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Original poster

Stretch & Sweep

134 replies

SpicyMeatball · 10/11/2011 13:20

I am booked in for a stretch and sweep in about 2 and a half weeks, and quite frankly, i'm terrified!

I'm hoping that i will go into labour naturally before then but if not, does it hurt as much as people say??

And if you have previously had one, how long did it take for you to go into labour?

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Fresh01 · 10/11/2011 13:27

I have had sweeps before and wouldn't say they hurt more that they are like a long very uncomfortable smear test! The discomfort only lasts a few minutes and compared to the pain you will later experience in labour it is insignificant. I think if they are very painful then your body is a way away from being ready to go into labour, as everything hasn't started to soften yet.

From my experience and others I have heard of the time to go into labour afterwards varies from less than a day to over a week with another sweep in between. From what I know a sweep only tips you over the edge if your body is near to going into labour anyway.

localcrackpot · 10/11/2011 13:29

I've got one sometime this afternoon- I'll let you know!

birdofthenorth · 10/11/2011 13:30

Mine hurt, sorry. But it brought on labour which meant no further steps towards being induced. And the rest of labour hurts so much the sweep pain does fade into insignificance. Sorry!

notnowbernard · 10/11/2011 13:30

Have had one in 2 pregnancies

1 with DC2 merely 'uncomfortable' - wouldn't describe as painful at all/ Went into labour about 28hrs later

1 with DC3 really painful and uncomfortable - BUT - was done on due date, prev. 2 had been overdue by at least a week, I should have known DC3 wasn't going to be on time! Hmm

How far gone will you be?

Original poster
SpicyMeatball · 10/11/2011 13:33

Thankyou both for your replies.
Everyone keeps telling me that i just feels like a smear test, but at 23, i'm yet to experience that :)

My consultant says if i havent gone into labour after the first one (i'll be 38+5 then) then she'll do another one at 40+2.

Yes please let me know localcrackpot Grin good luck!

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Original poster
SpicyMeatball · 10/11/2011 13:35

Dont be sorry birdofthenorth, i need honesty!

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Flisspaps · 10/11/2011 13:41

I had one at 41 weeks. Uncomfortable, but not painful.

Did absolutely nothing though and was induced 8 days later (I'm certain the MW on the antenatal ward did one without consent when she assessed my Bishops Score but didn't record it in my notes, and that was was fucking brutal Hmm)

I won't be bothering this time - they only 'work' if you're going to go into labour anyway.

Flisspaps · 10/11/2011 13:41

38+5 is rather early - is there a medical reason for you to have one so soon?

Original poster
SpicyMeatball · 10/11/2011 13:45

My son was still born at 24 weeks last december. So my consultant said she would prefer that i go into labour early. She doesnt want me to go past my due date, i think thats why the first one is so early.

Sorry about the following question, but, do they really go up past the mucus plug and sweep their fingers around the amniotic sac?

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notnowbernard · 10/11/2011 13:53

So sorry about your baby boy Sad

I think in your situation I'd want to be guided by my consultant too

I am sending you every best wish in the world... do you know what you're having this time?

One of my best friend's lost her little boy at 24w... she has had 2 more since Smile. And both came spontaneously, a few days early, without any need for intervention

Original poster
SpicyMeatball · 10/11/2011 13:58

Thankyou notnowbernard i really appreciate that :)

She can be a bit of a pain though, already sent me for 2 GTT tests cause she wasn't convinced with the first results Hmm. But i suppose she's being thorough!

I'm having a girl this time! Everything has been great throughout this pregnancy, no problems at all. Suppose there's still always that worry though after last time but i seemed to have coped suprisingly well :).

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notnowbernard · 10/11/2011 14:01

Congratulations Smile. Yes, always good to have a 'thorough' HCP!

I will be keeping an eye out for your birth announcement Smile

blushingbaby · 10/11/2011 14:02

I'm having an early sweep (38+1) a week on monday due to ds being very late, induction on full drip and emcs - can't wait to get thing moving this time.
Just hope it works. I'm due to have 3 between 38 and 39 weeks!

Original poster
SpicyMeatball · 10/11/2011 14:03

Thankyou :) Haha yes, i'm sure i'll learn to appreciate it Wink

I will let you know when it happens Grin!

