Sweep......

[jessicaandbumpsmummy]

Got a sweep tomorrow. Just wanted peoples experiences if possible as never had one!

Does it really kick start labour?!

Me again!!

Never had one myself but from what I have seen on mumsnet over the years, it's certainly got a bloody good chance of working. Sure there will be loads of people who can tell their stories on it.

Didn't work for me. Not even a twinge but 4 doses of induction gel failed to get my first baby going and the 2nd one (that I had the sweep with) didn't budge on her own accord either - has a section in the end, so maybe my babies just don't like to move themselves.

BUT, a friend had a baby recently and started in labout about 8 hours after a sweep. It was her 3rd and was overdue. Don't know if it was sweep or not.

Good luck

A sweep will basically tip you over if your body is ready to go, but it won't work anything more miraculous than that. I had one. It felt like someone trying to get their hand up me as far as they could go. Not a great feeling, but I figured that it wasn't the worst thing I was going to feel before Bean came out! It didn't really work for me as it goes, but has done for lots of people.

Best wishes to you, I hope it all goes well

my mw told me they are very successful (more than 50%). didnt actually start me off but i had a lot of twinges after each one (3 in total) and did start off on my own 10 days overdue. was baby 3 and 1st one i wasnt induced for, so i think they moved things on even if they didnt actually do the trick. youve got nothing to lose, its no worse than an internal exam

Thanks girls.... anyone else?!

I had two, one on the monday before I gave birth-no effect just a couple of contractions and that was that, then anougher on the friday which started off contractions on the saturday morning, ds was born on the sunday early hours.

Wouldnt say it hurt-the key is to relax(close your eyes and focus on something else) but it was a little uncomfortable
hth-good luck!

I went into labour within hours of having a sweep. It did feel very painful but that's probably because the midwife hadn't warned me what she was going to do, much less asked my permission. There have been loads of posts on sweep threads from people saying no more painful than an internal exam.

I had a sweep when I was 4 days overdue and it didnt work for me. I then had another sweep and some gel inserted and that did the trick. Have heard it works for some people though so good luck.

I had a sweep, and didnt feel a thing. baby 3 was born less than 14 hours later 40 + 11 (I had forgotten to tell them I didnt want one because I had heard they were uncomfortable)

bump for the morning crew.... im actualyl REALLY scared now!

Never had one..... thinkin of you though!!!

Good luck
If your baby is ready to arrive, then this should do the trick. Doesn?t really hurt in the big scheme of things

I had one, and it didn't hurt as such, but felt uncomfortable and a bit wierd.

I burst into tears afterwards though, which is apparently due to the hormones that the sweep starts off - apparently a sign that it has worked well!

I was 40 + 14 at that point, and contractions started within a couple of hours. They also told me that I was already 3cm dilated when they did the sweep.

Good luck!

I had a sweep, found it really uncomfortable and it didn't set labour off for me.. Sorry don't want to discourage you, but I remember thinking at the time that I wouldn't want it done again. But then I have had smears which have been really uncomfortable and smears where I haven't felt a thing, so it's probably down to the individual and the person who carries it out. Good luck

All I can say is that the amount of pain/discomfort depends on 'how ready your cervix is'. Mine did work within 24 hrs after my waters had broken, I think it is worth a try and preferable to induction with pessaries.