Membrane sweep

[s2204]

Due date yesterday, Had my membrane sweep Thursday afternoon. Midwife said I was 1.5-2cm dilated, cervix would stretch to 3cm, 100% effaced & could feel babies head. She seemed pretty positive that it would be succesful. Thursday evening I had mild painful contractions every 15minutes, decided to go on as normal and went to bed, did wake up a few times during the night with pain but not enough to keep me awake. Next morning no pain or cramps, walked a lot and noticed browny colored discharge throughout the day. But now 48hours later. No contractions, no more discharge. Anyone had a similar experience and what was the outcome? Booked in for a repeat sweep next week and if that’s also unsuccessful induction date for 40 plus 10. Just feel like everything has halted!

Is this your first child? If it's not, apparently it's completely normal to be able to stretch your cervix up to 3cm; apparently that's the cervix of 'a woman who has already given birth once'. Sorry if that's not what you want to hear.

I'm surprised she didn't mention about whether your cervix was hard or soft, long or short and posterior or anterior, as those are the real factors that give a good indication of when labour might happen. Have you had your bloody show yet, or lost your mucus plug?

While at your dates is most common for women to go into labour up to 48 hours after a sweep, that doesn't mean it couldn't just happen at any time. The good news is that even if it doesn't send you into labour before your induction, it will likely have helped encourage things along to make the labour easier for you when it does happen.

Plus the more sweeps you have then the more likely they are to be effective. Is there time to fit in an extra sweep after your next one but before your induction? I think they can do them 3 days apart at this point.

Sorry it hasn't worked for you yet, but it really could happen at ANY time. Get on an exercise ball and get bouncing to encourage things along! I know all this stuff about 'baby will come when it's ready' but at 40+ weeks you can definitely increase your chances of starting labour with some of the 'old wives tales' and even if they don't start labour, they should help your body prepare for it :) Best of luck!

Thanks for replying. Yes it’s my first pregnancy. She did say it was soft & paper thin, and she could stretch it to about 3cm, also think she said anterior. It all sounded positive? She even said she’s confident I’ll have my baby this weekend. I’ve been getting a brownish discharge which I’m assuming is my mucus plug coming away? X