membrane/ stretch and sweep did it work for you? how did you feel after??

[Donna1989]

just wondering what everyones views/ opinions are on stretch and sweep how many did you have? did they work with you? how did you feel after one or the next day?? don't hold back on too much infomation....

tbh it sounds like it might be one of those things that depends on who does it, how and when. The problem with that is it's hard to know before it happens. It being my first birth I hadn't heard of a sweep and obviously had no say in who did it/how and when.

I had one at 39 +4. It wasn't too bad, although midwife said it was a brutal one. Next 2 days I had lots of period cramping, went into labour at the end of the second day, had ds at 40+1.
Even though he had dropped, my cervix was in the wrong position so the stretch and sweep got everything in the right place and got it moving.
Good luck!

Had a sweep on my due date, it was kind of uncomfortable but really not too bad. Nothing happened.

Had a second sweep yesterday morning (41 weeks), again uncomfortable but nothing horrible. Had pretty bad period-like cramping overnight, but nothing since, even though I've been having on/off contractions for 3+ days. I'm starting to accept that this baby does not want to budge and will have to be smoked out.

Sorry it was somewhat painful Donna.
You say it's the waiting game now ....
I think I've seen sweep threads turn into live birth threads before!
Good luck

And to you Chacha

I had one with dc4. I was 5 days overdue. It was uncomfortable, but not as bad as I thought it would be. Anyway, consultant said "oops"....he had broken my waters whilst doing it.

Drove home and dc4 born about 4 hours later!

I had one at 40+11 and had my first contraction as I walked out into the corridor afterwards. DS was born the following evening by EMCS after 36 hours of stop-start labour.

As many have said, uncomfortable but nowhere near as bad as I was expecting.

I do agree with nicks though that the experience is quite clearly different, and even the nature of the sweep different, for different women - just like birth and breastfeeding really.
I don't think it's just that we perceive it differently - I think these accounts from "didn't feel anything" to "very painful - have flashbacks" show just how different sweeps can be.
Sorry for anyone who's had a bad experience

thanks Juggling! *sobs in frustration

Yep, was trying to avoid induction for Gestational Diabetes so had several. The first attempt at about 38 weeks my cervix was so high she couldn't even get to it. The next one wasn't too painful, bit unpleasant but was done by a trainee midwife who was lovely and trying to be gentle. Didn't work. Nor the one after that.

The final one that did work was when I had been induced anyway with a pessary, was having prostin pains (irregular niggles) that they wanted to turn into more productive contractions. So the midwife did it - she was an Irish Mammy type midwife with huge hands. Was she gentle? No - almost went through the roof! Did it work? Yes. Contractions became stronger and more regular and they were able to break my waters a couple of hours later and DD was born naturally 3 hours after that.

My midwife made 2 attempts after 40 weeks but both times my cervix was closed and far back so she couldn't actually do the stretch and sweep.

Booked in for induction...

I had 4. First 3 weren't too bad, just felt strange. I got BH and cramps after.

The fourth was horrible. Really hurt, literally took my breath away. The midwife did say that she was really going to go for it. the next day I had really painful BHs that actually turned out to be contractions.

They couldn't even do mine at 41 weeks, MW said it rarely changes (cervix not ready). Booked me for an induction and ended up with a EMCS.

Friend had it at 41 weeks, she had a 5 hour labour and a home birth (was her 2nd baby)

A sweep worked for me (natural labour 1-2 days later) and it was fine (I was apparently 1cm dilated). For me it was a bit like a smear for discomfort.

I wouldn't get all worked up by the posts of people that found it hideous; it may be but it may not. I expect going in there all tense is sure to make the experience worse!

Worked both times for me! Had one with DS on his due day as he was so large and I was so uncomfortable. MW tried very hard but could not complete as my cervix was still so far back. I ended up in labour in less than 24hrs. With DD I had one at 41wks. I was already 2/3cm gone but it did the job and 5 hours later I was whizzing off to hospital to give birth!

Feels like a smear. I had 3, none worked!

I had one at 12 days overdue as I figured anything was worth a go to avoid induction. The consultant did it as he was much more vigorous than the midwife and said he stretched my cervix from 1 to 3 cms. I had period pains that afternoon and went into labour the next day.
However my body was clearly ready - maybe it was the catalyst I needed. I wouldn't have had one before that point.
My sis had one from an inexperienced midwife who broke her waters then she had to be induced and had a horrible time.

Ps it is pretty intense! I needed all my hypnobirthing breathing!!

I had one at nine days OD with my DD. The sweep took place at 1pm and she was born at 9:20 the next morning. My MW didn't think it would work so I think she must have had magic fingers. I was desperate to avoid induction as I wanted a water birth, I had mucus discharge pretty much immediately afterwards which progressed to contractions in the early hours of the morning. I think it definitely worked for me.

The consultant said: "I will now insert a hormone pessary which should get your contractions going."

She then did something that hurt so badly, so very very badly... She swept out of the room without saying a further word leaving me shaking, bleeding and in tears. Didn't see her before, didn't see her again, never knew her name.

And nothing happened. Nothing for several hours. Baby was finally born nearly 60 hours after my waters broke and after a good 17 hours of horrible back contractions.

It was only several years later, when I was having counselling for PTSD related to this birth, that I learnt that she had done a sweep.

From what I can see on this thread I am probably an exception. But thinking about it gives me flashbacks. Shudder.

I've had two at 37 weeks both times baby born within 3 hours, I didn't really feel anything but I put that down to having pelvis problems anyway so I'm used to pain in that area so don't so much notice it.

I had a sweep at 40+1. It was a lot less painful than I expected, although I did have some niggling cramps for the rest of the day. I was convinced it was going to work and was very apprehensive when DH suggested us go to a museum afterwards - had visions of dramatically going in to labour soap-style while out and about. I didn't.

DS started making an appearance of his own accord at 41+0

Eugenes - I do think it's important that those that found it horrible or hideous feel able to say so though.
I was not tense at all going into mine but did find it horrible nonetheless.
I went on to have a water-birth with no other pain relief so you can see I probably have a fairly high pain threshold - or was just luckier with my birth experience than with the sweep.
Also of course we don't want to worry women advised to have a sweep, but hopefully as they read thread they can form a balanced opinion from the range of experiences shared.
I feel knowledge is always power.
Forewarned is forearmed etc.

First sweep at 40+8: Braxton Hicks got worse then all quiet again.
Second sweep at 40+11: Lots and lots of blood. Braxton Hicks got worse and worse and within a few hours I had ctx every 3 minutes. But it didn't go anywhere from there for the next 12 hours, so I had waters broken and DD was born 4 hours later.

I had 3 - they did naff all... Eventually had to be induced

thanks juggling been contracting every 6-8 mins all day how could I speed this up? been asda shopping contracting up every isle lol ans bounced on ball... don't want t go t hospital yet cause I'm just coping just dnt go t be sent home xxx