to sweep or not to sweep?

[Lupe]

Hi all

I'm currently 40+5 and have been offered a sweep on Friday if no action by then...

I had thought that a sweep was a fairly 'natural' and non-controversial way of possibly inducing labour but having seen comments on other threads regarding pain, increase in intervention etc I'm now not so sure as to whether to go for it.

I have always felt through this pregnancy that my EDD was probably a little early as I have a long menstrual cycle (not very good at counting but probably about 35 days). My first scan did date the fetus in line with my calculations (based on crown-rump length) but as this was less than a week's difference from my official date, this wasn't changed on my notes. Since then my measurements have basically tallied with dates, though it's never been suggested that the baby is particularly big (I measured 38cm at last mw visit).

Anyway, my point is that I'm not particularly anxious to hurry things up as I do believe in 'they come when they're ready' however I am also very keen to avoid being induced in hospital (which here will be done by 14 days, regardless of that 'other date' as my biggest fear in relation to childbirth is of ending up with a very surgical birth, lots of monitoring, cut etc etc.

So, do I go for the sweep or shall I just let things go their course and trust in the strong possibility that I will go into natural labour anyway? Unfortunately I have no family history to use as reference as my mum had pre-eclampsia in her first pg and emergency cs followed by elective cs for me.

btw, the was an accident! - emoticons with a mind of their own?!

Can you hold off the sweep until you are 42 weeks? This gives you a bit more time. Your date is the one that counts, not theirs, it is your right to wait until you feel you are overdue, not medical staff. 70 % of first babies are late.
If you have a long cycle then it is more likely things will happen a bit later as it did with me twice (I am 35 days too - roughly)

It is not too late to have them change the date on your notes now!!!

Hi Midden

I did ask at my last antenatal whether this other date would be taken into account with regard to induction but was told not.

I didn't insist, and it wasn't my regular midwife - maybe I should try again this week.

I haven't got advice on the sweep as such but I would just say that when you decide what you want, based on all the information, remember YOU are in charge not the hospital. I remember when I was pregnant I got into the frame of mind that the hospital were in charge of what happened to me and I felt completely out of control.

Can I just reiterate something that has been said on previous threads?
You cannot be given a sweep or be induced against your will. The medical /midwifery staff can suggest a course of action but you have the right to refuse.
You can say that you would prefer to go into labour on your own and would appreciate increased monitoring of you go over 42 weeks. Tell them what you think about your dates. It is your pregnancy and your baby. You decide what you want to do.
This might be helpful informedchoice

thanks Mears - I do appreciate what you're saying about it being my choice. And I will raise the dates issue again if it gets nearer crunch time.

I think I would find it quite hard to say no to induction however - I don't think I'm a wimp but I would hate to put the baby at risk and would feel under a lot of pressure if I insisted on a course of action that was different to that suggested by the hospital.

I'm also going through a tough time relationship wise at the moment and wonder how much effect my emotions may have on delaying the labour...

btw, thanks for the link, it looks really useful and I'm having a look at it now

Ok : just to give you some feedback from a person who had a sweep. I had a sweep on my due date! First off it wasn't painful, it was my decision, the obs offered it to me and I thought about it and decided to go for it.
I went into labour that night and although it was a very fast labour (2:15 am I was 2cm,3am I wss holding dd) it was ok.. Pain is relative and so I have no idea if labour was more painful cos of the sweep or not.. I know that doesn't answer your question but I thought you might be interested to hear from someone who had a sweep and doesn't regret it. Suspect I might have gone into labour the next day anyway - my cervix was very ready!!!!

Also more sweep feedback ... I had one at 41 weeks. It was uncomfortable (it is an internal after all) but not painful. I did have a show the next day and went into labour about 4 days after that. The sweep may or may not have made a difference.

