anyone know how long a sweep takes to work on average???

[sleeplessmum2be]

Going for a sweep on Monday anyone know what is likely to occur, any advice gratefully excepted!!!

When i had my sweep the midwife examined me then i said "so when are you doing the sweep?" and she said "i just did it". In my case it didnt do anything and i had to end up being induced. Apparently some midwifes do more "effective" sweeps - so ask her to be aggresive if you want it to actually work!!!!!!!!

hi sleeplessmtb, ok it is actually called a sweep, but thats not how i would describe it, its like an internal but with a bit more going on it can be quite uncomfortable ,my sister and myself have both had this done hers took 12 hours to work mine was 24hours. good luck x

Mien just told me she'd do an internal, didn't realise it was sweep until I spoke to other people about it. Took a few seconds. Oh, and you might start to bleed quite a bit and get period like pains

I had a sweep when ds2 was 10 days over due (on a sunday), on my own bed when the midwife came to visit. In my case it wasn't very successful everything was still too high and I found it too painful for her to really push it ( i was very tense). Gave birth to ds on friday early am, the day they were going to induce me. My midwife told me if it was going to work it useually did within 24 hours

Thanks for the information ladies, but can anyone actually explain to me what a sweep is?

I think a sweep is where the midwife tries to separate the amniotic sac from the cervix. In doing this, the body then begins to produce hormones which stimulate labour. It only tends to work if you have a 'favourable cervix' which I think means that your cervix is soft and has started to dilate.

I had mine done on the Thursday morning and it was painless even though my midwife was quite 'thorough'! I went into labour on the Saturday morning and had had baby by tea-time. I did bleed quite a lot afterwards though so would suggest you take along a pad to wear afterwards.

I had sweep when 7 days overdue with dd.The midwife reported that my cervix was 2cm dilated and she could have broken my waters then and there... which she seemed to be itching to do... but I asked her to keep to the sweep. It wasn't sore, but period-y pains came within the hour which developed into full labour by the evening. Gave DH and I time to have what we knew would be our last meal as 'just the 2 of us!'

Good luck on Monday!

thank you ladies i'll keep you up to date!!!

Had a sweep when 7 days overdue, told it takes up to 48 hours to work. However, did not work in my case, despite a thorough 'sweep'. MW was touching baby's head!

I had a sweep with my first baby I was 4 days overdue. DR did the sweep then told me he'd probably see me back within 24 hours. That was the Tuesday morning I had niggly period type pains from straight afterwards right up until my waters broke in the early hours of the Sunday morning. So it didn't do anything for me.

They offered me a sweep for my second baby and I politely declined. Went into labour naturally later that night.