Sweep help! | Mumsnet

bronzedproseccolover · 2023-11-20T18:41:18+00:00

Evening! I'd like some views on a membrane sweep. It's my first pregnancy, I'm due tomorrow but no sign of baby. Midwife told me on Friday she would like to try a sweep this Thursday ( I'll be 40+2 ) but I'm not keen. Did anyone else refuse a sweep?

fourelementary · 20/11/2023 18:43

Why are you not keen? To me it’s the more natural way of trying to get things moving. But I appreciate if you maybe stress about internals etc it might be something you’d prefer not to have.

HippoWater · 20/11/2023 18:45

Yep I refused with mine. If you research them there is no scientific evidence that they actually speed anything up. You shouldn't feel under any pressure to go through with one if it's not what you want.

Original poster

bronzedproseccolover · 20/11/2023 18:45

I hear what you're saying. I'm not ruling it out but I feel I'm still quite early for the sweep, even by a couple of days. Plus, it can be quite a painful procedure without much of an outcome also

OP posts:

Original poster

bronzedproseccolover · 20/11/2023 18:46

HippoWater · 20/11/2023 18:45

Yep I refused with mine. If you research them there is no scientific evidence that they actually speed anything up. You shouldn't feel under any pressure to go through with one if it's not what you want.

Yeah, I've read up that there's not much of an outcome at times. I'm all up in the air atm!

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Crimblecrumble1990 · 20/11/2023 18:52

My midwife said I was allowed one if I wanted it at my 40 week check, she would never have said 'she would like to try one'. It's offered at this stage but they should have no preference over what you choose unless there are medical reasons?

I said no as baby not even overdue yet and once I had given my decision she said she agreed.

Another week later with no baby, she offered again and I said yes. Wasn't too painful and baby came that night :)

Gooddaytoyouall · 20/11/2023 18:54

I had one at 37+3, couldn’t even feel them doing it but my cervix was favourable. It set off mild cramps over the next few days which got me to 2cm dilated when I went in to be induced (medical reason) so straight up to delivery and waters broken followed by very quick hour and a half labour.

I also read a sea of unpleasant/ negative experiences of them but was really glad I went for it as it naturally started things off for me vs days of pessaries and balloons.

Original poster

bronzedproseccolover · 20/11/2023 18:55

Crimblecrumble1990 · 20/11/2023 18:52

My midwife said I was allowed one if I wanted it at my 40 week check, she would never have said 'she would like to try one'. It's offered at this stage but they should have no preference over what you choose unless there are medical reasons?

I said no as baby not even overdue yet and once I had given my decision she said she agreed.

Another week later with no baby, she offered again and I said yes. Wasn't too painful and baby came that night :)

Like to try wasn't the right wording, she said we'd discuss one. I'm not ruling anything out, but just wanted to see everyone else's views/decisions. I'm glad you had a positive outcome

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MintJulia · 20/11/2023 18:55

Yes, I did.

I had just sat down at 9am on due date, everything done, house clean, bag packed, food cooked, and my midwife rang.

She wanted me to go in that day for a sweep to 'get things moving'. I didn't agree. I wasn't overdue, I hadn't had any issues, my blood pressure was fine. Baby was head down and not breach. She made me feel hassled and bullied when I wanted to be left alone.

I declined politely, she started pushing and insisting so I declined a bit more forcefully, She then tried to bully me but couldn't give a good reason why. I got cross, told her I was fine, I didn't appreciate her bullying, she needed to go away and stop twitching, and hung up on her. 😣

I started with pains in my back late on 40+4, and ds arrived early on 40+6. All good.

Gooddaytoyouall · 20/11/2023 18:56

Also to add even though I was being induced for a medical reason, it was 100% optional and my choice, even the induction itself. At no point was I told I had to and felt had I said no it would of been graciously accepted.

Bellesjp · 20/11/2023 18:56

I had one at 38+5, wasn't painful at all and set off mild contractions the following day, went into labour on my due date

Bellesjp · 20/11/2023 18:57

Sorry meant 39+5!

Suchardchoccy · 20/11/2023 18:57

I had one with my second on her due date and she was born 8 hours later!! Definitely worked for me, and it wasn't as bad as I've read they can be. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't nice but it was worth it

Pipa42 · 20/11/2023 18:59

Yes I declined the sweeps as wanted baby to come when ready and didn’t want any unnecessary interventions, gave

birth before needed to be induced. It really is totally up to you, a lot of women have a plan to decline at 40 weeks subject to reconsidering at 41 weeks depending on how they feel at the time. 80% of babies come within 10 days of due date

Original poster

bronzedproseccolover · 20/11/2023 19:00

MintJulia · 20/11/2023 18:55

Yes, I did.

I had just sat down at 9am on due date, everything done, house clean, bag packed, food cooked, and my midwife rang.

She wanted me to go in that day for a sweep to 'get things moving'. I didn't agree. I wasn't overdue, I hadn't had any issues, my blood pressure was fine. Baby was head down and not breach. She made me feel hassled and bullied when I wanted to be left alone.

