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Pregnancy

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

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Original poster

Refusing sweep

25 replies

Beansprout30 · 29/05/2018 10:25

I'm 40 + 3 today and although getting very impatient, I'm happy to hold out until baby is ready to come.

I have a mw appointment this pm and she's offered a sweep which I was going to go with, but the more I think about it, the more I don't want it done.

Has anyone else refused it and just waited? How long did baby take to arrive? Or did you have one and it made no difference?

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RNBrie · 29/05/2018 10:28

I've always refused sweeps. Not been an issue at all. There is very limited evidence that they work at all and they can be painful. Not sure why anyone would have one!! Midwives totally relaxed about me saying no.

Dc were all a week late and 2 of 3 were spontaneous labours. Dc3 was an induction. All 3 back to back.

Cheeseandapple · 29/05/2018 10:29

I was offered one at 39+6 but declined for the same reason as you - thought she would show up when she was ready. Booked a sweep for 40+6. Went into early labour at 40+3 with increasingly intense contractions. Went for the sweep 3 days later and went into active labour that night. Follow your instinct on this one!

Cheeseandapple · 29/05/2018 10:31

Should add that by that point i knew she was on her way and the sweep might help rather than anything else and it was uncomfortable but didn't hurt. Also the midwife had no agenda and was happy to be led by me. Good luck x

Bluebirdsky · 29/05/2018 10:32

It's fine to refuse a sweep, it's only being offered to you, this does not mean you have to say yes.
To be honest I think they only really work if you are ready to go into labour anyway and if you are ready anyway then you probably don't need it!

chloechloe · 29/05/2018 12:12

I take the view that babies will come when they're ready and there's nothing you can do to speed things up. I live in Germany and have never heard of a midwife doing a sweep over here.

Amanduh · 29/05/2018 12:58

My friend refused them. I had three and they didnt make a blind bit of difference and
eventually I was Induced

BlueBug45 · 29/05/2018 13:08

Found some information that says only increase the chance of delivery in 48 hours in 24% of women. So for most women they don't work.

MaverickSnoopy · 29/05/2018 13:14

I'm asking myself the same question (pregnant with DC3). I didn't have a sweep with DD1 (didn't see a MW after 38 weeks as they were too busy) and was 10 days late. With DD2 I had 4 sweeps and was 15 days late and ended up being induced. I think that I just have late babies.

Each time I had a sweep I had really bad cramps the rest of the day and it didn't make any difference. Honestly I think this time I'm going to try to relax and enjoy being late and get some extra sleep in. Obviously it works for some women...but then what's to say they wouldn't have gone into labour anyway!

QueenCity · 29/05/2018 13:15

I wish I had refused. I had a low Bishop score but midwife still said it was worth a try 10 days overdue) so I went ahead and had one. It meant that my waters broke the following morning and I then had three nights of contractions which stopped every morning before having labour induced on the third night. I was exhausted after having no sleep for three nights and my body obviously wasn't ready to go into labour. I would just let nature take its course.

Pebblespony · 29/05/2018 13:16

Made no difference in my case.

Luxembourgmama · 29/05/2018 13:19

Sweeps are horrible. I said yes to one when I was 40 weeks exactly I felt unwell and shaky for the rest of the day.

JackietheBackie · 29/05/2018 13:20

The evidence for their effectiveness is really poor. I wouldn't have one.

Original poster

Beansprout30 · 29/05/2018 14:04

Thank so everyone, you've helped me decide for sure I'm not going to have one and wait for baby to come when she's ready, hopefully before needing to be induced.

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Girlwiththearabstrap · 29/05/2018 16:00

I had 2. Did absolutely nothing and I got induced at 40+12. No pain at all but it was interesting to find out how favourable I was etc. My midwife emphasised that it is optional so no issues at all if you don't want one.

Wildlingofthewest · 29/05/2018 16:14

I had 3 sweeps.
They didn’t absolutely nothing to bring on labour!
Apparently they are only helpful if you are on the cusp of going into labour anyway.....
I was induced at 41+6

Smurfybubbles · 29/05/2018 16:20

I had a sweep at 41 weeks that did absolutely nothing and I ended up being induced anyway! It was extremely uncomfortable, everyone had told me it was a bit like getting a smear done

They tried to give me a second sweep which I declined!

ThinkOfAWittyNameLater · 29/05/2018 19:32

DC1 the registrar lied through his teeth about a much-needed induction now being unnecessary. So offered a sweep as 'compensation' and then lied to my husband that sweeps were 90% effective at starting labour
It hurt so much I nearly shot off the top of the bed from the pain & shock and couldn't stop laughing hysterically.
I had strong cramps for the rest of the day and spotting. And an anxious husband expecting baby to arrive at any moment. I hated everything about it and wanted to curl into a ball and hide.

DC2 I was determined not to have a sweep. Until it turned out I'd been in early labour for two weeks and so lovely lovely registrar offered me a sweep the night before my induction. Did sweet FA but it didn't hurt at all and it really WAS like a smear test.

Go with your gut but prepare to be flexible in case your gut changes it's mind!

Pebblespony · 29/05/2018 21:18

I didn't actually feel mine. I was waiting for her to start and then she says "All done!"

mustbemad17 · 29/05/2018 21:27

Had one with DD at 40+3 - she was born the next day, worked a treat.
Had 2 with the next one, one at 40 & one at 40+5 - did sod all, she hung on til 41+1.

Due with DS next week & tbh i can't wait for the midwife to give it a go. I'm uncomfortable as hell & fed up...would give most things a shot i think!!! Each to their own tho, it's only an offer 🙂

Original poster

Beansprout30 · 29/05/2018 21:34

I'm glad I didn't go with it, maybe I will change my mind if I'm still waiting this time next week, I believe as a few of you have already said, it's probably only beneficial if you're almost in labour already

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guiltynetter · 29/05/2018 21:37

i had a sweep, it didn’t hurt at all and i went into labour that night. so i’d defo have another one! i don’t really get the point of refusing, i don’t think they’re dangerous or anything are they?

Original poster

Beansprout30 · 29/05/2018 22:11

Would just prefer to see if she comes on her own in the next few days each to their own I guess

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ThatsNotEvenAWord · 29/05/2018 22:17

I refused one at 40 +3 after doing some research and finding out they actually aren’t proven to work at all. I reckon for the large majority of women go into labour after a sweep and therefore credit the sweep with starting their labour, it’s a coincidence. I didn’t want to get my hopes up and go through an uncomfortable procedure only for nothing to happen. This baffled a few of my friends who preferred to feel more ‘pro active’ about starting labour off but I went the other way and refused to try anything. In the end he came at 41 weeks naturally. Although funnily enough he turned out to be breech, no one knew, and if I’d had a sweep I’d have had to have a c section most likely so I am so glad I trusted my instincts! Good luck with your labour and birth :)

Rozzzzzalmost35 · 29/05/2018 23:23

I had five and didn't have so much as a cramp. Baby arrived at 41+3 after a three-pessary induction. This was my second baby!!!

keepingbees · 29/05/2018 23:42

I had 2 sweeps a week apart. They didnt hurt (although it wasn't a deep effective sweep as everything was still too high, hard and closed apparently!) but they did nothing but make me feel crampy, hormonal and bleed lightly. I wouldn't have one again. As others have said I think they only work if you're about to go into labour anyway.

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