Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Pregnancy

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

Flip

Original poster

Sweeps not on offer any more?

16 replies

SmittalDonkey · 12/12/2006 15:39

Bit weird this. Phoned local midwife team this morning to book a sweep as am now EDD +6. This on the advice of the non-local hospital where I'm booked to deliver. Midwife apologised but said that LOCAL hospital had asked them not to do sweeps any more (despite them being explained in the local antenatal classes I went to). When I said I was booked in elsewhere, she immediately said in this case no probs, a midwife can come tomorrow. Has anyone else had this? Feel very cynical for guessing it's because the local hospital is famously skint, but would be happy to hear if there is some new NHS advice against sweeps that anyone's heard of?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

MKGnearlyimmaculateconception · 12/12/2006 16:46

bump

lulumama · 12/12/2006 16:50

sweeps only work if you would go into labour within 24 - 48 hours anyway, so maybe they are not being offered until term +10 or not at all to save resources? as they are not guaranteed to do anything, so frees midwives up for other things? that;s all i can think of, not heard of it in our PCT.....

are you having a sweep then ?

Original poster

SmittalDonkey · 12/12/2006 17:34

Yes, sweep tomorrow if I'm ripe enough It's not that I personally want one, just following the advice of the hospital. Will be nice to find out if anything's happening though. Induction is due next Mon/Tue (term +12/13) if nothing happens this week. Haven't had any symptoms at all, no BH/show, although the painful pelvic joints seem to have firmed up back to normal which I guess means the head is well down and wedging everything in place again! Being able to walk normally is GREAT!!

OP posts:

lulumama · 12/12/2006 21:14

you don;t have to have the sweep..but if the cervix is looking good....

anyhoo....good luck...

liquidclocks · 12/12/2006 21:17

Very odd sonce the cochrane review concluded that they were a worthwile thing to do when a woman was overdue - there's good evidence to show that it can prevent other more unpleasant forms of induction.

Hope your sweep works - being induced is not pleasant!

wuzzlefraggle · 13/12/2006 17:09

if its any help, i had a sweep when i was term+7 and started having contractions that evening, by 8 the next morning i was in the hospital

good luck and congrats in advance lol x

twoplusone · 13/12/2006 17:59

good luck with the sweep , I had mine on my due date (wasnt ripe still had thick cervix etc.) but it did the trick had my show next morning followed by contractractions and labour.

Good luck fingers crossed...

Baconbaps · 13/12/2006 18:08

I know that, compared to all the other indignities you have to suffer in pregnancy and childbirth, a sweep isn't that big a deal but the mere thought of it sets my teeth on edge.

I'm due tomorrow with my third and when I saw the midwife on Monday she said she would do a sweep next Monday (18th) if I haven't already had the bab - obviously. I'm really hoping I go into labour before then. I've also been booked in for an induction on Xmas Eve when I'll be 10 days overdue. I was convinced this one was going to be early!

When I had my eldest (she's 15 now) I was a week overdue and noone ever mentioned sweeps or inductions at any point. They seem so quick to intervene nowadays and as long as me and bab are ok I'd rather let nature do it's thing really.

Original poster

SmittalDonkey · 13/12/2006 19:16

Well, had the internal this morning, but not a full sweep as things are still 'unripe'. Gaaaaaah - the frustration! Next attempt is booked for Saturday so I'm hoping things will go as for Wuzzle and Twoplus. Have also just eaten a whole pineapple in desperation - that's got to have some effect although probably not the right one!

OP posts:

lulumama · 13/12/2006 19:19

smittal..you need to eat 7 pineapples to have an effect

twoplusone · 13/12/2006 19:35

have you tried sex!!! that might help things..

Dod read somewhere that playing with your nipples can also help start labour... not sure how treu that is but it was in one of the baby mags... hth.

lulumama · 13/12/2006 19:38

\link{http://www.gentlebirth.org/good site with tips for natural induction...}

lulumama · 13/12/2006 19:38

good site with tips for natural induction...

TheOlihantheIvy · 13/12/2006 19:43

Smittals, have you tried nipple stimulation? That has more effect than pineapples! It works best with a breast pump, up to an hour at a time, alternating sides but NOT both breasts at the same time. Or anything else on this list . It'll keep you occupied if nothing else .

Original poster

SmittalDonkey · 13/12/2006 20:11

Thanks for the advice. As there's no way I can eat another 6 pineapples tonight (seem to have given my lips a vicious 'fruit acid peel' for a start!) I will get the trusty breast pump out and give that a go again. The comedy creaking that it inevitably makes after about 5 minutes will give DH a laugh if nothing else! Huh!

OP posts:

Mamapossum · 14/12/2006 02:58

Hi Smittal, I had an attempted sweep with my DS but the doctor doing it "couldn't find" my cervix after a lot of v. painful probing around (much more painful than labour)! Anyway he said it must be cos I wasn't ready, so I went off home, had an acupuncture session the next day and went into labour 24 hrs later. So might be worth giving acupuncture a try. I'd never had acup. before and was a bit sceptical but it worked for me, and for a couple of friends who recommended it to me. Give it whirl if you're hoping to avoid an induction! Good luck

Flip