Advantages and Disadvantages of a sweep

[surreygirl1987]

Hello- my due date is today and I'm expecting to be offered a sweep by my mw tomorrow at my appointment. I had initially decided to decline but now I'm getting impatient...

The advantages of a sweep are obvious - a way to possibly kick start labour, and a less invasive way than induction (ideally I want to avoid!).

What about disadvantages? My thinking was that he'll come out when he's ready and I didn't want to force a 'natural' process. Also I've heard it's uncomfortable (I HATE smear tests and get anxious and tense about them so hate the idea of a sweep which I assume is not dissimilar!).

Any other pros and cons??
Thanks :)

personally, apart from a minute of being uncomfortable i didn’t have any cons. It’s only offered at 40 weeks in my area So I had it! I’m now over 48hours post sweep and having mild cramps, not sure their labour cramps yet but it seemed to get things moving and it was nice to find out where my body was up to, for example if I was dilated and how far effaced my cervix was. But they do say they aren’t always successful so it’s a personal choice wether to go through with it. I’d try anything at this point :-) x

Only have one if you're engaged properly so you don't get cord prolapse
Other than that they're fine, but uncomfortable but you'll soon realise that's like kitten licks in comparison 😉

I don't think there are any cons, none that I’m aware of. I had one with all three of mine and they were born within 48 hours.

I had one. I didn't feel any discomfort at all. A tiny bit of pressure but it was nothing really.
I can't see any disadvantages personally.
I had been having contractions for 4 days but because the head wasn't fully engaged there was not enough pressure for things to progress. So it was much needed to move labour on, 4 days and nights of contractions were not fun at all. I was exhausted and still had the hardest bit to come.

One of the cons is that they can accidentally break your waters. I'm not sure how often that happens. My only experience of sweeps was post 41 weeks. A bit sore but manageable. Neither of them made a blind bit of difference though.

I had 2 sweeps when I went beyond 40w with DC3 who just didn’t want to move. Was 1/5 engaged at the time.

The evidence for sweeps is patchy, BUT:

It’s a only few moments discomfort to potentially avoid induction. Inductions tend to result in longer labours, more painful contractions and a greater rate of interventions. I knew from first hand experience DC1 vs DC2 that there is a huge difference in the pain of natural versus augmented contractions. So really, really didn’t want induction.

Had first sweep at 40w + 1. Started having random contractions, spells through the night. Second at 40w + 4. Midwife advised long walk, hot bath and a GnT. Took all of that advice and baby came fairly quickly next day. At the time of the second sweep I was about 1-2cm dilated, with a still slightly posterior cervix, and still only 1/5 engaged. Was so pleased that it worked and got a quick SVD.

BTW for pain, it might be worth taking some paracetamol in advance, and practice some hypnobirthing during. As my cervix was still quite posterior it was definitely uncomfortable, but my midwife did help me with my breathing and “finding my happy place” (!) to get through it.

Thanks! Would you say it is worse than a smear test (in terms of pain / discomfort)?

I think a smears worse, they don’t use a speculum for sweep so you don’t get that stretching feeling x

If your cervix isn't favourable, yes it will be more painful than a smear imo. If the cervix has started to soften, then they are stretching it.

Cons... can introduce infection, can break the waters ( which if you don't go into labour 24 hour later you'll be induced) and it's not really a natural.

But it's a personal choice that only you can decide.

I had one with my last, it did nothing and was painful- I won't have one with this pregnancy.

Xx

My sweep wasn't painful, but was a little uncomfortable. Worth the minute or so of discomfort though as I went into labour 24 hours later!

My sweep with DD at 39+6 got labour started within a couple of hours and was definitely no worse than a smear. However I was fully effaced and 1-2cm dialated. Ask the midwife if they think your cervix is favourable. Mine was, so pretty helpful and straightforward. However I’ve read/heard from others who weren’t favourable and said it was painful. Also less likely to be effective. I’d just go on the midwife’s advice.

I had one, I'd describe the feeling as bizarre rather than painful or uncomfortable.

It was at one of my last midwife appointments so was no extra effort.

It didn't work though, ds was quite comfortable in there and had to be induced a week later (which was also totally fine)

I've lost count of how many sweeps I've had (4dc) ask them to examine you and only do it if your cervix are favourable. No point if your cervix are not and it will hurt.
I would say they feel a bit rummagey if that makes sense like things have been moved around a bit if that makes sense but as pp said you don't get that stretched open feeling you have with a smear.

Too many "make sense" brains on go slow today apologies!

I had 3 babies in 3 years and about 40 sweeps. Babies comes when they are ready.

They are often quite painful. Only do it if cervix is favourable and you’re a can or 2 dilated. I had two with ds1 and nothing and 2 with ds2, went into labour a few hours after the 2nd. But I was 8 days overdue so it’s hard to know!

I had two sweeps. Not painful at all for me, but neither worked and I don't think they do unless you are about to go into labour anyway. I wouldn't want one again. They made me cramp, bleed, feel hormonal and yucky. They seemed to stimulate the hormones without achieving anything else.

Contrary to the previous posters, I had one with my first and then declined with my second and will again this time.
I found it very uncomfortable. I am fine with smears etc, and have had many internal exams in the past, but I found it painful and weirdly intrusive. It was also disheartening, as it didn’t work and I was told at 40+1 that my cervix was high, hard and unfavourable. It made me feel weepy and shit.
Anyway like I say it didn’t work and I went into labour naturally at 40+6.

bluetrampolines 40 sweeps with 3 babies?!

For me the sweeps were a fair bit more painful than a smear (which normally don't bother me) but like pps have said it'll vary depending on how favourable your cervix is when they do it.

Okay many thanks... a wide variety of opinions and experiences! I will definitely ask my mw if my cervix is favourable and go from there. Many thanks for the advice.

I found it quite painful but my cervix wasn't favourable so that was probably why. I was an emotional wreck too because I had hoped to go and they would tell me I was ready to go in to Labour any time then when they didn't I was so disappointed 😂 I would have one again though it was good to know what was happening and where my body was in the process.

Good luck whatever you decide

I would say definitely worse than a smear but I was feeling a lot of pressure through my perineum at that stage and there was a lot of rummaging for my cervix which was apparently “only just” favourable. For me it was worth it and I expect that my midwife really went for it -I have a few health issues which make induction a little risky.

OH my gosh. Who are you ladies who experienced “mild discomfort”?? I cried during mine, practically fought the midwife (who was a bitch, so didn’t put me at ease even before she started), and then spent the next 2 days complaining to everyone that she’d “try to kill me through my cervix”. It was agony. I was utterly unprepared, having read all this “it’s like a smear” bollox. Sorry, just to give an alternative experience! That was the major con. Oh, and that it failed to do anything. Grumble. I hope you have a better experience.