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Pregnancy

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

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Original poster

Tell me about sweeps?

40 replies

threecurrantbuns · 21/04/2012 19:40

I am due tomorrow with dc4 and it will be the first time I've reached my due date.

My mw said they will sweep at 41weeks he baby hasn't arrived.

So i'm curious to hear about them now.

Thanks

OP posts:

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BornSicky · 21/04/2012 19:42

A little bit uncomfortable (I had two) and the second did seem to move my labour on, but then it stopped again.

I think they can be effective if your body just needs a little encouragement, but is pretty ready.

fivefoottwowitheyesofblue · 21/04/2012 19:47

I had one at 41wks. Didn't know I was going to have it and had never heard of them so certainly did not know what it entailed. I was under consultant care and she said I was 1.5cm dilated and the sweep would help bring on labour - it does in 75% of women apparently.
It was v v v uncomfortable. And. Didn't. Bloody. Work. I was induced a week later.

Good luck with DC4 - am a little bit

vlmnw7 · 21/04/2012 19:54

I have had x3 sweeps and as the above posters have already mentioned it is uncomfortable (it shouldn't be painful though). They sweep and aggravate the membranes and mucus plug that sit at the entrance of the cervix. My first one didn't seem to do anything other than bring on intense Braxton Hics, but the second two were more successful in bringing on labour within 24hours and helped me start to dilate. Good luck!

growingweeble · 21/04/2012 20:12

I had quite a few towards the end of my pregnancy. The first one was really unpleasant and it didn't do anything. After that they got easier, probably because my body was more ready to go into labour. None of them did anything in my opinion. They didn't bring on more braxton hicks or change anything as far as I could tell. I'm 39 weeks in my second pregnancy and had told myself I wouldn't bother with a sweep this time as it did nothing last time... But I'm so ready for this pregnancy to be over that I may well give in to anything that has the slightest chance of working!

birdsofshoreandsea · 21/04/2012 20:14

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster

threecurrantbuns · 21/04/2012 20:16

Thank you. I'm undecided whether to have one if i'm still pregnant by then, I'm tempted not to bother but also really want to birth at the birth centre near me again so need to go into labour before or on 40+10. Otherwise it's off to big hospital for induction.

Hoping it won't come to that x

OP posts:

JambalayaCodfishPie · 21/04/2012 20:16

I'm due tomorrow too.

Booked for a sweep on Friday if I need one, but not really liking the idea.

Here's hoping we both have lovely labours waaaaay before then.

Babylon1 · 21/04/2012 20:20

I'm also due tomorrow and can have a sweep next friday if nothing has happened by then.

I had a sweep at 41 +4 with DD1 and it didn't do a thing, was still induced at 42+1 with her.

DD2 was 2 weeks early so no sweep required.

Spoke to MW about sweep last week, and as I am sitting at 2-3cm dilated with a multipositip (sp) cervix, she has suggested a sweep will do absolutely bugger all for me and if nothing happens naturally, I will need to be induced again :(

AnaisB · 21/04/2012 20:22

I had one at 39 weeks, which did nothing and one at 40+10 - contractions started 10 minutes later.

For me they were fine - 2/5 for discomfort, 0/5 for pain. Kind of similar to having a smear.

confuzed90 · 21/04/2012 20:33

I've been wanting to know this! I'm having one too ... I have lost my mucus plug so are they still effective?

Babylon1 · 21/04/2012 20:35

My mucus plug has gone too.........

BellaCB · 21/04/2012 20:38

I had one at 40+1, and I would definitely have one again. I don't think it helped me go in to labour but it was nothing more than uncomfortable and awkward rather than painful. I've heard some 'interesting' stories about inductions so I would recommend one or two sweeps before hand - if they don't really hurt but might start labour naturally, there surely isn't anything to lose?

birdsofshoreandsea · 21/04/2012 20:39

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

PinkChampagneandStrawberries · 21/04/2012 20:43

I decided not to have one then went into labour myself a few hours later

RickGhastley · 21/04/2012 20:47

I had one at 36+0 before I was induced and it was agony - but then I don't imagine my body was ready to go into labour as I was still 4 weeks off my due date.

