So, I've had my sweep.. <drums fingers>

[abigboydidit]

And other than a bit of discomfort from the prodding there seems to be nothing happening . I had told myself not to get my hopes up but my hormones aren't for playing along. Having never had one before I have no idea what to expect and was thinking something would have happened by now if it was going to happen? MW said 48 hours but everyone else I spoke to said 12hours and it's been 9 already.

Baby ain't for budging yet, is (s)he..

[NAR4]

Don't think vomiting on my Dh (after swallowing semen) will help me go into labour anyway, so won't be trying that.

[abigboydidit]

I love how this thread has taken a rather unexpected turn!! Maybe the giggling will help spur me on?

[NAR4]

Sorry abigboy but I couldn't resist commenting on the whole swallowing semen thing. Def not letting my Dh read this.

Hope something happens for you soon. There was another thread on here a couple of days back about ways to start labour. Acupressure was said to be very good.

[eagleray]

DP made it home just as the snow turned apocalyptical.

Am out of the race now though as been railroaded into an induction.

[abigboydidit]

When eagleray? Surely you've still got time for one final push (probably not the best expression) to the finish line? Especially now DP is on a promise

[abigboydidit]

And I certainly wont be showing this thread to DH NAR4! I had reflexology with DS and it did naff all so am saving my pennies for a post-baby massage this time instead! Been boinging on a gym ball all afternoon so bump and back aching but I think is just from the workout, not a sign of labour

[eagleray]

It's booked for thursday - decided I really needed tomorrow to get my head round things and also give the sweep one last chance to work (although the doc reckoned it was a 12 hour window). DP looking forward to helping me with the process, but I may sleep through it as exhausted after being in hospital all day

I think you're right to save your money for a post-baby massage!

[abigboydidit]

Hope things start before Thursday then eagleray. I was induced with DS but is straight to ELCS for me this time. Have you been induced before?

[eagleray]

Thanks - I hope so too. First baby, first induction - so much to look forward to, huh? everyone's experience is different I guess, but do not blame you one bit for cutting out the middle bit and going for ELCS.

DP demanding alcohol first

Still got pains but v hard work trying to maintain them when I want to slump on sofa! (Standing is only way to keep the pain going)

[abigboydidit]

Induction isn't always the hell people paint it to be. And even when it is it doesn't matter once DC has arrived. Only 20 months since DS was born (EMCS after failed induction) & I can only remember edited highlights!

[lollipoppi]

Well I've just had another sweep!!! If I thought the one on Monday was bad this was horrific!! The midwife said "if that doesn't get you going then nothing will!!"
Jeeezzzz! I'm having a cuppa and a sit down for a while put it that way! I feel violated

[eagleray]

ouch Lollipoppi was going to say hope you feel better soon, but that's not really what this is all about, is it?

I had lots of tightenings and also pains at the tops of my thighs last night but it hasn't turned into anything. DP has been 'helpful twice but apart from giving him something to do, I don't think it's had any effect.

Abigboy - glad your induction memories have faded a bit - am trying to focus on the end result, but it is quite hard.

Contemplating a walk somewhere remote in the snow later - surely that will do it?

[abigboydidit]

lollipoppi I had convinced myself you'd gone to have the baby. Sweep sound nasty. Not sure I'll bother pushing for a 2nd TBH as they don't seem to do owt but raise our hopes and cause us grief. Fingers crossed yours has done the trick though.

I hardly slept last night for cramping but am pretty sure is just sore muscles from balancing on that sodding ball! Thought I would do some freezer batch cooking today instead.. DH did his bit last night but I don't think either of us are in a hurry to try that option again. Pretty much resigned now to ELCS so focusing on how I can make the most of my time now before baby arrives.

eagleray - honestly I am one of the folk who on paper it says had a "failed induction" but thanks to the wonder of epidurals I was oblivious! As long as you're happy to say baby arriving safely = only outcome that counts then you just ignore the chaos. Equally my friend had 2 inductions and said if she was ever pregnant again she would request to be induced as it made for a far more straightforward birth. She was in and out in a matter of hours with only gas and air and no tearing

[SurroundedByBlue]

I was induced with my first. No problems at all, easy labour, 2 hours, no tears etc and the gas and air was fab so hopefully you won't have a hard time.

I've ordered a birthing ball to bounce on after my sweep on Friday, knowing me I will fall off it and do myself some damage but thought it was worth a go anyway. That's if I can get there for the sweep, still snowing heavily here, haven't left the house since last Thursday! Have a midwife appointment today, maybe I could ask her to do it instead, but she's quite mean so maybe not....

[ScrambledSmegs]

I had 2 sweeps this time round. The first was painful but did nothing. The second (4 days later) was excruciating. I nearly kicked the midwife doing it

Then I went to the supermarket. Had vague back ache for a couple of hours, got home, put shopping away, had lunch and a rest then bam! Contractions went from every 8 minutes to every 4 minutes in less than an hour, everything went very fast. In essence, sweep at 11am. First contraction bang on 2pm. DC2 born at 6:30pm.

