To sweep or not to sweep......

[SHHHH]

Thats the question..!!!

Im 38 +1 and fed up, like the majority of women at this stage of pregnancy. I have sciatica, spd and I am huge. Luckily dh's contract finshes in a weeks time so he can be on hand to help with dd (19 months) as atm he's out working 6am-7/8pm and I have struggled.......

Now dd was 9lb 4oz and I am sure ds2b is going to be bigger, mw's won't committ to a size but agree he probably will be big.

Aftre promises of growth scans and inductions etc when I got to 38+ weeks the mw is now changing how things go..not surprised really, its a bit like being a donkey and having a carrott dangled in front of you when you are pregnant..well imo anyway.

At my mw appointment this week my mw suggested I go back in 2 weeks time when I will be 39 + 6 and she will do a membrane sweep to see if anything will kick labour off. She will also refer me to the mat unit which will prob be for the following mon (40 +5) who will then book an induction date, so if labour isn't within this time I am looking as a possible induction date at 41+..following me still..??!!!

Now dd was bang on time and a text book labour and birth etc and we so wish/hope this is the same...neither dh or I want me to go over 40 weeks, mainly because it worries me baby is big enough at 38 weeks so god help me at 42 weeks..also not confident going over term is good for me or baby with regards to placenta functions iykwim...

Pheeeww............so.........would you opt for a sweep at 39 +6...??? Or would you just ask to be referred for an induction date...? I know a sweep will only work if your body is ready but would you do it..??? What does it involve...? is it uncomfortable/painful..?

Advice/experiences appreciated although I am sure I will regret asking .

Im bracing myself...............go on then..........

after what uwila said, i might ask for a scan before induction - i've a sweep monday and induction friday and i really don't want induction which is why i thought i'd try a sweep - its not got any side effects other than discomfort...i'm convinced that dating is inaccurate and thats why so many go "overdue" when they're not overdue

ff let us know how you get on.

yes, FF , keep us posted x

goodness, I am also desperately analysing every little thing

I am now getting painful Bh's and definitely feel that the baby has moved down

also felt my cervix tonight and it feels all soft and squshy, nothing like the firmness it felt when I felt it before at the very beginning of pg (for no other reason than I had alwasy wondered what it felt like) and I can slip a finger tip in

God th spd thing and getting up to peee, it's agony, can't bear it, really do sympathise and lots of times wonder why I bother going to bed at all

all good stuff, TR< all good stuff...focus on the postive !

thanks lulu

((((hugs)))) and a back rub for you x

oh thats so sweet
oh don't, I'll cry

pull yourself together woman! you;re only having a baby is that better, or should i do the hug thing again !! LOL!

lol bit of both is good

lulumama - just 1/2 a pineapple worked for me last time. Pineapple for dessert one eveing, waters broke 8 am next day.

lucky you !! imagine eating 7 !

Well against all odds I have tried pineapple for lunch...suppose I will give anything a go..!!! Can't bring myself to eat 7 however..!!!

TR, hope things move quickly for you..how far gone are you btw? OMG able to feel your cervix..?? Crumbs I couldn't even attempt that..Told dh last week that when pregnant along with everything else that expands you should also grow longer arms ..!!!!

It's still 13 days till my due date but I just can't cope anymore

been having at least 10 to 12 painful braxton hicks a day for the last 2 days but I reckon I'm gonna be aaaaages yet

you can cope trinity...all those pains are doing something...really, they are! they are shifting baby into a good position, stretching the uterus up and moving baby down, getting the cervix ready to dilate.....it is so hard, at this point to be positive....as you feel uncomfortable, but all those twinges are good

tr snap....I have been experiencing the same...hard to think positive though isn't it..? .

thanks lulu

big hug for shhh tooo !! oh ..it won;t be too long before you are pushing those babies out !! i'll be thinking of you !

thanks lulu. DH keeps wishing he arrives before his last week at work..! So do I but hopefully when dh is home..!! usually takes him 3 hours to get to and from work..

SHHHH - just to let you know that I had a sweep today and even with a posterior cervix (apparently which makes it more likely to "hurt") it didn't hurt at all and was over in about 3 minutes! Its not something you want to have every day but I think the apprehension and anxiety that it might hurt makes it worse - but seriously I didn't think it hurt at all and wasn't even that uncomfortable. My cervix is as closed as closed can be so even though I'm now 8 days over due nothing looks like its happening - STILL!! [fed up face]

I had two sweeps with ds as I really didn't want to be stuck in hospital with an induction. They were no more painful than a cervical smear test - so not nice, but not unbearable. I went into labour about 24 hours after the 2nd sweep.

as shoppingbag says, its on a level with a cervical smear so it very much depends on what you think of having one of those.

shoppingbag - I'm now about 12 hours after having sweep and hoping it works though zero sign of anything but I guess it depends on state of play with cervix - were you dilated at time of sweep?

I was as closed as closed can be on the first sweep but was about 1-2 cm by the next one. We walked miles in the few days between each sweep so that might help. Hopefully by now you're in labour and baby's on his/her way.

when i was 40+6 with dd i went for a sweep at 4pm on wed.
midwife "oh, actually i can't do the sweep, your cervix is much too high"
me "so no baby soon then?"
midwife "no, at least a few more days i'm afraid.
me (thinking) "$*%£"

9 hours later contractions start...
2.40pm thurs - 1 dd! less than 24 hours after i'd categorically been told nothing would happen for ages.

so i think unfortunately they do just come when they're ready.

freedomfighter - agree with you about dates -i actually worked mine out independently and according to me , dd was bang on time!

(though it may be worth whispering that dh and i...ahem...did do the deed that night so maybe the old wham bam does work...)

thinking of you all, going overdue is awful and i send you hugs and good luck

I went the full 40 + 14 days and no sweep worked for me i'm afraid despite having a midwife friend who did it very often indeed. it wasnt that uncomfortable either- i reckon maybe that is why nothing happened as my cervix just was not ready. personally cant really see a downside to going for it- being late is so horrible and it isnt going to start labour if your body simply isnt ready for it. so feel very free to go for it! (let us know what happens!)