My labour progressed normally and naturally resulting in a no intervention water birth. I'm not sure I'd have a sweep again as I can't really see the point - the baby will be born when it's ready. I would certainly resist induction though - as long as you and the baby are OK, why not wait for it to happen naturally.

i would say no - had sweep with ds1, very painful. in labour for 32 hours. made no difference. talked to one mum who was traumatised by it. it is an invasive procedure - no problem if you are not inhibited. you could try alternatives if unsure. i was 10 days over and hads lots of advice: warm baths, sex, raspberry tea, relexology, acupuncture, hypnobirth,lots of squatting ask around or phone local active birth class if interested. but don't be pushed into anything you don't want. this is THE most special time for you. good luck x

almost leapt off the bed when consultant did the sweep when i was 41 wks with dd1. didn't really help either, was still 1cm dilated a week later.

I had a sweep with DS and 'never felt a thing', still not convinced Dr did it properly to this day - anyway it did not work and I went on to be induced at 42 weeks by hospital dates and 43 by mine followed by emergency c/s. I am 38 weeks pregnant again and would have a sweep at 40 weeks to see if it helps but won't be holding my breath....but having said all that what is important is that you have a say in whatever happens and that afterwards you feel 'happy' with your experience. If you need more information or time to decide on Friday tell them so and make another appointment.
Not sure if this helps but good luck.

Hi Lupe ...
I had a sweep when in 'latent phase' labour (contractions etc but not yet 3cm dilated) with DS ... very painful ... didn't do anything ... after a very long time ended up with the works, epidural, synto drip and finally c/s.
Had 3 sweeps with DD ... one at 40 weeks to see if it would move things along ... it didn't.
One the day before I was induced ... again did nothing. And then another 12 hours after I was induced ... Still ended up with a c/section!
Sorry, but I will be very honest here ... each one was excrutiatingly painful ... nearly went through the ceiling and the air was blue with my swearing. If I ever have another baby I will not want to have a sweep again ... horrible things ...

I had a sweep with ds2 at 40 + 12 days over. While slightly uncomfortable it was bearable and the doctor said he expected me to be in that evening as I was ripe and ready to go. In fact the show came away as they were doing it. I do think it got things moving but understand they only work properly if you are ready to go anyway. As it happened I didn't go into labour until the following evening but had uncomplicated home birth.

Good luck.

Hi Lupe
I had a sweep when I was 40+5 at the antenatal clinic because I wanted to avoid being induced if at all possible (I had booked a home birth. The sweep was uncomfortable but not particualrly painful. The doctor told me that he thought I would go into labour in the next couple of days but nothing happened. In the end I was induced at 40+12 and the midwives on ward did two sweeps during the day to bring on the contractions and speed up dilation and that worked brilliantly. In the end DS was born that night (two weeks ago) and although I was induced I had not cut or tear and only used gas and air even though he was 9lbs. I would say go for the sweep if offered.

My menstrual cycle also 35 days. Was induced with first at 42 weeks, and would not recommend this if at all possible. Induced Weds 10 pm and she was born Fri luchtime! Very painful as I hardly had any drugs. With second was determined not to be induced so asked for sweep when 41 weeks. Slightly worse than a smear, I was alread 2 cm dilated. However, nothing happened and he was born a week later at 42 weeks. My waters had ruptered 36 hours prior to his birth, and had a lot of pressure to be induced after 24 hours with no contractions. But looked it up and it is possible to go 48 hours as long as you are monitored. In the end they started naturally and labour was only 6 hours. Plus with drugs the whole thing was soooo much better. Good luck.
PS you can say no to being induced!!!!!

I had a sweep with 2nd DD at 40+ ?days (can't remember)- I had to stop the midwife as I found it very uncomfortable. They were able to tell me that I was nowhere near ready and I was induced about a week later.

