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Childbirth

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

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Original poster

Stretch and Sweep.

26 replies

VictorianSqualor · 07/04/2008 11:31

I'm supposed to be having one later.

Have you had one?
What can I expect?
Did it make you go into labour?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

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paranoidmummy · 07/04/2008 11:39

Hi vs,

I had a stretch and sweep with my ds.. and a failed one yest but that's another story!

with my original sweep... its similar to any VE really. they'll insert their fingers and try to go inside your servix. they basically attempt to 'push' away the bag of membranes and sweep around the outside, between you and the baby. Hope that makes sense.

Its uncomfortable but by no means unbearable. You will prob have a show and some slight bleeding afterwards but my midwife said that's a good sign that things have been disrupted.

With ds I had a hindwater leak 2 days later but whether they were related i don't know. I do know of people that have had really good success with sweeps tho so I am keeping my fingers crossed for you

sometimes they do advise another after 48 hours as it can take more than one to get things going. when is your cs booked for?

paranoidmummy · 07/04/2008 11:39

cervix not servix

LynetteScavo · 07/04/2008 11:43

Oooh, didn't realise you were about to have a baby, VS.

Sweep didn't work for me.

It didn't hurt though, and I guess you're at that stage where anyting is worth a try.

I did feel a little sore, like mild period pains the next day, but my midwife had given me a really good stretch.

sagitta · 07/04/2008 11:47

I really hope it works for you VS. I do seem to remember the MW telling me that something like one in three work...but someone may be able to correct me on that.
Its a bit uncomfortable, but quick. I had two or three, and, I am sorry to say they had no affect at all - no show, nothing. Hopefully , though, it'll be your turn for it to work, statistically! I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you...let us know how it goes. x

dirtygertiefromnumber30 · 07/04/2008 11:47

IME s&s' will only work if labour is imminent anyway. I had 4 with dd and nothing happened.

agree with lynette though - anythings worth a try at this stage - you just want the bugger out!

Good luck!

ItsNotYouItsMe · 07/04/2008 11:49

I had two, neither of them started things, but neither hurt, and even though it didn't trigger labour, being told I was 1-2, then 2-3 cm dilated was encouraging!

Original poster

VictorianSqualor · 07/04/2008 11:57

The CS is booked for wednesday but I'm really tempted to cancel it.

OP posts:

sagitta · 07/04/2008 12:16

VS - can you rebook it for a few days later? Just to give yourself more time to do it naturally?

maidamess · 07/04/2008 12:17

I had a sweep with no 3, a bit wincey but OK. And I went into labour the following morning.

Original poster

VictorianSqualor · 07/04/2008 12:19

I can book it for when I want, realistically, it's just a bit awkward.
I'm not the best at changing plans as it is, I don't want to put anyone out
DP's mum has booked the days off work to have the DC's, DP has booked the days off too which is easily changeable if I go into labour but with it being the school holidays this fortnight it means I'll have time to recover from the CS before I have to do school runs etc.
And that's without the extra risks that the hospital think there are if I go over.

OP posts:

lollyheart · 07/04/2008 13:56

i had a sweep with dd and ds went into labour a few hours later both times but my cervix was already 2 - 3 cm already.
hope it works for you

hazeyjane · 07/04/2008 14:19

I had 3, none of them made me go into labour, Barely felt the first one, second one was agony (MW said it had to hurt for it to work!), third one - forgotten, was pretty fed up by then.

Dd 2 arrived 14 days overdue, 4 days after last sweep.

Original poster

VictorianSqualor · 07/04/2008 14:21

OP posts:

sagitta · 07/04/2008 14:31

VS, I wouldn't worry about 'putting anyone out' - this is more important than a few changed plans...

mommylongsocks · 07/04/2008 15:40

had a cs with my first child - didn't work! didn't hurt just a bit uncomfortable and bled after aparently they will try and do 2 now before they induce..hoping wont need them this time!

phlossie · 07/04/2008 16:01

My 'scratch and sniff' as my dh charmingly called it was a no go with dc1 because the mw couldn't even get her fingers in there, but with dc2 it helped (though I was already having contractions) me avoid medical induction.
Apparantly some midwives have better success rates than others!

Original poster

VictorianSqualor · 07/04/2008 16:42

She couldn't do it anyway, my cervix is too closed.

OP posts:

phlossie · 07/04/2008 16:47

Unlucky VS. I was the same with ds - it was very dissapointing. I hope you get there.

Coathanger · 07/04/2008 17:01

How many days over are you VS? Has your midwife arranged to come back and try again in a couple of days? Don't be disheartened - if your MW is returning to try again, it might be more favourable.

IMHO a sweep is only a good as the person who performs it....some MWs just have the knack! But its also only possible if the cervix is beginning to efface.

I had sweeps with 2 of my 3 pregnancies and neither worked, but it was worth a go. Now I perform them as a student MW!!
xxxxxxxxxx

Original poster

VictorianSqualor · 07/04/2008 17:03

I'm not overdue coathanger, I'm due tomorrow but there was an issue with my placenta so I had agreed to a CS (really unwanted) on wednesday.
The mw was trying to do a sweep for me so I didn't have to have the CS.
Apparently it's wonderfully soft and anterior and the baby is in a perfect position for labour, just no dilation.

OP posts:

Coathanger · 07/04/2008 17:09

Oh, its a shame she couldn't do it then But on the plus side, if your cervix is soft and central, then it sounds like nature is doing its job. You never know, between now and Wednesday, things may occur! I will keep everything crossed for you xxxxxxxxx

Coathanger · 07/04/2008 17:13

Just seen your thread re: placenta issues. Have you been having dopplers and growth scans?

Original poster

VictorianSqualor · 07/04/2008 17:22

Yes, my doppler scan at 24 weeks was abnormal. I have no ideas what the results mean though.
Looking at my notes all the other dopplers say normal.
The growth scans have all been fine too, baby is on 97th centile and ahs been all the way through.

OP posts:

Coathanger · 07/04/2008 17:30

Was your last doppler scan at 24 weeks? If baby is growing well, then they can't be that abnormal.

And I've been thinking (which is very dangerous )....With your previous babies, did you dilate at all? Its just that if it did, then you would have what is called a multips os (the hole of the cervix remains at about 1 cm dilated for, well, pretty much forever!). If your cervix is central and softening, the midwife may have been able to do enough just to tip the balance....unless she had sausage fingers

Keep us up to date on events....I will be logging on now to see how things go

xxxxxxxxxxx

Original poster

VictorianSqualor · 07/04/2008 17:36

I've had a doppler every two weeks ever since.
I have no idea what the results mean though
Looking at my notes the last one says 'abnormal uterine doppler 0.50/0.51' which was at 38wks, each other one says 'normal' and is around 0.60, I don't know if that means anything to you!

I have never had a vaginal birth, nor laboured proper, I had ctx with DD but they stopped those and gave me a CS because of placental abruption so there is no reason for my cervix to already be slightly dialted (or at least thats what the mw just told me).

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