Can I sweep myself?

[victoriascrumptious]

Stop reading now if squeemish.....................
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I figured that as MW's reccommend a good shag to get things going then surely there is no difference if you poke youself? I bought a vibrator off the intenet a few weeks ago-is it worth banging it about up there if I go overdue? Went overdue last time and want to avoid induction/section.

That sounds horrific!

I would try to wait patiently

no, banging about with a vibrator is absolutely not the same as a stretch and sweep

in a stretch and sweep, the MW will insert a fingertip into the cervix and literally sweep around to strip the membranes from the cervix. this is supposed to irritate the cervix and get hormones flowing htat will kickstart labour

sex & orgasm can help ripen the cervix and soften it, you need the sperm for that though

but by all means have a good rummage !!

don't think it's the mechanics of the shagging - it's one of the proteins in the semen. Therefore vibrator would not be useful. Sorry

Thought this was a housekeeping thread...

Sorry, joking. Personally I think you're probably over-anxious because of last experience. Second births are usually more straightforward (medical intervention much higher for prima gravidas; e.g. nationally the CS rate is about 28%, but 50% of these are first-timers), and usually faster.

Stop worrying about going overdue. When your due date approaches, try to get out and have lots of walks, spicy curries etc. WRT vibrators, personally I would be careful shoving anything plastic too far up there, you could introduce an infection or hurt yourself, but I don't see you can't 'pleasure yourself', as it might make you feel more relaxed and therefore more likely to go into spontaneous labour.

But not an expert!!

GOD CHrist woman do not stick a vibrator into your cervix!!!!

OR a finger

it is a very careful and clean procedure, risk of infection is considerable if you try and do it yourself.

But nothing wrong with using a vibe in its rightful domain. Just do not poke it too far.

Lol

Flightattendant, there is no way this is going to fit inside my cervix! I just thought it might agitate it a bit.

tsk link didn't work www.lovehoney.co.uk/product.cfm?p=12381

an orgasm can help release the right sort of hormones, but it won't start labour, not unless you are about to go into labour anyway and neither will a sweep

you don;t have to be induced simply for being post dates, unless there are other compelling reasons, it's your choice

Hi Lulu, I was inducted because my bp was creeping up. It only went up in the last 2 weeks though

I did, there are some threads, one mine one someone elses:
www.mumsnet.com/Talk?topicid=1365&threadid=489848#9886882

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/childbirth/552234-how-to-do-a-diy-sweep

tbh i still went overdue, ds was an april fools baby but i did learn alot and was able to monitor myself, i checked myself in labour and made dh call ambulance based on that and ds was born 15 min later!

Well it won't do any harm, will it.

Might help take your mind off things

love lauraingallswilder's exhortion to "wait patiently" instead

well, higher BP is a reason. even if you are induced again, second time round is often quicker

you know the mantra, mobile, active and upright!

Lol at ImSoNotTelling!

I had a rummage with my DC2 to see if I was dilated. I found his head and it freaked me out big time! I didn't go into labour for another couple of days after that though!

Good luck!

Imsonottelling
Waiting patiently is so much more appealing to me than shoving a vibrator up and 'banging it about'

Though I agree avoiding an induction/section is definately worth doing!
Just cos you went overdue first time its no guarantee you will this time [hopeful]

Your post was superb laura, really made me laugh I know you weren't joking but your turn of phrase was brilliant!

at liberty finding a head up there though

Yes, it was a shock. There I was expecting to find a soft cervical ring, with maybe a 1cm diameter, and instead I felt a good two inches of very hard head. It was most bizarre!

is all I can say to that really!

My cervix has never got past what the midwife charmingly described as "tight as a drum" at my sweep, so I'm doubly impressed!

Liberty - me too . I checked to see what was going on as had been having mild contractions and it took me a while to work out it was a head! I'm not sure what I expected to find up there...

My friend did her own sweep.

She trained as a midwife, though.

'Banging' a vibrator about sounds horribly painful.

I'm a midwife, I tried to do my own sweep with my first child, couldn't even reach it so thought I was really unfavorable. Midwife reached it easily the next day and it got me in to labour. Lots of sex helped too of course.

Am now 37+ weeks with my third, having regualar sex in the hope that it does the trick, but it just makes me have lots of tightenings!! Am having one now just thinking about it! Might try and do a self sweep in a couple of weeks if nothing has happened in the meantime but not too hopeful that it would work!

I shouldn't be reading this as i'm about to wet myself laughing!! i can barely even reach to 'wipe' let alone do a sweep!! and i wouldn't dare - baby is breech, i have nightmares about encountering a foot...!! good luck, hope things get moving however it happens!!