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Original poster
SpicyMeatball · 10/11/2011 14:04

blushingbaby good luck! And please let me know how it goes!
When is your due date?

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blushingbaby · 10/11/2011 14:19

4th Dec, sweeps start 21 nov

JugglingWithGoldandMyrhh · 10/11/2011 14:19

Hi Spicy

Congratulations on your pregnancy - it's great to see you being so positive after all you've been through. Sad

I had a sweep with DD which was unpleasant enough to mean that I declined it when offered it with DS. They did some monitoring instead and I went home and went into labour next day anyway. I did go into labour next day with DD too after the sweep, but that could have been just as much that she was 10 days late, and DS similar at 8 days over.

It's a difficult call for Mum's and HCP's on whether to let things progress naturally or whether and how much to intervene. You just have to do what seems best for you after listening to all the advice and experiences of others that you can. Just like you are doing !

Flisspaps · 10/11/2011 14:25

Understandable that you've agreed to an early sweep then :)

I think the more 'ready' you are then the less painful they are as it's easier to get a finger into the cervix. Some people have no pain, others find them excruciating - it's impossible to tell.

But yes - AFAIK know they go up through the cervix (past the plug - this will be what dislodges it for most women) and then sweep between the amniotic sac and the top of the cervix/very bottom of the uterus if they can. My knowledge of this is purely MN based (I'm not a HCP) but I don't think I'm wrong!

Original poster
SpicyMeatball · 10/11/2011 14:32

Thankyou Juggling.
See thats what i'm a bit worried about, because it'll be 9 days before my actually due date, it might not work. In which case i'll need another one.
All the stories i've read about them, the women have been past 40 weeks already.
I'm not usually this squeamish about things like that but for some reason this is really getting to me!

Thanks Flisspaps (Love your name!)
Wow, that sounds.. uncomfortable?
Surely its quite a distance up there to reach the sac? (Thats me thinking outloud.. you don't have to answer that haha).

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Original poster
SpicyMeatball · 10/11/2011 14:33

actual due date*

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twogirls1more · 10/11/2011 14:33

I had one on induction day with DD1 (10 days over my due date) and my DD was nowhere near ready to be born..(even then!!) It was extremely painful I'm sorry to say and my cervix was still so far back that it took MW ages to find it!! Shock. Didn't have one with DD2 but did with DD3 and I'd spent ages mentally preparing myself as I thought back to the last time but this time I hardly felt them do it!! I was already 3cms dilated though and think it makes a difference how ready you are. The good thing is, it is usually done v quickly so any discomfort you may feel..(and of course you may not feel any,) will be over in a flash! You'll be fine! Know it's easy to say but just try and relax. :)

alana39 · 10/11/2011 14:36

Uncomfortable rather than painful - and for me I had mild contractions starting a few hours later, although those wore off and it was another 24 hours before labour started properly.

I only had one with DS3 as the other 2 were early / bang on time, but any discomfort was mild inconvenience compared to being 10 days overdue and unable to do anything.....

Original poster
SpicyMeatball · 10/11/2011 14:39

twogirls she must have been having too much fun in there! Haha. 10 days though Shock!

Yes, i'm just going to have to try and relax as much as possible. Seems to be the first place that tenses though when you're nervous!

I think after reading all your stories, it's definitely worth getting it done. I'm sure i'll forget about the pain when its all over :)

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Tupperwife · 10/11/2011 14:43

Paracetamol beforehand made my second one (at 41+4) much less painful than the first (at 40+6). I even remember saying the midwife could go for it since I was worried about the probability of being induced if I went much further over, and was bloody miserable and very uncomfortable being the size of a house. I had DS2 within 6 hours of the second sweep, so beware that they can be very effective, get your bag packed etc. Though the second sweep actually broke my waters, so not sure if it was the sweep itself or just rupture of membranes that finally got everything moving.

I'd had a few BH for the 10 days or so previously, and he'd been engaged for the previous 5 weeks.

Original poster
SpicyMeatball · 10/11/2011 14:52

Thanks tupperwife, i will make sure i have my bags ready in the car just incase!
6 hours is really fast! Fingers crossed the first one works for me and i wont have to go back for a second.

I'm also taking asprin at the minute, the consultant says i should stop taking it 5 days before planned delivery. But she's put my planned delivery down for 40+2? Confused I need to check that incase i go into labour after my first sweep.

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