40 & 41 week appointments - what happens?

[FlirtyThirty]

I am 40 weeks on Friday and wondered what happens at the last appointment with my GP (which is Thurs). Do they just do the usual cursory measurement and heartbeat check...or will they look at anything else? Would they do an internal exam for example to check cervix? I'm quite keen to know if I'm likely to go very overdue...

And failing anything happening...I have an appointment with the midwife at Kingston Hospital at 41 weeks. Do they automatically do a sweep? Would I have to request one? When would they start talking about induction?

Any advice appreciated...

Thanks!

(Repeat post as stupidly forget to title last one!?)

Usually at 40 weeks it's just a normal appointment but they give you a sheet with info about sweeps on so you can read it before the 41 week appointment.

At the 41 week appointment they usually offer you a sweep and may book an induction date for you (though you can refuse it obviously)

I had a sweep the day before I was 40 weeks but only because I was having contractions every 5-6 mins that weren't progressing. I then had a show but the contractions stopped!

Am now 40+4 and still waiting.....

Thanks crafty - think I'll probbaly have the sweep if they offer one at 41 weeks...suddenly really keen to meet baby!

And Surprisenumber3 ...your baby is displaying some contrary habits already! How frustrating for you!

I have had no Braxton Hicks, no funny twinges, no obvious 'dropping' of bump, nothing to imply imminent childbirth at all in fact...and with only 3 days to go til EDD, I'm now pretty resigned to going overdue.

I went overdue for all my 3 pregnancies. I had a sweep at 41 weeks with my 1st and he was born 2 days later.

I had normal apps at 41 wks for next 2 and sweeps a couple day later. Was induced at T+12 for both.

Going post dates is rubbish!

I've had normal appointments - though I don't see the GP at all. 4 of my 5 babies have been born at 42+ weeks. Here, mw will do a sweep at 40 weeks if you want her to, I did agree to that with my last 2 babies but I found it very uncomfortable (to the point of being painful) and it didn't work anyway - in fact she couldn't really do it as even at 16 days overdue when I went in to be induced with my last two, I was not in the least bit favourable.

My 40 week appointment was just the standard checks, and was told I would be offered a sweep at 41 if I wanted.

At my 41 week appt I agreed to the sweep, but it was unsuccessful as the cervix was still well out of reach. To me this was helpful in itself as it confirmed my gut feeling that labour still wasn't imminent. I agreed to monitoring at the Day Assessment Unit at 40 + 14, but went into spontaneous labour at 40 + 12 and delivered next day.