Can I be induced without having a sweep? How useful are sweeps?

[KnockOffNorbert]

I have been told to book a sweep (althought I haven't because I didn't think I needed it yet, but am now 40 +4) but last time I had a sweep and was still induced a few days later. I don't mind being induced at 40 +9 (what they did last time) but the sweep was really the most painful upsetting thing and if it doesn't really do anything, can I just skip it? Can I book myself straight in for induction? (have no MW, just dealing direct now with hospital for some reason). Thanks

I found my sweep wasn't that bad, nowhere near as bad as labour anyway. I had a sweep at about 2pm and went into labour that night. I had contractions starting straight away after it too.

Is there any reason why you wouldn't just wait, or is it getting too uncomfortable to carry on?

How long can you wait for? I thought 40+14 was the very max. I have no appointments or anything so no ones keeping an eye on anything, just getting edgy.

You can be induced without having been swept.

But sweeps are kind of seen as a "no intervention" induction. Probably becasue if they do kick labour off, they do so without all teh classic cascade of intervention which tends to follow a chemical induction. To be most effective a sweep needs to be done twice, 48 hours apart, but this is very rarely applied.

WRT induction , you can wait as long as you like. Your body, your induction, but 40+ 14 is usually the upper advised limit, after this you'd probably want to ask for daily monitoring, (and they'd have to give it) but it's your body