Sweeps

[whatsoever]

I'm 40+4 today and have a midwife appointment this morning. I am utterly fed up & happy to do whatever it takes to help baby along.

I looked on the NHS website last night & it says a sweep would be offered at 41 weeks. For me, that would mean waiting until 41+4 as my surgery only does midwife appointments on Monday mornings.

From your experience, what are the chances of me getting a sweep today & is it likely to do any good anyway at this stage?

Having LOTS of Braxton Hicks but have been for about 10 weeks and they are not doing anything IYSWIM.

I had a sweep at 41 weeks. Did nothing, and I narrowly missed being induced at 42 weeks, as I went into labour naturally at 41+6. IME they're a painful waste of time. They only have a hope of working if you're ready to labour anyway.

Your midwife is likely to offer you one this morning, I would think, but she may tell you that your cervix isn't ripe yet. Of course it may be getting there and you'll have a baby by the weekend, but I would def get her to have a feel this morning, at least then you'll know what condition your cervix is in. I had two with DS, one at 40+4 and one at 41+4 (which produced him, happily) but the MW would have been happy for me to go up to the hospital every day and have one if I'd wanted.

It doesn't hurt if you relax, but it is uncomfortable and a bit weird to feel someone poking around inside quite vigorously.

I'm 40+2 today and at my MW appt when I was 39 weeks they told me I would be given a sweep at my next appt which is Thurs (i'll be 40+5)

MW offered a sweep so I took her up on it. The baby's head was sitting right on my cervix which made for a tricky sweep apparently as she had to go round it but it didn't actually hurt - just very weird to have quite so much rooting around!

Booked in for another sweep + monitoring a week today in case nothing happens & if required will be booked in for induction that day - likely the Tuesday or Wednesday (which would be +12 or 13).

Strongly advised to have sex tonight as well! MW said a sweep/shag combo was the best combination to try & get labour going so shall go for it

I had a sweep at 40+7 with my DS, went into labour 5 the next morning and had him at 1, 24 hours after sweep! My consultant is of the opinion that it advances things a bit, though it is true to say that if your body is not ready to go into labour, it just won't, sometimes even after all the induction techniques they can throw at you have been tried. I will be requesting one with this pregnancy at 39+1 which is a routine MW appt because I am fed up of being in pain from SPD and varicose veins
Good luck whatsoever, hope it does the trick!

Thanks ellangirl!

Sat bouncing on my gym ball throughout Only Connect, trekked up & down the stairs 15 times (then remembered that's for speeding up labour, not starting it - doh!) then went for a bonk with DH.

Tiniest start of a show, but no contractions. Here's hoping for something to happen overnight/ in the morning.

Have you had a baby yet?!