I think if your body is ready, sweeps make everything move along a bit quicker. Friends have reported the same experience. However if you're not ready they're pointless. I had a 'bad' induction with DC1 so would have tried anything to avoid another!

[learnermummy]

I had 2 sweeps last time. First, done by a doctor, was awful. Second, done at home by a midwife, I could hardly feel. Could be that it was more 'favourable' second time. Odd that it can feel so different with different people carrying it out though - same with internals during labour - some absolutely fine, some really uncomfortable. Hope you all get your babies soon x

[eagleray]

I think getting sweeps done by different people is a bit like the fable of the six blind men and the elephant here if you aren't familiar with it

My 5 sweeps have been done by the same MW, apart from the 4th (different MW) - no real difference in terms of discomfort, but at the 4th I was given a much bleaker picture of how ready things were looking (unless the baby and cervix were just acting up that day).

Yours is the sort of story I want to hear Scrambled although I know that isn't going to happen to me...

Induction has been hard to taken on board as had planned for HB - so easy to say 'just one more day' to see if anything happens but I guess I have to draw the line somewhere.

[abigboydidit]

Is there any way they would leave you till 10 days over? That's what I had with DS and I asked for this time. I was induced on a Thursday and in hindsight if I were to do it all again I would have asked for a day earlier in the week, just in case things don't go smoothly. I went into labour on the Friday but things slowed overnight, by which time we were into weekend staffing. Am pretty sure a lot of the delays in decisions being made were due to the fact the consultant wasn't around and I didn't get my section till well into the Saturday.

Sorry - totally don't mean to frighten you but just a thought. Failing that have another look at your birth plan and revise in light of the induction maybe? Just so you still feel in control. My consultant wrote my VBAC plan with me this time and I feel so much more reassured about the whole process.

Good luck and try not be down heartened. Am slowly accepting my VBAC isn't likely to happen and am even starting to come up with a few positives about that x

[eagleray]

Well, technically I can do what I want, but because I am over 40, the policies/recommendations are different, ie the hospital I'm at does not like women over 40 to go beyond 40 weeks (there are no clear guidelines about this though, and the recommendations vary according to where you are in the country). They can only really tell you what the risks are (although they don't actually have much information on that) and recommend that you get induced at a certain point.

Please don't worry about frightening me - I have had some pretty frank conversations with doctors about the whole thing, which was upsetting, but I can't stand it when they skirt around the issues and hope I'll just agree to whatever.

Thanks for the suggestions and hope we can all stay positive - there is hope for us yet! Hadn't anticipated all this stress at the end of the pregnancy, but it's good to be able to talk to others in the same boat

Oh, and will work on birth plan today - it is slightly sketchy at the moment

[lollipoppi]

Wow scrambled ..... Off to the supermarket I go then!
She said I was 2 cm so hopefully it will get things going!

[learnermummy]

eagle I didn't want to be induced as wanted my homebirth and the hospital were pretty insistant so we compromised that I would come in for daily monitoring after 40+10. DS2 arrived at +16 after 2 sweeps, a spicy curry and DH 'helping out'.
Obviously not for everyone waiting that long but I had lovely independent midwives and felt very confident in them.

[eagleray]

Learnermummy - I have been slightly tempted to go down the same road, ie hold out for longer, but was told yesterday that in the consultant's eyes monitoring tells you only how well the baby is that point in time, not how well the baby will be in an hour's time. Am glad that your insistence on waiting turned out so well for you! How I wish I was 2 years younger as the policies are so, so different

Lollipoppi - good luck with your 'supermarket sweep'

DP frantically googling methods for bringing on labour - boy we are in for a busy day...

[learnermummy]

I also bought a bottle of castor oil as a last resort - think just seeing it sitting on the shelf helped my body focus! Best of luck x

[Numbthumbs]

Ive just got back from my sweep and like others it was really quite painful and seemed to go on for a long time. Im bleeding a lot now and getting some back pains so DM is coming to pick up DD so i can have a rest

Ive read my notes and MW has put -3 station does anyone know what that means? She told me i was 2cm dilated and 50% effaced but ive tried googling -3 station and havent got any results. Im thinking it must have to do with baby not being engaged, she said she could feel its head but could 'push it back up' easily.

Good luck everyone

[abigboydidit]

eagleray I totally empathise. A few folk told me to hold off till at least 40 + 14 but I could never forgive myself if something happened.

Lollipoppi - am just back from the supermarket! Hope your trip had more impact than mine.

Numbthumbs - sounds hopeful. My sister had that and went into labour pretty sharpish after sweep. No idea what the -3 thing is but I would guess it is how engaged the head is. I wouldn't worry though as I hear they can shift into launch position pretty quickly once labour kicks off. Good luck!