Please excuse my ignorance but surely you could do a DIY

[TrinityRhino]

sweep????

am I missing something, I am pregnant with my third and have never had a sweep so obviously don't know what I'm talking about

but isn't it just a rummage around as it were, couldn't you just do that yourself???

I said excuse my ignorance not ignore

it is a bit more than a rummage ! it is inserting a finger tip into the cervix, and stripping the membranes from the cervix.......it irritates the cervix which triggers the production of prostoglandins, which trigger labour .....IF you were going to go into labour within 24 - 48 hours anyway !

think that is how it works !

oh , stripping the membrane form the cervix sounds a bit yuck. after the 'feel you own cervix' thread I did and it's totally floppy and I can easily get a fingfertip in but I am certainly not going to try to strip any membrane

floppy and soft is good, you are already slightly dilated as you have had babies before..but soft definitely good...should feel like a pursed mouth when you are getting ready for labour....

oh a pursed mouth when you are ready fro labour, bummer I htough soft and floppy was getting ready for labour

I have felt it once before when not pregnant and it was like a pursed mouth then...stiff, couldn't get a finger in type of thing

no no no ...a pursed mouth should be soft ! not a big pouty pursed face..but softly pursed ,ready for a kiss ! when it is not ready for labour, it is like the tip of your nose! your cervix is fine !

oh cool, thanks lulu

can you tell I'm getting a little impatient now, 9 days till due date

god ..i hope you are on time !!

you'll be right , TR...you are a really positive person...

still , the last weeks are exciting, if uncomfortable, make sure you do get rest when you can !

I am REALLY excited, I can't wait
all fear of the birth has disappeared, I remember that happening the last time
[smile
now I'm just huge and eating like a horse

but my mum is coming next week to saty fro a few weeks which will be soooo wonderful, I am just plodding on till then and then I will be able to have a proper rest before the baby comes

she hasn't seen the girls for almost a year so she will be wanting to have then all to herself all the time (fine by me ) and she cleans and tidies without me saying a thing
gosh I am lucky

sounds like my mum! lucky indeed.x

Was wondering that myself! (don't worry Lulumama-am not THAT impatient ). But am having fairly rapid pains, so might try the feeling the cervix thing to check for improved dialation. Am scared though, at last sweep midwife could feel the baby's head and I don't want to blind it or something!

rofl itsazoo, take it gently then

lol!! itsazoo...you can;t stick you finger in the baby's eye !if you can, it is 999 time as baby is coming NOW!!

tell me more about the rapid pains????

many women do i ASSURE you

do what??? poke their baby in the eye??

Rofl - I doubt it's trying to look out!

no - home sweeps

Don't get excited-sure they're just braxton bl##dy hicks. Er, every 4 mins or so? Can still talk/type through them, so not worried about it. I daren't build my hopes up again!

oooh right notanotter, hmm not sure I could try and strip membrane

so shall I just 'rummage' then?

rummage away TR

sounds like it could be building...every 4 minutes? as you say if you can talk and type through them , it ain;t baby time ! LOL!

any backache?

Loads of back ache! Can't remember-is a hot bath meant to speed things up or slow it down?

will slow down at this stage..but go for it if you want one...if you are uncomfy a bath is good...shouldn;t get in a birth pool until 5 cm though.....

just do what feels right !

lulu, hope you don't mind me asking

are you some sort of professional (midwife, nurse etc)

I'm not asking because I will only listen to you if you are, I'm asking because it sounds like you are.....and I'm nosy

snoooooooooooort !!

this is me!!

trainee doula !