Sweep at 40 weeks

[Keha]

Hi, I'm 38+4, first pregnancy. Due to see midwife again at 40+1 where I'll be offered a sweep. I'm currently not sure whether to go ahead. My thinking is I'll only just be past my due date. If she tries and my cervix is soft/open and she can do the sweep, then I figure baby was pretty close to being ready to come anyway and I don't mind if it takes a day or two longer. If she tries and can't manage it, then I'll probably just worry that labour is nowhere near and worry about inductions. And if it's painful, causes bleeding, intermittent contractions etc, that's probably not going to be very relaxing.

Were you offered sweeps at 40 weeks? I appreciate I can refuse but did you feel like you were expected to have it. Did you feel better or worse knowing what your cervix was up to?

I had one offered at 39 weeks and another at 40 but both weren't successful as cervix too high and closed. She did say the action of trying might change things but apparently not! I did feel like it was something that 'should' happen and it was expected rather than offered.
They weren't the most pleasant experience but didn't hurt, for me it felt more like someone having a rummage about with a few instances of the sharp feeling you get if baby decides to press down.

For me the first one was fine but the second one really demoralising as nothing had changed from the first one so felt it was a bit pointless. I was offered another one but declined. I definitely think the first one was a good idea to get an idea of where he's at but having further ones and them not working isn't the best as I came home, went to bed in a huff with a cornetto 😂
Totally your choice and what you feel comfortable with

I had one at 40+1 and gave birth 48 hours later. Intermittent cramping began a couple of hours after the sweep (manageable) and I was in early labour by lunchtime the next day & established labour by the evening.

I didn’t bleed much after it. Obviously no way of knowing whether the sweep kick-started labour but I’m glad I had it. The responsible midwife came to see me On one of the postnatal visits and I just gave her a big hug!

I’m 40+2 and have been to the midwife this morning. She has said she won’t do a sweep until I’m a week over as she doesn’t think it will help and it’s policy not to do it til then. Think some of it depends on where you live and what their policies and procedures are

Thanks for your responses. I'll just need to have a think about it before the appointment and then see what the midwife says. Perhaps this baby will even come before then...but my gut feeling says it wont.

You've still got 10 days before the appointment, your labour could definitely start in that time so try not to worry.
Personally I will be declining a sweep. It sounds uncomfortable, there isnt that much evidence that it actually works and if baby is not ready to come I would rather just wait.
Lots of people say "I had a sweep and labour started 24 hours later!" Like itself some medical miracle. Well that might have happened anyway!

I was told that they only work if you are on the edge of labour anyway. I'd see how you feel. If the baby feels low and you're getting uncomfortable pressure, give it a try. If not I wouldn't bother. I refused one at 40+5 and then had one at 41+2 but it was a waste of time as my cervix was thick and long. Baby wasn't ready.

I had two sweeps. One at 38 and another at 39 and they didn't hurt whatsoever. My cervix was very high and she said it could be 3 weeks before labour. I was dreading it so did everything I could to induce labour and my beautiful son was born 39+6. I had two more sweeps whilst in labour and lord, I was climbing up the hospital bed to get away from the midwife.

I don't know if they worked or not, but I would definitely suggest getting them as I feel they helped things get moving!

I was due on the Sunday 30th august 2015, I was booked in for a sweep originally on the Wednesday, but I started having contractions on the Tuesday so I decided to see if things would progress naturally. They didn't so I ended up having a sweep at 3pm on the Friday (40+5).
I got to the hospital at 9 that evening, was in the birth centre by 10.30, had my waters broken around 2am, then gave birth at 6.58am the Saturday morning (40+6).
It didn't hurt or feel uncomfortable at all and it did help move things along (the head wasn't fully engaged so things wouldn't have progressed on their own).

I had two sweeps and they didn’t hurt at all. Unfortunately they didn’t work either but baby will come one way or another

Sweeps weren't a thing when I had my first two but when I had my youngest I was offered them and had two. They did nothing (he came of his own accord at 42+2.

They didn't hurt but on balance I probably wouldn't accept them again. It just felt a bit unnecessary but then if I had been in slow labour maybe it would have had more of an impact and sped things up.