I like you, was desparately keen to 'do the right thing by the baby' but if I had my time over, given that there were no complications with my pregnancy, I would definitely have given myself another week or so. My first birth was an elective C-sec and I was looking forward to the experience of natural birth, but inducement felt like anything but

in my case i'd agree exactly with wishingchill - sweep was uncomfortableish only, but I feel now that although it definitely triggered labour it didn't make a great deal of difference in the time it happened - i'd say maybe 2 days but who knows?? Sweep at 3 pm - waters at 4 - into hosp twice - baby born 11.15. I don't think I'd bother again but it might be worth trying before a full drip induction if you decide that you will go for the latter.

I think that when a sweep is offered it should be just prior to an induction date. I think that sweeps should not be offered just because 40 weeks has been reached. Induction does not need to be considered before 10 days past due date. It can trigger labour but should be kept until just before planned admission for induction IMO.

Have to say I have had a sweep once (if it is done right there is a saying 'there should be a tear in the eye and blood on the finger'. I was 39 weeks and 5 days and was needing induced because of the development of antibodies. The consultant did it without telling me and I had to be scraped off the ceiling. I was admtted that night to get prostin gel the following morning, however I started contracting at midnight. DS2 was born just before 11am. I think sweeps tend to work better if you have had a labour before. So they do work sometimes

I had a sweep performed without my consent (or knowledge, had no idea what the woman was up to until too late). Was excruciatingly painful, humiliating and generally awful ? it would probably have been painful anyway based on Mears' comments, but could have avoided all the trauma. Did go into labour within a few hours and had relatively fast one (9 hours). Although maybe running for a bus on the way to the midwife appointment had something to do with that!

No-one should touch you or do anything to without your consent (obviously unless emergency with unconscious patient and hope that doesn't apply here). Some docs and midwives are so used to women being meek and mild that they ride roughshod without even meaning to ? the midwife who assaulted me probably wasn't a bad person, she was just stuck in the groove of 'oh, you'll be 41 weeks tomorrow, this is what we do without even mentioning it let alone asking permission'. You don't have to put up with it. They can't force you to be induced to suit their timetables. Go with what your body and your baby tell you.
Hope everything goes well for you.

Hi everyone - there've been some really useful replies and I've decided to hold off the sweep for now (midwife's coming round in about an hour). I should point out that she seems lovely and never put me under any pressure to have a sweep - merely said that she could do it if I wanted.

but I certainly wasn't aware of all the issues surrounding sweeps and feel much better informed now.

Next time I'm not going to tell anyone my due date so I don't have to put up with all the 'hasn't she come yet?' questions which I'm sure are a pyschological barrier to just relaxing and waiting for baby to come!

Hi,

I had a sweep because I was three weeks over due and due to size they were worried that I wouldn't be able to give birth naturally if I wanted much longer. At the same time I was booked in for induction. As it happened the sweep did hardly anything for me. Two days of contractions taking me to 2cm dilated, then nothing for another 3 days. I went in for induction and still took another 3 days before my baby was born.

Before anyone starts panicking - my labour took another 3 days because I was tired and my body could hardly cope with the labour. I was told afterwards, if I hadn't have had the sweep the induction would not have taken so long. And also that if I had of gone home after one day of induction it may well of happened quicker because I would have been in a more relaxed atmosphere.

Hind sight is a wonderful thing. Basically they cocked up with my labour, the hospital admitted fault. Which is something I suppose. I know one thing for sure when it comes to my second child I won't be accepting everything they say so readily.

I hope I haven't scared you too much, but in hindsight I wish I had of known these things before hand.

Hope everything works out right for you Lupe.

Oh gosh! Nervous after reading this thread!! I have just returned from hospital. I'm 39 wks with my 2nd and had a bit of postcoital spotting . The MW monitored the baby who was fine, then asked me if I wanted her to check my cervix. I had a suspected show a couple of weeks ago and have been having very intense BH and backache. Anyway, she told me that I am 2-3cm dilated....... then she said "I gave you a membrane sweep whilst I was examining you, so I expect you'll be back in tonight"!!

I thought it was a good thing, but now I'm panicking. Surely since I am 2-3cm already then it's just to stimulate stronger contractions??