Membrane sweep before full term

[Kione]

So I am 38 + 5 today, really struggling. Had a midwife appointment and she said she can do a sweep on next weeks appointment, I'll be 2 days short of full term. I feel very tempted to go ahead but, I am worried at not being full term.
My DD was 11 days later I had a sweep at 40 + 8 with her and it worked but it took 8 days...
Have you been in a similar situation? Should I just wait until I am overdue?
Thanks!

I started having sweeps at 39 weeks with dc4 as dc3 was 10lb 8 and I was told to expect another large baby. The midwife agreed to start doing sweeps at 39 weeks as I was really keen not to go over 40 weeks as I was concerned about size. With hindsight it was not the best idea as basically it put me into slow labour for week, I had hours and hours of contractions with nothing happening they would just tail off which was very frustrating not to mention exhausting!
I had 3 sweeps in the space of a week each time I was told I was 2cms and really stretchy, they told me "ooh will definitely see you later!" No the bloody didn't.
I went into labour on my own the night before my due date and he was born the next morning weighing a very petite 8lb10!

Oh right! Yeah with my first one it took 3 days of contractions after the sweep...
It sounds daft but I worry it will make me come up to Christmas, I might prefer to be overdue and get Christmas done with first! But I am really struggling, awful back and hip pains, can't sleep, hardly walk... Its a tough one.

8.10 is not "very petite"? That was my DD weight and everyone is telling me I should expect another big baby!

Ha ha after a 10lb8 baby it was petite!!

Well yes, its relative I suppose

I had one at 37 weeks

Baby was fine

Thanks. How long did it take for labor to start Soubriquet?
Am not worrying about the baby not being ok as it will be 2 days short of 40 weeks, but that it might take long to labour as I am so close to Christmas, I am considering just leaving it until after if it doesn't start naturally

I had a sweep at 37 + 5. I'd been in with a second period of reduced movement and the Dr gave me an internal, said I was 2cm and she could give me a sweep if I wanted. I agreed. It didn't do anything and I ended up being induced at 38 week after another period of reduced movement. The 'early' date didn't bother me as my first two children had been born at 37+6 and 38+4 so I had expected this one imminently...

Seems like anything at all could happen... I don't know what to do

My contractions started that afternoon actually. Kept stopping and starting

I had my sweep Monday morning. I then contracted all night Tuesday night. Didn't get a wink of sleep

Went in Wednesday morning where the midwife gave me another sweep just to help things along.

He was born at 10.40 Wednesday night. I had contractions on and off all day Wednesday but once I reached 3cms, it progressed really quickly. 2 1/2 hours start to finish.

I had a sweep with ds because he had stopped growing at 35 weeks. We had to go in everyday for two weeks to be hooked on the fetal monitor machine. They gave me a sweep that week to see if it got him moving. If it didn't, I would have been induced the next week

Thanks for your post!

That's ok

You're full term from 37 weeks despite your due date being at 40 weeks but sweeps generally only do anything if your body is preparing itself for labour anyway.

I had sweeps at 37,38,39 and 40 weeks to encourage DD2. Got induced at 40+1
Gestational diabetes meant they didn't want me to go late.

What Cats said :-)

Yes Cats, I know that, the midwife also said that it wouldn't take more than 48 hours to start, which I know it may not be the case. Anything can happen and I might end up in labour at Christmas, sweep or no sweep!
Thanks for all the input.

I only said that because you said you were 38+5 and two days short of being full term, so I didn't realise you did know that you were already full term and had been for two weeks and five days.

I meant that they only work if the body is getting ready anyway - bit.
I didn't know 37 weeks is considered full term, here they will not do a sweep before week 39, I have asked.
Haven't made a decision yet but inclined to wait in the hope that we can have Christmas before the baby.