I declined politely, she started pushing and insisting so I declined a bit more forcefully, She then tried to bully me but couldn't give a good reason why. I got cross, told her I was fine, I didn't appreciate her bullying, she needed to go away and stop twitching, and hung up on her. 😣

I started with pains in my back late on 40+4, and ds arrived early on 40+6. All good.

Oh no! That sounds bloody awful, I'm glad you stood your ground and then had a positive delivery

OP posts:

Original poster

bronzedproseccolover · 20/11/2023 19:02

Pipa42 · 20/11/2023 18:59

Yes I declined the sweeps as wanted baby to come when ready and didn’t want any unnecessary interventions, gave

birth before needed to be induced. It really is totally up to you, a lot of women have a plan to decline at 40 weeks subject to reconsidering at 41 weeks depending on how they feel at the time. 80% of babies come within 10 days of due date

Yeah, I may wait until I'm 41 if I'm honest. Baby has been head down since 26 weeks, I'm low risk, no medical reason for intervention so I'll just see how I go. Thank you for your reply!

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MintJulia · 20/11/2023 19:05

It was ok, we just didn't like each other at all. I found her patronising and very thin on explanations and answers, I certainly didn't trust her.

But the team at the hospital were fab. 😊

Pipa42 · 20/11/2023 19:06

MintJulia · 20/11/2023 18:55

Yes, I did.

I had just sat down at 9am on due date, everything done, house clean, bag packed, food cooked, and my midwife rang.

She wanted me to go in that day for a sweep to 'get things moving'. I didn't agree. I wasn't overdue, I hadn't had any issues, my blood pressure was fine. Baby was head down and not breach. She made me feel hassled and bullied when I wanted to be left alone.

I declined politely, she started pushing and insisting so I declined a bit more forcefully, She then tried to bully me but couldn't give a good reason why. I got cross, told her I was fine, I didn't appreciate her bullying, she needed to go away and stop twitching, and hung up on her. 😣

I started with pains in my back late on 40+4, and ds arrived early on 40+6. All good.

Oh my word, I work in maternity care and that’s awful behaviour. I didn’t opt for sweeps with any of mine and would never pressure a woman to accept one. It’s completely optional. Tbh can’t understand why she’d want to add to her workload. Obviously I don’t mind doing them if woman is fed up and may help things along but certainly don’t mind women opting not to have them!!

fourelementary · 20/11/2023 19:08

When they said they’d discuss Sweeps then I’m thinking you’d be perfectly fine to say you don’t fancy them. I can’t recall when I had mine (always past 40 weeks) but first two babies were induced… 3rd I had two sweeps- labour began within 24 hours of second sweep… and fourth one I actually went into labour myself! On the day a sweep was booked.

cakebytheoceon · 20/11/2023 19:08

My third baby was my only one that wasn't early . I too was apprehensive about a sweep. I had it the day after my die date. Was already 3cm and went into labour within a few hours. It's your choice! X

MintJulia · 20/11/2023 19:10

@Pipa42 I found out later. I gave birth in a military hospital. I was due two days before the rush of babies arriving because it was 40 weeks after the local regiment had got home from Iraq.

I think she was trying to avoid being swamped with ladies in labour 😀

Pipa42 · 20/11/2023 19:25

bronzedproseccolover · 20/11/2023 19:02

Yeah, I may wait until I'm 41 if I'm honest. Baby has been head down since 26 weeks, I'm low risk, no medical reason for intervention so I'll just see how I go. Thank you for your reply!

Show quote history

Sounds sensible plan, hopefully won’t be too long until you meet baby🤞 I tend to find they work best when women are nearer to the time they probably would have delivered anyway. i.e. unusual that do a sweep at 40+0 on woman who had 3 previous babies at 41+6 and she delivers 2 days later but quite a bit more common do a sweep at 41+0 on lady who delivered previous babies only a few days after due date and she delivers the next day 🥰
I’d probably opt for one personally if a couple of days before induction date, then definitely worth trying first. We often get women who ring up now fed up and changed their mind about wanting a sweep and more than happy to fit them in for an appointment if we can

Pipa42 · 20/11/2023 19:31

MintJulia · 20/11/2023 19:10

@Pipa42 I found out later. I gave birth in a military hospital. I was due two days before the rush of babies arriving because it was 40 weeks after the local regiment had got home from Iraq.

I think she was trying to avoid being swamped with ladies in labour 😀

🤣🤣🤣🤣

pinkorchid1 · 20/11/2023 19:39

I had 3 sweeps when I was overdue as I was desperate for baby to come due to DP having limited time off work.... they didn't work and ended up being induced anyway. So definitely no guarantee it will do anything!

CeCe2023 · 20/11/2023 20:08

I was induced and had a sweep during the process. That evening I lost my plug and cramps started which turned into contractions the next day, however I can’t say for certain if it wasn’t the other interventions.

I will say. It was possibly the most painful thing every, not uncomfortable, actually painful! I felt like I was going to black out; and honestly I’d rather give birth again 🙈

The doctor who did it might just have been rough though!

SMG1992 · 23/11/2023 09:35

It's entirely up to you whether you have one at all so don't feel pressured into anything.
I'm currently 37 weeks and will be requesting one at my 39 week midwife appointment as I'd like to get things moving if they haven't started to do so already by then.
I think it's just personal preference and also how you are finding pregnancy by that stage.