Is a sweep worth it?

[LSKelly]

I am 41 +1 (first baby) and feeling very fed up with waiting for baby to make an appearance.
Met with my midwife yesterday at home to try a possible sweep but said he was not engaged and so it would not be an option to try a sweep at home but that she would speak with her colleagues at the hospital.
She has finally got back to me today and they can offer me a possible sweep Friday evening!?
I am booked in for an induction on Sunday.. just doesn't seem like it's worth it?
I have not heard much about the success rate and if it fails I am due for induction just 2 days later.
I am freaking out about induction as I also hear it will be more intense, painful, etc and midwife has spoken about 3 attempts and if this doesn't work then it's the dreaded C section (which I strongly don't want due to living in a rural area with no nearby friends or family for support).
Meanwhile still trying EVERYTHING to bring labour on naturally
Any thoughts would be much appreciated, thanks.
Louise x

I'm 40+1 today and really feel for you! I actually had a sweep today and it wasn't as uncomfortable as expected. It's obviously personal choice but to me it was worth a go as I couldn't really see the harm. Hoping for me it brings my contractions closer together as currently they're 10 mins apart! Good luck whatever you decide

The sweep I’ve heard only works if you’re nearly ready, just moves things a long a bit. Can be slightly uncomfortable but it’s really not too bad (and helped prepare me for realities of childbirth).

If it’s your first then you won’t know if it’s more or less painful with induction. I had to have one and tbh it made my labour when it started much quicker but I’d been 1cm dilated for a week or so anyway.

Congratulations you’re nearly there x

Thanks for your replies
I just can't help but feel the midwifes have left everything quite late... hear people having sweeps offered a lot sooner than 41 weeks.
I too have heard it can bring things on only a little if he is ready to come. More deflating I have had no signs or changes what so ever that he may be making an appearance.
My pregnancy has been a breeze which i knew would be too good to be true!
I'm feeling like declining a sweep just for the fact it's only 2 days before induction.. if I have to wait for that then he clearly isn't ready to come naturally.
He is only slightly not back to back and still not engaged, he isn't moving anytime soon.
X

Some midwives don’t think that they help (the AMA thread) so might not offer unless requested. It honestly can’t hurt and it might progress you enough to avoid the induction (if you want to).

I have read on here that you can refuse induction but they prefer it due to risk to you and baby.

I had one, it didn't help and I was more 'ready' than you are so I'm not sure if bother again. I was induced 2-3 days later as well. Mind you I didn't realise it would hurt more after induction than normal labour. Ok I can't make my mind up and this post is very unhelpful now! Good luck

Oh I will have a look.
Yea maybe I am just being moody, i know my poor husband probably doesn't want to give me his opinion as I'm likely to snap.
I do worry that I will go to the hospital and they will say again it's not worth it if he hasn't moved or engaged. It's such an emotional rollercoaster!
Midwife did discuss I could decline induction but I would need to be monitored regularly. However if any risk factors occurred then I would have to have a C section without any other options.
Thank you for reply

I was 9 days over and had a sweep. I had my baby the day after. It definitely started it off for me I started with mild contractions on the drive home. Definitely worth a shot.

I had 3 sweeps and went into labour after the final one (gave birth at 41 +4 and avoided an induction by 12 hours).

If I'm completely honest, in hindsight, I wish I had declined being booked in for the induction and therefore declined the sweeps (that I only had in order to avoid the induction). I believe my labour was most likely longer and more drawn out than it would have been if it had started naturally.

In short: if you want to avoid induction, I'd have the sweep: 'the least worst option'. If you're thinking about declining induction, I wouldn't bother.

In the meantime, whatever you decide, I'd get moving. Go for short walks and bounce on a birthing ball in order to get baby engaged. This might trigger labour anyway!

I’d say yes - the doctor gave me a sweep - broke my waters during it and flooded the place (she said she didn’t mean to do that and it hadn’t happened before to her) massively kicked things off and baby arrived an hour later 😊 happy days!

I think if you’re headed for induction anyway I’d give the sweep a go. If you’re close to labour anyway it might just give things a kick-start. If you’re not then it’s not really going to do anything. Induction is intense, it’s a very different experience to a natural delivery, but it can also be a positive experience. If you take part in the decisions then you’ll find it a lot easier mentally. Don’t be afraid to get an epidural though, it’s much harder work than a natural labour

Ahhh just read that he’s back to back- id spend some time hanging out over my birthing ball watching tv if I were you. If you can get him to move round he will probably come...

I have tried everything to get him to turn for the past 2 weeks, nothing has worked. 2 hour walks a day with the dog, bouncing on the ball, spinning babies techniques and all the other 'old wives tales'.
The annoying thing is he was fully engaged but back to back for weeks leading up to my due date. Then he turned ever so slightly, midwife said his back is now to my left side but now he isn't engaged!?
Apparently some babies do this as it's difficult for them to turn when their head is engaged but they will go back down once turned. Well he still hasn't.
Due to him not being engaged was the reason midwife couldn't do a sweep on Monday, which leaves me thinking well what's the difference me being in hospital and them doing it? Midwife said it could put me at risk of waters breaking and cord prolapse which she wasn't prepared to do at home.

I think after a couple of days to think about it, I am going to go for the sweep on Friday. I have had no signs or changes which leads me to think he's not coming anytime soon except slightly more lower back pain.
BUT my thinking is well maybe one of the midwives may actually try a sweep and if not successful they may be able to tell me if there is anything happening down below. Because right now I don't feel like my body is doing anything which is deflating when all you are told is "your body knows".

I had a sweep with baby no 2 at 39+5. I was 1cm, which is basically undialated for 2nd baby. I had a second sweep at 40 weeks. Spontaneous natural labour at 40+1. I would go for the sweep as you’ve nothing to lose.

Also, I really liked a midwife giving me s little stays update on my cervix

Best wishes for the next few days!

Wasn't for me. I had one at 41+4 with ds1 and was induced at 42 weeks. With ds2 and ds3 I planned to decline both. I was offered a sweep at edd with ds3 and found that daft!

I was induced with DS1 which ended in a Cat1 EC - lots of unusual complications so definitely not the norm. Had an induction date planned for DS2 but was desperate to avoid it, 3rd sweep @ 42+1 brought on labour the day before planned induction date and I had a normal delivery.

Sorry, meant to say good luck as well!

Thanks for your replies ladies, it's reassuring to know it seems like worth a go.
I'm going in with the mindset of it not working so anything else has to be a bonus.
Plus the update will be much appreciated from the midwife

Just keep telling myself this time next week it will hopefully all be over!

So my back to back baby turned in labour, but it was quite a specific position the midwife made me stay in - on my knees, with my chest and head resting on the birthing ball, weight or bump forward and down. I think if I’d spent a bit of time like that before my labour would have been quicker. Once I’d got him to turn things moved more quickly

I think that's what I have been doing, but I will definitely give it another go over the next couple of days.
Thanks

How are you getting on OP? Hope you’ve been comfortable in this heat!