Inductions and Sweeps

[sunshineandshowers]

Hello,

new poster here. I am 40+5 today and I have a midwife app tom afternoon. I am not really sure what happens next and have some questions.

Can I ask, or even insist on a sweep tom? Or will I get offered one.

She said at last appointment that we would book an induction in tom, if I had not delivered. When do they normally book them in for, 42 weeks or over this, or is it pot luck? I would like one asap, but how insistent can I be? I have had a totally straight forward pregnancy (it is my first)and bp etc all fine. Are they going to make me wait and wait? It honestly feels like baby will never come.

Thank you
Jo

hi and welcome..

I had my sweep on my due date last time, and it did work for me.. but it doesnt always work.. My consultant didnt think mine would work as my cervix was still long and I hadnt started to dialate.

Good luck hun x

Hi Jo

I was 15 days overdue and had to end up being induced. Different hospitals have different policies. The one I went to said as long as the baby was ok and I was ok there was no rush to be induced. I felt the same as you, that the baby would never come and I actually felt quite depressed by the whole waiting game. Anyway, it was worth the wait.DS turned 1 year old yesterday and it's been the quickest year of my life. Hope everything goes ok for you x

With me (ds 11 weeks old) they wouldn't induce til 2 weeks overdue. They want you to go into labour naturally. It really is the best way. Personally I NEVER want to be induced again after I was with dd(had a close call with ds though!) It does differ on time though between hospitals so you'll have to see what your mw says on when yours could be.

With a sweep they don't always work. My mw attempted one with me but wasn't able to do it.

I know it is really hard, both mine were late(dd 40+14 and ds 40+11) but it really is best to wait for your body to go into labour

Good luck. Sending you lots of labour vibes

I had 2 sweeps on my first baby. one on and then day after my due date, but they did not work. (Was 2cm at 1st sweep and 3-4cm at second). Went into labour three days later.

At my local hospital they will induce you after 10 days on first baby, bit longer, 14 days I think on the second.

Good luck Jo x

wow, thanks for reponses. what a friendly bunch.

I just really do not feel "laboury", and they will have to go in to smoke it out at some point, so it may as well be sooner rather than later. I don't really feel that I am physically struggling, but mentally I am in limbo. I just can't believe that you can go from feeling quite ok and benign to labour in a few hours. It just feels so far away.

I will definitely try to get sweep tom afternoon. Thanks for all the laboury thoughts. I am incredibly up for it now (watch me wince and try to run away with first contraction ) xxx

I am sure you could get one. I had one at 41 weeks (although it didn't work) so I was induced at 42 weeks. They don't usually let you run over more than 2 weeks, unless you really want to wait for nature to take it's course.

Best of luck

Sunshine, i REALLY know what you mean and I was thinking this is never gonna happen but it WILL honestly. It just such a hard wait. Thought i'd be ok waiting with number 2 after my wait with the first but i wasn't, just as impatient,lol

But with ds(the 2nd) I went in to be induced on the thursday, was sent home as they were too busy then was ok all day. went to bed and felt a bit funny then shot out of bed as felt the waters going. Then after about an hour of leak waters my contractions started. So try not to worry that it won't happen as you may not get advanced notice.

I'm sure lots of people will be on later with some more advice.

Good luck

Sunshine I had two sweeps, neither of them worked. I "gave in" and was induced at +15 days.

I don't want to give you a horror story here, and it was my choice to be induced in the end, but if I had my time again I'd hold out for longer before being induced, as it wasn't the best of experiences.

I wanted to give you some sympathy too though, it's horrible when you're huge and overdue and you can't feel anything that is even remotely like the start of labour. Especially when you can see your maternity leave ticking away.

{{{hugs}}} and labour vibes, for what they're worth.

Lulumama might be along soon to tell you to do nipple stim and have sex.

Well, I had a sweep. It was bloody painful and I bled (not too much). Baby lurched when she went in, but she was really nice. I still don't feel any different, so will just wait and see. I have an induction booked for 40+14 (next Tuesday), which seems like an eternity. Like you all said, best to go into labour naturally, so they want to wait as long as possible.

Had a cry when I came out and feel a bit better. Now tucked up on sofa with tea and laptop. Say some labour prayers for me. xxx

Before you insist on an induction make sure you know all the risks and benefits. Eg, increased likelihood of intervention, instrumental delivery. Not to mention the (unnaturally) painful contractions and increased likelihood of epidural etc etc... However, your trust will have a protcol for when they like to induce women so check with the m/w what that is and why.

sounds promising to me sunshine, more labour vibes to you

Hey LM, am just off out with hubby now for long walk.

thanks mossy

yes, my good old mantra of sex ( as long as waters are intact !) and nipple stim..which can be done with a breast pump

these two natural things release the natural hormones that induction replicates synthetically

oxytocin and prostoglandin which are syntocinon and prostin when you go for induction

one stimulates contractions, one ripens the cervix

always worth a try !

sending lots of labour vibes to you

It is really hard when your getting near the end and you just want baby to arrive, I know I did. Have to echo some of the other comments, try to avoid induction if you can it does make other intervention more likely. They also calculate baby's due date from your last period in the U.K. which I think is unrealistic.

agreed 4jen..also, 41 weeks is considered term in france, IIRC..a normal pregnancy is between 37 - 42 weeks....and some women need to 'cook' a little longer....you can ask for expectant management..ie scans and monitoring to make sure all is well , if you don;t wish to be induced

Yes, expectant management is something I wish I had been advised about at the time. I do think the french have it right, 9 months is a long time and we all have this magic date set in our heads and then it doesn't happen!.

your baby will come - when she's ready!

Sweeps aren't too effective in a first pregnancy.

First induction - 45% end up as an emergency CS, can't rememvber the stats for ventouse/forceps/bad tears etc etc.