the midwife who did it did say she was famous for her brutal and effective sweeps!

Sweep at 4, very slow walk round Tesco clutching the trolley at 6, very slow walk round block at 8, contractions started at 1, waters went at about 4 and DC2 born at 9.40 am. I was happy with that!

Good luck!

RainbowCupcake · 28/04/2016 14:51

I am 10 days overdue today and I had a sweep this morning. The midwife said that my cervix is still very high and thick and she doesn't think I will go into labour any time soon - in a way I am happy to know this because it's giving me a chance to accept that things might not go the way I want them to. My first daughter came 4 days early and I had a lovely water birth and obviously I wanted the same for this one. Before I had the sweep I didn't know what was going on up there and I was very frustrated but now I know, I am getting my head round the fact that this time might be very different.

Original poster

CheshireDing · 28/04/2016 15:13

Thanks ladies !

I had it in my head that DC3 would just drop out (due to already having 1 and 2).

Good luck Rainbow :) MW told me if you have already had a child before cervix is more likely to be in a favourable position to be moved (clearly this is not always the case as yours shows).

Babies ! Much more happy with them once they are out.

OP posts:

pinocchiosnose · 28/04/2016 15:18

my sweep for dc2 was very effective. I had my sweep and then my waters broke on the way home from hospital . Good luck!

LikeaSnowflake · 28/04/2016 15:24

I want very worried about being induced with my DD I had a sweep at 40+ 5 and she said she was 'thorough'

DD was born at 40+6 at 8:04pm and it really did feel for me that the sweep kick started things as plug began to come away.

The only thing with sweeps I guess is it could've just been due to happen anyway so who knows!

1frenchfoodie · 28/04/2016 18:28

Don't assume you have to be induced at 40+12, this was my local trust's 'policy' but they cannot force you. There are some risks of plscenta degradation to weigh up but I negotiated daily monitoring while I and baby were both healthy. In the end I was induced and gave birth at 40+15 after a third sweep that started contractions but had got nowhere much (4cm) 22h later.

Strokethefurrywall · 28/04/2016 22:24

Both my sweeps worked at 37+6 for DS1 and 38+2 for DS2.

Had sweep at 9am, waters broke at 11.30am, DS1 arrived at 4pm.
Had sweep on the Friday with DS2, lost plug on Saturday, light contractions late Sunday night, DS2 arrived at 6am on Monday.

Both the most painful parts of my labors though.

LittleGreyCatwithapinkcollar · 28/04/2016 22:48

Mine worked. Had it at midday at 40+8 and DD arrived at 5 the following morning. Sweep caused my to lose my plug, though the midwife did find I was already 3-4cm dilated when she did it...

AliceInHinterland · 29/04/2016 09:39

Yep me too, went into labour the same day as sweep + acupuncture. I'm pretty sure you have to be nearly ready though. It's worth a try, I would do it again, although it can be a bit uncomfortable. FWIW my midwife said that not feeling like you have your other children sorted can delay labour - are you all sorted for the other DC?

MYA2016 · 29/04/2016 17:23

Had my sweep (DC1) at 10am on due date and within 7 hours my contractions were 1.5 mins apart good luck

Sunnydays321 · 30/04/2016 07:35

Sweeps are generally more effective if you are overdue and have had babies before, so the odds are on your favour. The nice guidelines say to offer induction between term +10 and term +14, but there is also a section in there about care of women declining induction: ie a scan to check fluid level and placental function and then ctg monitoring either until you labour or choose to have induction. You can google the nice guidelines.. The full guideline is beefy but has all the research in it that they use to create the guideline, so you can weigh up the risks your self and make informed decision. Personally I think you don't lose anything by having a sweep (or two) it's not risky, and significantly less intervention than an induction. Good luck. X

shitwithsugaron · 30/04/2016 07:39

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

lostindubai · 30/04/2016 08:13

Yes, my first sweep worked in less than 24 hours, and they can do up to three.

French foodie makes a good point above as well.

80schild · 30/04/2016 08:25

Mine didn't. I think they only work if your body is ready. Sex is the only proven method of bringing on labour.

bellascorner · 30/04/2016 19:01

i went into labour that evening after having a sweep in the morning, so not sure if my body was just ready or it was the effect of having that sweep!

fish88 · 30/04/2016 19:07

I had a sweep and went into labour later that day at 39 weeks.

underrugsswept · 30/04/2016 19:14

I think mine did the trick but it could just have been a coincidence. Sweep in the afternoon at 40 weeks (was horrible!). Plug started coming out gradually but was in huge gobby chunks in my knickers by 40+4. Went into labour that night and he arrived v early on 40+5.

Peskyelephant · 30/04/2016 22:23

2 sweeps with DC1 did absolutely nothing. She came at 40+11.
Sweep with DC2 at 40+3 10am resulted in mild contractions on and off,waters breaking at 9pm and baby at 11pm.
I didn't find it too bad.

Original poster

CheshireDing · 01/05/2016 19:12

Thank you everyone.

I booked in for a sweep this coming Wednesday but also for Acupuncture Friday just gone at 11am, started having groin type cramps at 12 noon but they were very random and 30 mins apart.

Ramped up to every couple of minutes at 5.45pm and had DC3 at 6.30pm at home delivered by DH whilst DC1 and DC2 watched Peppa Pig downstairs (and Midwife was driving over).

Even the placenta had come out when MW got here :)

Did smart a bit though

OP posts:

underrugsswept · 01/05/2016 19:42

Congratulations!

Strokethefurrywall · 01/05/2016 19:54

Oh well done and congratulations!! What did you have? Weight? Name? C'mon woman, details! 😄

ampersandand · 01/05/2016 20:45

With dc2 I had a sweep on a Thursday morning, started early labour, born early hours of Saturday morning 40+3.

Original poster

CheshireDing · 02/05/2016 18:29

Baby boy, Hugo Arthur, 7lb8.5.

So I have 2 boys and a girl now all under 5 ! and no sleep. He is very cute though.

OP posts:

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