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Childbirth

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

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Original poster

can you say no??

14 replies

youngmumandbump · 08/03/2008 20:07

hey mumsnetters i am now 4 days over due and have had 2 unsuccessful sweeps which were not a nice experience. can i say no to a third?? or will i just get pressured into having one done?? give me your thoughts/experiences. x

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JodieG1 · 08/03/2008 20:08

You can say no to anything, they cannot force to have anything done to you that you don't want.

needmorecoffee · 08/03/2008 20:10

course you can. No-one can make you do anything. I went to 42 weeks with number 4.

whomovedmychocolate · 08/03/2008 20:13

You can say it a lot more strongly than that if you like

Yes of course you can say no, it's your body. To have any intervention without your permission is assault.

Have you tried acupuncture/reflexology?

GerrardWinstanley · 08/03/2008 20:13

you might get pressurised but more often I think midwives just assume you want one done. Just politely decline any more. You don't have to explain why. You are only 4 days over an estimated due date. You may not really be overdue at all. If you get 7-10 days overdue you should be offered monitoring or an induction. It is absolutely your choice which path you choose.

Original poster

youngmumandbump · 08/03/2008 20:20

thanks its just when i left antenatal last week they said 'if we see you next week we will do another sweep' like they weren't actually giving me the choice. since then ive had another unsuccessful one at the hospital and don't really fancy another one. i guess my thoiughts at the minute are she will come when shes ready.

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Lulumama · 08/03/2008 20:25

of course you can say no, they canot make you take off your knickers and clothes and open your legs....

you have the right to refuse any or all internal exmainations too

whomovedmychocolate · 08/03/2008 20:27

Your instinct that she will come when she's ready is probably absolutely spot on. Go with it.

4 days is nothing in the great scheme of things. I wouldn't give it another thought for a week at least and just enjoy your last days of being pregnant before the big push.

Don't be bullied into anything, just say you don't want the sweep. The midwives will probably be relieved, I doubt they relish the thought of doing it yet again to no avail!

sweetkitty · 08/03/2008 20:29

4 days overdue is nothing really chances are you will go yourself in the next few days.

I had a sweep with DD2 it did nothing I went to 41+5 with her.

This time there is NO WAY I am having a sweep.

Original poster

youngmumandbump · 08/03/2008 20:32

i don't know if it just me but i did find the sweep really uncomfortable and as horrible as it sounds quite painful as the midwifes knuckles grinded against my pelvic bone. did it hurt anyone else??

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GerrardWinstanley · 08/03/2008 20:33

I also got 'we'll do you a sweep' and 'we'll book you in for an induction'. I think it's just a badly expressed offer rather than meant as an instruction. The midwife was suprised when I said no to both but they didn't tried to pressurise me. TBH I think they expect you to be so fed up at this stage you'll do anything to move things along.

I felt exactly as you do, the baby will come when she's ready. In fact I felt quite protective of her - 'keep your hands out of there and leave her alone!'

How accurate do you think your given due date is?

Lulumama · 08/03/2008 20:33

a lot of midwives won;t even do a sweep until you are 41 weeks

the less ripe and forward the cervix is, teh more uncomfortable it can be, i was given one in early labour when already 2-3 cm and soft and i didn't feel it

Original poster

youngmumandbump · 08/03/2008 20:54

well when the midwife did the sweep the first time she said i was ripe and dilated 2-3cm but it still hurt. not sure why. i dont think my due date is accurate at all as they count it from the first day of your last period but didn't have intercourse untill the day before i was due on again.

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GerrardWinstanley · 08/03/2008 21:30

there is a skill to giving internals including sweeps and some midwives and doctors are better than others. So perhaps the midwife who's been doing yours is just a bit clumsy at it.

don't have another sweep unless you want it. From what I remember reading, there's no real evidence sweeps help labour start more quickly anyway. they seem mostly to be done for psychological reasons, so that the fed-up heavily pregnant woman feels like something is being done to help her along.

You don't sound fed up of being pregnant. You do sound fed up of being told what to do.

Original poster

youngmumandbump · 08/03/2008 22:21

yeh you got it right there. i guess i am fed up of being told what to do and to put it bluntly also of being faffed with if that makes sense.

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