Do you have to have a sweep?

[candr]

I have read threads that say how painful it can be and some women have more than one. Do I have to have one if I am not in labour as people seem to say that is when it hurts most or will they insist on doing one and what is it for?

I'm sure you wouldn't be forced to have one. They give them when you have gone overdue and induction is the next option. It's in the hope of starting labour naturally rather than having to have an induction.
I can't comment on the pain factor as I've never had one but I'd imagine it's preferable to being induced if it works.

No, you don't have to. You don't have to do anything, it's your body and your care and you can always choose.

Sweeps seperate the membrane from the surrounds and can trigger a hormone release, but it's all a bit hypothetical. Some people say they only work if you were about to labour anyway, some people swear by them.

I've never had one myself (turned down two at the end of my last pregnancy) but would consider one before medical induction if that was indicated.

you dont have to have one at all. Having said that i had one with my last pregnancy which didnt hurt at all and did kick start labour :)

I had one at 40+1,the midwife doing the sweep said I was already 2cm dilated, I had a show the same evening and dd was born the following night (last saturday).

With my first dd I had an attempt at a sweep at 40 weeks and the midwife said my cervix was still too high and long and was unable to actually perform the sweep. Dd didn't arrive for another 10 days.

I do believe they will only work if you are ready for labour anyway. The way they do them here is 2 a week from 40 weeks (tues, fri) until you are 12 days overdue and then you are given an induction. Obviously you do not have to have any of these procedures if you don't want them.

Had one with DD2 6 days before her EDD. It didn't hurt, slightly uncomfortable but not painful. With DD1 I was induced 10 days post EDD and ended up with an EMCS due to failure to progress and a wrongly diagnosed placental node in front of the baby.

DD2 came bang on her due date, went into labour spontaneously but she got a bit stuck and I ended up with forceps delivery but I think that's just me.

Labour with DD2 was infinitely better than DD1s. Might have just been coincidence and choice was entirely mine, consultant didn't push it either way.

no. Yu never have to let anyone force a part of their body into your vagina. It's called rape.

Do they do sweeps with a penis these days?

No, they use their hands. SO that's ok then, they can tell you that you have to let them do it, and because they are midwives, it's magically not sexual assault for them to force things into your vagina against your will.

My mistake, I was going by the legal definition.

www.rapecrisis.org.uk/

You don't have to have a sweep, no. I went 14 days overdue with DD1 & never had a sweep. Midwife offered & I refused.

Thanks, was a bit worried as most people I spoke to had one or two and 'lots of blood' was mentioned more than once. I felt that if I was not in labour then why risk the pain so good to know it is a procedure that is not compulsory.

No but by 10 days over i was begging for them daily. They honestly never hurt me, no worse than having an internal or smear and they have worked a treat, saved me from induction the 2nd time around.

oh and the blood isn't from you exactly its from your mucous plug and will come out anyway, whoever has been telling you sounds like they have been over dramatising things.