Had the pessary straight after the sweep and DS was born an hour afterwards!

So maybe the sweep did help things along!

Casperette · 21/04/2012 20:51

I'm 39 weeks and have high BP, they were going to do a sweep on Thursday, but an internal found that my cervix shut and not ready. However, I did lose my plug last night, and the mw today suggested that they may try again to sweep Monday morning.

Am I right in thinking that if I have sweep, then I can still go home afterwards, they aren't likely to keep me in? I'm starting to panic as I've got my bags packed for labour and a couple of nights stay, but have not prepared for a pre-birth stay!! None of my pj bottoms fit anymore, well that would be suitable for hospitals, so am wondering should I be on a mercy dash tomorrow for pj's when I should be at home resting to keep the BP down?!

Thanks

Babylon1 · 21/04/2012 21:03

Well I was told catagorically that before 40 weeks a sweep will not have any effect whatsoever, but this pregnancy, I've been told so much conflicting stuff that i don't know what to think anymore :(

The only thing I know for certain is that I want this baby out!!

Original poster

threecurrantbuns · 22/04/2012 09:20

I would imagine a sweep is only effective if your body is nearing labour.

So dd1 was born at exactly 39weeks so he I had had a sweep before it would have worked as labour was starting.

Just guessing though. Can't believe this is number 4 and the first time i'm still pregnant on my due date, doesn't make sense to me. Thought my pelvic floor would have had it and the baby would be falling out by now :)

Maybe I'll change my mind in a few days but atm the thought of a sweep is making me cringe, but I seem to be showing no signs of labour beginning anytime soon :(

OP posts:

JambalayaCodfishPie · 22/04/2012 09:22

Me neither three. :(

entropygirl · 22/04/2012 09:34

So firstly there is very little evidence that sweeps are useful. They can trigger labour if it is impending anyway which IMO is pointless. They can be merely uncomfortable but they can also be excrutiatingly painful. Again they probably hurt less if labour is imminent (and hence the sweep is pointless). They certainly do not help anywhere near as much as an actual induction.

Secondly there is not any actual problem with going over 41 weeks. In fact (if my NCT teacher is to be believed) 41 weeks is normal term in France. You have to continue on past 43 weeks before the chance of stillbirth increases meaningfully.

All in all I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND and the Cochrane collaboration review of the technique concluded that in view of the painfulness of the procedure and it's very limited success rate, it should be discontinued.

Babylon1 · 24/04/2012 21:42

Well I had one this afternoon, no pain, moderate discomfort is all.

Nothing since really except a stitch which I got after mowing the lawn!!

entropygirl · 24/04/2012 23:50

Sounds promising Babylon - if only everyone had no pain....

Hope things get moving for you soon....

nomoreminibreaks · 24/04/2012 23:58

I had one 5 days before my due date (I had high blood pressure and a giant baby) and it was nothing more than uncomfortable, though they said I was already 3cm by then so maybe that helped.

I went home straight after to see if anything happened - I had some period-like pains that eventually went away and was induced two days later. It would have been nice if the sweep worked as it all went pear-shaped then!

HappyAsEyeAm · 25/04/2012 10:54

I found a sweep to be incredibly painful in my first pregnancy. And I got to 8 cm dilated with a back to back baby with G&A and TENS, so I am able to tolerate pain to some extent.

To the extent that I have refused a sweep in this pregnancy. I have said that I am willing to have one if I can have G&A whilst it is happening, but as sweeps are done by the community midwives in local surgeries, G&A isn't available. So I am not having one. I am 40 weeks today, and have said this repeatedly, and the midwives and my consultant has been absolutely fine with it.

Happenstance · 25/04/2012 11:23

i had one with DD2 at 40+7 was uncomfortable but not painful, though i walked like John Wayne for a bit afterwards. i had DD at 4am the next day so worked for me.

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