Sweeps and inductions

[BumpOct2014]

So, I'm 39+3 and just been to the midwife for my last appointment.
Baby is only 1/5 engaged and I've had no signs of anything about to happen.

I'm due back at hospital next Thursday to see the consultant who said he can book my induction then if I want (or can wait until 42/3 weeks) and midwife today has booked me in for a sweep on Monday - my due date.

I'm desperate to meet little 'un as I've only been finished work since Friday but I'm already going stir crazy :-(

Just after people's experiences of sweeps/inductions - need to find out more about them but reluctant to google! Did ask a friend but she implied that a sweep was horrendously painful
Also, any tips to get labour started? Got my ball, DTD with my hubby and been eating spicy food.

No experience of sweep although I hear it can sometimes speed things along so that's good for you on Monday. Inductions can take days to work so not necessarily a quick way to get baby from womb to arms iykwim. I think a lot of the stuff suppose to kick start labour only really work if labour is about to start anyway so I'm sorry to say but you might just have to be patient and wait for baby to make an appearance in his/her own time

Good luck with the last few days of your pregnancy and with labour. Have fun meeting little one when baby arrives!

I found sweeps uncomfortable, not immensely painful. Both of my labours started at 24 hours after a sweep, so for me they worked

My sweep with ds was not painful, just a bit undignified as the midwife stood at my feet with a torch in hand.

DS popped out 10 hours later so worth it in hindsight :-)

The sweep didn't hurt for me, not comfortable, but not painful. It didn't work unfortunately and it was another 5 days before I went into labour nearly 2 weeks over (despite the m/w saying that I was almost 3cm dilated when she did it - grrr). Most frustrating! I ended up being semi-induced.

Thanks
Um keeping my fingers crossed that baby either makes an appearance before Monday or the sweep sets things off

My sweep was pretty grim, but if you're not really ready to go and are having a sweep just to avoid induction in a slightly desperate way, then you can have them on the delivery suite at a hospital with gas and air to take the edge off.

Depends how desperate you are to avoid induction. I was desperate.

I had a sweep at 38 weeks with DS (IVF pregnancy and the hospital had policy of not letting go overdue hence slightly early sweep) wasn't painful, didn't work.

Had another at 39+3 as I went into hospital with reduced fetal movement and BH contractions. Midwife said it wasn't BH but the real thing so gave me another sweep. Was FUCKING painful, started contracting properly an hour later, waters broke within 2 hrs and and DS was born 2 hrs after that.

Like others have said, I think a sweep can help if things are moving along anyway.

I had three sweeps. Just felt like someone poking me. No pain just awkward.

I don't understand the notion of sweeps and inductions if baby isn't ready. I had both and although contractions started I wasn't ready so I ended up with a crash section.

I wouldn't have an induction again but I do know people who've had inductions go really well when their cervix was favourable

I was induced. 11 hours from the gel to giving birth. Not all inductions are slow!