Sweeps- did they work for you?

[mommymeggie]

Hi everyone,

I'm booked in for a possible sweep on Monday as I'm almost two weeks overdue now. How long did it take for it to work? Straight away? a few times? or not at all?

Just making my place, am interested to know as am having one tomorrow when I will be 41 weeks.

yes - worked for me

was 39 weeks and had already had a bloody show the day before

went into labour 2 hours after and DD arrived 7 hours later

my sweep hurt a lot - maybe that is why is was so effective?!

I had one with DS2 as he was 3 days overdue and they thought he would be massive so wanted him out (he was 10lb12 in the end)

I had the sweep on day 3 over and he came the next day.

Worked for me!

First time i had one with DS2 it worked and i went into labour that evening (i had it done in the morning)

With DD i had 7 i think eventually i went into labour whether it was as a result of the lastest one i couldn't say.

It didn't hurt while consultant was doing it but 10 mins later it all ached and was painful, then died off so I assumed it hadn't worked.

I had a sweep at 41 weeks. Sweep was at 5.30pm, I went into labour at 6.30am the next morning. Went for a big walk after to try and get things going.

I also found the sweep quite painful which i wasn't warned about.

I had two sweeps - at 38+1 and 38+3 days - neither worked and I had to be chemically induced - other problems so baby had to come out early.

both were rather umcomfortable and ineffectual

Interesting question - I had a discussion with my consultant about this yesterday, as I am 40 + 4, hoping for a VBAC.

She said she would happily give me a sweep - but in her experience, they work if you are about ready anyway. And if you're not ready, it won't make much difference. So there's no drawback to it, but it is uncomfortable.

So I didn't bother.

Now waiting (and hoping) for something to happen before next Tues, or it's another C section for me.

I've had one for each of my 3 pregnancies. None of them worked.

A bit of a mixture then. I am really hoping this will work tomorrow as am keen to give birth at the midwife led unit rather than hospital. Am booked in for induction on Monday if nothing happens by then.

Thanks everyone for the posts!! I am hoping it will work as baby has been fully engaged now for 3wks. Thats why I'm shocked he hasn't come out already!! I'm booked in on the afternoon, 3pm. I wish it was earlier so I would have more time to help things along. I will post how it goes

Good luck mommymeggie - hopefully not too long for you

I always heard that the more ripe you are the less it hurts.

I had a sweep with 2nd pregnancy 40+2 days at 1pm and labour started 10.30pm.

Today I am 39+1 day and had a sweep a couple of hours ago.

Midwife said she would only do it if I felt ripe and soft and I did, today and last time it didnt really hurt - bit uncomfortable like expected with someones fingers in your fanjo

now... the waiting begins!

I'm getting one in the morning at around 10 am. I'm 41+2 now. I'm hoping it works...keep ya posted.

My midwife is doing one for me at 40+1 if nothing happens before then but has said that if the cerix is hard and closed there is absolutely no point in doing one at all. In fact it is nigh on impossible.

Apparently if you are soft and stretchy it shouldn't hurt too much. But then of course, you can argue that it would probably happen of its own accord fairly soon after that point anyway.

Aaah, who knows?

I've been offered one at 39+3, oh my god that's a week on Monday.

Was very hard and closed at last check at 37+3.

Gah, sick of being pregnant, but also sick of having someone rummaging around down there (have had a ve once a month) and don't want to do it unnecessarily.

I was 41 weeks + 2 aswell, had a sweep on the thursday and started labour on the saturday. although DD didn't come out until next tuesday!

I wish you a quick one

Worked for me - DS2 was a week overdue. The doctor did a sweep and said she couldn't even feel my cervix then and in her opinion, I shouldn't be expecting too much out of it.

And 2am that night, I had my first contractions, and DS was born the next day.

I had 2, first attempt was on my due date and really painful as baby wasn't engaged and cervix was still closed quite tight so MW couldn't manage it. Second one a week later wasn't as bad but didn't work either unfortunately so ended up being induced.

I gathered that if the baby's engaged there's a good chance it'll work, but if you're not ready then it probably won't make a difference.

Mine worked. sweep at 41 weeks, contractions started 41+1 about 9pm, dd born 41+2 at 11.45pm. good luck!!

Hi
Sweep at 11am at 40 week checkup bub born at 3.41 that afternoon.I had already had a show and was 3cm at the checkup , but def think it helped things along .Good Luck :-)

Immediate effect for me.
A bit different in the this case I guess as I was already in labor. Was 6 cm dilated but waters not breaking.
Went to full dilation in 45mn after that.
Did not feel the sweep itself but what followed was fast and furious.