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Pregnancy

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

Original poster

How quickly after due date did you have a sweep?

19 replies

Cmad116 · 18/05/2018 15:47

Im having major issues with community midwife she keeps changing my appointments im 39 weeks monday and was due my first sweep on monday 28th May received a letter today saying they gad to cancel appointment ive called and she is saying its because they are not open bank holiday and she can fit me in on 30th may which will make me 40 + 2 then she will see me on 4th June and book induction if required... im really not happy i wanted the sweep on my due date its already been 3 weeks since ive seen a community midwife... should i complain or is this fairly normal?

OP posts:
WildCherryBlossom · 18/05/2018 15:52

My babies were all close to 42 weeks when they were born. I never had a sweep. There is no concrete evidence that they work. Anecdotally "I went into labour the next day" but they are only performed on women on or past their due date who may well have spontaneously gone into labour. Or "I had to have 3 sweeps before I went into labour". Well perhaps the sweeps didn't help at all.

Couldn't see any good reason for putting myself through an invasive and uncomfortable procedure at that stage of pregnancy which is not proven to have any effect at all.

Original poster
Cmad116 · 18/05/2018 15:56

They only let you go 10 days over now with first pregnancy and im high risk my consultant wanted to induce me early but i wanted to try natural methods before drugs now im feeling so messed around by community midwife i dont know if i should just call consultant and book the induction? Both my friends have had sweeps and said was no more uncomfortable than a smear and got labour started for them??

OP posts:
GummyGoddess · 18/05/2018 16:00

Sweeps don't work unless you're about to go into labour imminently anyway. They might speed it up by a day or two but that's it. My source is that my mother is a midwife.

happymummy12345 · 18/05/2018 16:03

Mine was 40+5, was originally booked for 40+3, but I was having contractions so decided to see if things would progress, so was told that i hadn't gone into labour within the next 2 days I'd have to go back and have it.

bassackwards · 18/05/2018 16:03

Had one sweep at around 41 weeks and another a few days later. Did nothing. Was eventually induced at 42 weeks.

MrsL2016 · 18/05/2018 16:03

The stats given to me was that sweeps on due date have a 25% success rate and then 50% after 41 weeks. I declined a due date sweep and had one at 41 weeks. I was already in early labour though. It certainly moved things along.

RedBlu · 18/05/2018 16:04

40+1, labour started a few hours later and baby arrived in the early hours the next day

happymummy12345 · 18/05/2018 16:04

It didn't hurt or feel uncomfortable for me at all. In fact even the midwife who done it said how surprised she was when I told her it didn't hurt at all.
It was a slight pressure, nothing more.

Mannix · 18/05/2018 16:06

I was 40+3 when I had mine. It didn't work but I went into labour naturally 4 days later.

InDubiousBattle · 18/05/2018 16:09

I had a sweep at just before 39 weeks. Bit uncomfortable but not too bad. Didn't work and dd was born at 40+4. I was consultant led though, with my ds they said I had to be over due to have one. I would complain as i'm not convinced it wouod make any difference.

pastabest · 18/05/2018 16:11

gosh I really wouldn't be in a hurry for a sweep!

I assume the (40 week?) appointment was made in error for the bank holiday, shes literally moving it to two days later so hardly a huge difference (and certainly not a 'major issue'). You might end up having the baby before then any way. Why get stressed out about something that might not even happen?

My 40 week appointment for DC1 happened to land exactly on week 40 and the midwife said to me at the previous appointment that she would do a sweep that day if i wanted one.

I was planning on saying no thanks (I wasn't in a hurry for them to arrive) but as it happened DC1 arrived a few hours before her due date anyway.

Original poster
Cmad116 · 18/05/2018 16:24

Well the clinic was open on the last bank holiday 7th May but closed this one 28th may.. my main concern isnt about the sweep date being change as such wanted to check with others if that was normal the major issues im having is that i havent seen a midwife since April and my last appointment with consultant was 36 weeks should i be being left this long when I'm a high risk pregnancy? My community midwife has messed up every appointment and not just mine as my bf is pregnant aswell she was due yesterday so we have same community midwife and all her appointments have been messed up and moved around.. i really dont want to go over due and have little faith im getting the proper care i should be at this late stage... i just want some reassurance of what is normal im quite happy to have a sweep so not concerned about that or the effectiveness as any chance of not involving drugs ill take...

OP posts:
Girlwiththearabstrap · 18/05/2018 17:38

It really depends what you're high risk for as to how often you need to see your midwife/consultant etc. Can you leave a message for her to get back to you and talk through your concerns? I also have to have frequent appointments but managed to make ones with GP or practice nurse if my midwife was busy.

As far as the sweep goes, I really don't think having to wait an extra 2 days for it is that big a deal? There's no real evidence they work unless you were about to go naturally anyway. I've had 2 and am still pregnant at 8 days over!

pastabest · 18/05/2018 18:17

my understanding was that the consultants appointments were instead of rather than as well as midwife appointments? Also depending on when clinics run in my experience appointments can often be a week either side of when they should be. So if you have your 31 week appointment at 30 weeks and your 36 week appointment at 37 weeks it can end up being quite long between appointments!

So with your first you should have had appointments with either the consultant or midwife at roughly:

31 weeks (around 2nd April)
36 weeks (around 30th April)
38 weeks (around 14th May)
and 40 weeks (around 28th May)

Does that fit in thereabouts with the appointments you have had?

It really does depend on what makes the pregnancy 'high risk' though as to if you should be seeing someone more?

coffeeforone · 18/05/2018 18:19

I had a sweep at my normal midwife check at 40+4. Not sure if it did anything . My waters broke at 40+5 but I didn’t go into labour so was induced and delivered on 40+6

OrianaBanana · 18/05/2018 18:21

I had one on the afternoon of 40+2. Contractions started but stopped again that night, then started properly the next night and she was born 40+4.

Cat12321 · 18/05/2018 18:24

I've got one booked in for 40+2 which is next Thursday! Hoping that she makes an appearance before then...

coffeeforone · 18/05/2018 18:24

Both my friends have had sweeps and said was no more uncomfortable than a smear and got labour started for them??

I have to say, for me a sweep was much more uncomfortable than a smear!

jkl0311 · 18/05/2018 18:34

@Cmad116 I think you will be fine to leave it, a natural birth is best they monitor almost too much nowadays. Just chill on the due date, it's not this magical time baby's roll out. I know it's not easy but try and relax Smile good luck

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