Stretch & sweep prior to induction?

[UncomfortableBadger]

Can I canvass opinions/experiences about stretch & sweeps please?

I’m 39+2 with what has thus far been a fairly uneventful first pregnancy - only risk factor is my higher BMI so I’m consultant led.

Due to potential size of baby (95th centile) the consultant has booked an induction for my due date. I know that I could refuse this but having read statistics about shoulder dystocia etc I’m minded to go ahead with the induction, even though it’s really not what I wanted. I gather that my hospital uses the Foley balloon method initially but I’m desperate to avoid the dreaded drip if I can.

I’m booked in to see the midwife on Monday & she’s suggested a stretch & sweep to try and move things along. I’m keen to avoid the induction route altogether if I can but even the midwife admitted that there’s not much evidence that the stretch & sweep actually works. I’ve read lots about the infection risk and the fact that it can trigger waters breaking, which then starts the 24-48h timer in terms of needing to rush to get baby out. My main concern is avoiding a c-section.

Any views/experiences very much appreciated, thank you!

The sweep wont break your waters, thats a different instrument. I went for it twice because I was desperate to get the babies out ans I think it did help get labour started. Seemed like a less invasive option that induction to me

The midwife is correct in that there is zero evidence that stretch and sweeps bring on labour despite multiple studies having been done looking for evidence. It’s mostly tradition why they do it. You are correct that stretch and sweeps carry risk of infection, which then causes premature rupture of the membranes (PROM) aka waters breaking. I refused stretch and sweeps because it seemed to be added risk for no gain.

You don’t have to have an induction on your due date. If you want to give spontaneous labour a chance, have it moved out a week to 41 weeks.

I've had many, none of them worked. I believe they say that they only work once your body and baby are ready so by that logic, it's going to happen anyway!
If your body isn't quite on the way they can be a bit uncomfortable, having said that there's obviously more discomfort further along
Best of luck whatever you decide, I hope you have as pleasant a birth as possible. Good luck

Stretch and sweep did nothing for me.
I also had an infection. No idea if the SS was the cause of it t though

I am in the exact same predicament, just a week behind you at 38+3. High BMI so under consultant, and wanting to avoid being induced. The same idea running through my head about asking for a sweep to begin with.

Both of my sweeps worked but then again my body was probably ready anyway.
If you're going into be induced you will be examined anyway (unless of course you ask not to be but I don't know that works for induction), ime a sweep wasn't that different to an examination.

Just an FYI the balloon is fucking agony so make sure they give you adequate pain relief and don’t let them fob you off with two paracetamol.

Agreed. My cervix wasn't open at all when they inserted it. It was shoved in with brute force (well it felt like it)

If induction isn't really what you want then do bear in mind that growth scans and bump measurements can be wildly inaccurate so baby may not be anywhere near 95th centile. Shoulder dystocia is also just as likely (if not more likely, I can't remember exactly) in smaller babies. Check out aims and nice guidelines for more specific information about it all. For what it's worth, I would avoid stretch and sweeps as there is no evidence they work and in the absence of any specific medical need I would opt to push the induction back. It is forcing your body into labour before you and baby are ready and has a higher risk of interventions, so for me it would need to be a better reason. Good luck with whatever you decide and I hope all goes well

Hi all
Thanks so much for the insight & for sharing your experiences.

Just back from the midwife - not a good experience as she struggled to find the heartbeat, which got me super worried even though I could feel baby moving about. She did find it eventually but I was already wound up by that point. Longest 10 minutes of my life.

She started with an examination which found that although baby’s head is super low, my cervix hadn’t moved to the right place yet. I told her to give up on the stretch & sweep at that point as it seemed futile.

Roll on induction day

I had stretch and sweeps (3 of them) prior to an induction which followed by a traumatic birth with Shoulder Dystopia and now very high infection markers in newborn - if I could go back I would just have the elective C section I was induced at 38+3 and still had SD with a big baby the worst part is it wasn't even highlighted to me as a risk so if you are willing to consider it OP I would say elective c section for safety

No evidence of stretch and sweeps being effective, so I’d go for an induction. I wouldn’t want to go overdue either.