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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

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Original poster

Sweeps - how sucessful??

19 replies

Cazzybaby · 22/01/2008 16:24

HI all

I am due today, had a sweep earlier on today. The midwife said my cervix is favourable love that phrase!!
She could feel the babies head and said I am 1 - 2 cm dilated cervix foward and feeling soft.

Have been a bit uncomfortable since period type pains no bleeding yet.

Just wanted to know how sucessful sweeps are, and also what to expect next!!

Anyone willing to share experiences??

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

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mosschops30 · 22/01/2008 16:25

No good for me, I had 3 and was still induced.
But loads of people have had successful sweeps I'm sure they will be along soon

lulumama · 22/01/2008 16:27

sounds like you are getting ready.. a favourable cervix is good news. is this your first?

lots of sex, nipple stim, and sitting on that birth ball, sipping raspberry leaf tea should help too!

Original poster

Cazzybaby · 22/01/2008 16:30

I'll go and brew myself some rasberry leaf!! This is my first, been for a little walk round the block will have to wait for DP to get home to help me out with the sex although feeling a bit too uncomfortable for that at the moment

OP posts:

belgo · 22/01/2008 16:32

I had a sweep with my second baby - I was 2cm dilated. it was a painful sweep, and then I had two nights and one day of contractions before going into real labour 36 hours after the sweep.

good luck Cazzybaby!

belgo · 22/01/2008 16:33

oh and I also had sex that night as well (it wasn't the best sex ever) but along with the sweep, it certainly got things going.

Original poster

Cazzybaby · 22/01/2008 16:34

I didnt find the sweep painfull at all, but am very uncomfy now can feel pain all across my back and lots of pressure low down all good signs i'm guessing!

OP posts:

GColdtimer · 22/01/2008 16:34

I had two and didn't work for me. I think if you are ready, they probably do help move things along but if you are not, then a waste of time.

Good luck (tbh, I'd take rest over sex any day as that didn't help me either and I was just knackered!)

lulumama · 22/01/2008 16:35

that sounds really positive, already dilating and soft, brilliant !! try not to focus on every twinge and ever pain, just get on with things, get a good nights sleep if you can and wait and see

Original poster

Cazzybaby · 22/01/2008 16:36

Might go and have a kip store up a few hours in the sleep bank!

OP posts:

meandboys · 22/01/2008 20:01

I had a sweep with my 2nd and went into labour withing 3 hours! I did go for a long walk after and contractions started mildly whilst i was out walking. Sweep was at 12pm, labour started properly at 10pm and ds2 was born at 1am!

Hope you get something happening soon!

Look forward to hearing the birth anouncement

Good Luck!

whomovedmychocolate · 22/01/2008 20:03

I had a sweep - was great. Stopped the chimney fires and everything

TheWiltedRose · 22/01/2008 20:04

i had a sweep in the afternoon when i was 10 days overdue with ds2 ans was in labour by about 2 am that night! good luck

Original poster

Cazzybaby · 23/01/2008 11:37

I was so convinced it was starting last night, took two paracetamol and went to bed, woke up today and nothing

OP posts:

GColdtimer · 23/01/2008 11:49

sorry to hear that cazzy. Baby is obviously a bit too comfy. In the mean time, get some rest and be good to yourself.

trish12 · 23/01/2008 12:47

good question, my midwife said she perform the same if i go a couple of days over, got two weeks left. just how painfull is the sweep?

IrishMammyto2 · 23/01/2008 12:57

Thinking of you cazzy, i too had a sweep yesterday, (I am 40+3 with my 3rd)and was given the same description as you, soft favourable 2cms, can feel babys head etc.

I felt lots of pressure yesterday evening and went to bed thinking "maybe, just maybe," and had a great nights sleep!!!!

Had a bloody show this am, but nothing since apart from feeling the need to do lots of housework

I am booked in for another sweep on Friday if i still need one...have you another booked?

With my ds i had 2 sweeps, the first didnt hurt at all and did nothing, no pressure/show/pains etc. the second one was done by a different midwife and she asked me if the first one had hurt, when i said no she said that the one she was about to do would hurt. And boy did it hurt, as she left she told me she would see me in a few hours and lo and behold i was phoning her 7 hours later to say contractions had definetly started. But i must admit that i had been having niggles all afternoon and evening without realising that i was in early labour. It was one particular contraction at 9pm that made me realise i was having the baby that night.

At this stage i am keeping sane as i dont feel very uncomfortable, have had 2 really good nights sleep, and have mentally altered my due date to when i will be 42 wks and i will have to have the induction discussion.

Keep us informed......

Original poster

Cazzybaby · 23/01/2008 18:08

Hi Trish12 my first didnt hurt was uncomfortable as internal examinations are but not painful. It wasnt till about an hour afterwards that it got sore and period type pains and cramps and then a show. I was anxious about having it done but think it was because didnt know what to expect!

Irishmammy how are you doing?? You sound exactly the same as me right now! Hope things start happening for you soon. I am booked for another sweep on tuesday but midwife said she is hoping she will be round to see me baby not to do another one!

I have been to the cinema today with my mum to try and take my mind of things, havent even felt any niggles today .

I am going to run the hoover round and see if that starts anything

OP posts:

deaconblue · 23/01/2008 20:05

I had two sweeps and went into labour 2 days after the second one which was described bythe midwife in a similar way to yours. Baby won't be long

Jackmummy · 26/01/2008 08:38

I think I've had about 5 sweeps, between my 2 dc, and I've decided if done properly they really work.
With ds I had one, given half heartedly at my midwife appointment at 39 weeks (not sure why they gave it) but I was 1 cm and it wasn't really all that bad.
However my blood pressure then went up and they decided they didn't want me to go past my due date so I then had sweep no.2 which was soooo painfull and I waddled out of hosp contracting from that moment on only to return 4 hours later in established labour. Also bled at the time.
So when dd was due I demanded a sweep after the effectiveness of last time and again they halfheartedly did it... I felt nothing really worse than a smear... I had 3 of these.
So IMHO they only work if they really hurt!!! Unless you're about to drop anyway, I guess they may speed up the process slightly then.

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