Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

Flip

1 2

Original poster

To sweep or not to sweep??

28 replies

amylou222 · 19/01/2011 11:51

I'm now 40+4 and I have a midwife appoitment tomorrow. I know I am going to be offered a membrane sweep. I'm really in two minds about it. Other than discomfort is there any downsides to having a sweep done?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

mum295 · 19/01/2011 12:29

I went for a sweep at 5 days overdue, around midday on a Friday. I don't recall it being uncomfortable, and the midwife told me I was starting to dilate. Gave birth at 8am the following morning!

FoghornLeghorn · 19/01/2011 12:38

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted

TheEvilDead2 · 19/01/2011 12:43

I had one yesterday nothing yet! I felt it was the least invasive way of starting labour. I really don't want them to induce me so worth if it helps.

Original poster

amylou222 · 19/01/2011 12:45

I agree with you evildead2. I guess its got to be worth a try to avoid induction. Did any of you try acupuncture?

OP posts:

TheEvilDead2 · 19/01/2011 12:57

No.

Pregnancy is shit enough with out being poked like a pin cushion

mum295 · 19/01/2011 14:45

I had reflexology the day after my due date...still went 5 days over, but it was lovely and relaxing!

KittyLilith · 19/01/2011 14:55

Just out of curiosity (and sorry for the slight hijack) how long have sweeps been standard prcedure for? I have a 9-year old and a 5-year old (I'm newly pg with DC3) and it wasn't discussed at all then, but it seems to be offered to everyone approaching their due date now.

Is it anything to do with the fact that your induction date is arranged and booked for week 42 when you reach 38 weeks? (I don't know if this is national but it is in my area).

Sorry again for the hijack. If you have a sweep I hope it works well for you.

TheEvilDead2 · 19/01/2011 15:11

Friend of mine had a couple sweeps with hers (who is now 14) and my hynotbirth teacher had a sweep with her 10 year old boy.

I have heard they have gotten better about asking women, they used to just do it without saying thats whats they were doing when they did your internal

KittyLilith · 19/01/2011 15:15

So is it normal to have internals at standard check ups then? I never had one until I was in labour, and tbh if they start wanting to do them at random I would be asking them what on earth they want to do one for and refusing unless they had a really good reason.

humanfraggle · 19/01/2011 15:40

Sweep.

I had one at 40+7 & didn't find it painful at all, not even uncomfortable.

As for internals, kitty, I didn't have one at any of the standard check-ups, not until I was in labour.

TheEvilDead2 · 19/01/2011 15:46

Everyone I know who has gone over due has had one

Coppernoddle · 19/01/2011 16:33

I had one with both of my children, was overdue 5 days with the first and 7 with the sec one and my sweeps got me going with both! But, my midwife was a farmers wife and a friend of the family so was a little ruthless, so if it doesn't hurt, it doesn't work! My midwife got her finger in and yanked it forward! Half an hour later I was in labour! Definitely doesn't harm anything or baby, it's just stimulating the muscle!
I would definitely give it a go and make sure there very thorough as you defo don't want to be induced, that's very painful!
Give it a go!
Good luck x x

Flisspaps · 19/01/2011 16:38

I had one at 41 weeks. Did nothing (induced at 42+1).

Won't bother again, there is some dubiousness about how good they are - there's no way of knowing how many women who claim they work would have gone into spontaneous labour anyway.

OffToNarnia · 19/01/2011 17:30

I had two with my last pregnancy. Because of my 'oap mum' status consultant said safest not to go overdue for baby. 6 days between sweeps. Apparently 4 -5 cm dilated before second sweep- few hours later ds born. Not painful at all and it meant I did not have to make the decision to be induced.

LadyTremaine · 19/01/2011 17:33

I had one on my due date (stood in surgery, striped and lay on couch refusing to leave until they did it as hated being pregant so much) It wasn't that uncomfortable (and to honest, if you fnd that uncomfortable then good luck to you for the labour!)

Anyway, went in to labour that afternoon and had baby in a couple of hours time.

laylasmummy09 · 19/01/2011 17:38

hi i would deffinitely reccomend a sweep i had 1 at 40+ 13 and was in labour 3 hours later and only 4.5 hours in established labour, the sweep didnt hurt and i would rather do that than be induced x

Original poster

amylou222 · 19/01/2011 18:48

Right that's decided. I'm going to opt for a sweep tomorrow and see where it gets me...... I'll let you know!

OP posts:

hackneyzoo · 19/01/2011 18:58

I'm 40+10 with DC3 today and have had 3 sweeps so far, nothing has happened. I'm hoping to get another tomorrow as really want to avoid induction.

They haven't hurt, just felt slightly uncomfortable.

I had one with DC2 and gave birth the following morning. Its seems they kick start things if your body is pretty much ready to labour.

Good luck, hope it works.

mandy1978 · 19/01/2011 20:10

i had two with my last pg, the first didnt hurt and nothing happened, the second hurt and was uncomfortable but it got the right results.. i think she actually opened my cervix a little if ai remember... that night, labour/

it was worth the discomfort as i didnt have to be induced the day after

KittyLilith · 21/01/2011 11:52

Hope it went well amylou, and thankyou evildead and humanfraggle for answering my questions.

Original poster

amylou222 · 21/01/2011 14:38

Well i had a sweep yesterday afternoon and had a bloody show today so that's a good sign i think?! The sweep was quite uncomfortable but I'm not sure if that was partly because my cervix was still very long and closed so the midwife had to work quite hard to get up to the relevant bit to sweep! I'm getting some braxton hicks this afternoon but I'm secretly hoping that its the real things as otherwise I'm booked in for another sweep next thursday.....

OP posts:

mamasunshine · 21/01/2011 15:23

I'm in the same postion. Had sweep yesterday afternoon. Starting to have a bloody show this afternoon and BH's on and off. Booked in for another sweep next Thurs! Hoping something more regular and stronger comes on this evening, I would love to be cuddling my baby this weekend somethime 40+4 today. Good luck amylou

laylasmummy09 · 21/01/2011 15:28

woohoo sounds promising, good luck to you both

Coppernoddle · 21/01/2011 20:24

Oooooh exiting! Good luck!!!

louisesh · 21/01/2011 23:40

I definately would never have a sweep again.My 2 nd sweep at 41 weeks excerbated an e coli infectiom from my vagina to the placenta.Within sometime in the next 18 hour my DD had died and was stillborn 2 days later.

I m not saying this to scare anyone ,it was a lot of conicidences that came together with the worst possible outcome.However, if i hadn t had e coli [whilst asymptonmatic] or hadn t have had a sweep things could have been so much different.

I don t blame my MW [as a nurse i know i 'd never be able to prove accountability anyway] and no doubt it would be said there were too many variables to prove the same but i would not risk it again.{No need as in the future i would be having a section at 37 weeks anyway]

Not wanting to scare anyone just my experience.No doubt if you asked your MW re;my story they would deny the sweep had any part in the outcome.However, i know it did.

Flip

1 2