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Original poster

Declining a sweep

32 replies

m4rdybum · 02/01/2019 08:49

I'm a FTM, currently 38+5. Have my next midwife appointment at 40+3 and a planned induction date of 41 weeks due to baby measuring quite large.

Haven't particularly shown any signs of labour yet; just increased discharge, sharp pains every now and then down there and very occasionally, very mild period pains. Baby's head is 3/5ths engaged.

Since attending antenatal classes, I decided I wouldn't bother with a sweep when offered- the midwife leading it noted it only really worked in 1 in 5 women, and even then, they were likely due to go into labour anyway. I'm also worried about the discomfort of it (which I know is daft, as I'll be pushing a baby out of there soon enough).

Midwife has offered me a sweep at my next appointment and I have said I don't think I'll bother, as I'll be getting induced at the end of that week, so if I haven't gone into labour by then, I'll have resigned myself to be induced, and every midwife and her pals can have a rummage around there then.

Just wanting to hear some sweep stories - not necessarily positive/negative - and get your views on whether it's worth giving it a try?

OP posts:
SoyDora · 02/01/2019 08:55

With my first, I had a sweep on my due date. I found it painful, intrusive and it made me feel bizarrely emotional. And it didn’t work. I went into labour naturally at 40+4.
I declined a sweep with my second due to the experiences of my first. Had the baby at 40+2.
Currently 40+6 with my third. I had planned to decline a sweep again but I’ve been so uncomfortable and fed up that I had one at 39+6. It wasn’t painful this time, just mildly uncomfortable. Still didn’t work though! I have another appointment booked for tomorrow, I haven’t decided whether to have another sweep or not yet. I probably will as I’m pretty desperate now!

Zeitgei5t · 02/01/2019 08:57

1st child midwife couldn't do it as was too high so discomfort for nothing.

2nd child i went with if I haven't gone into labour I'll accept it at the 41 week appointment but I went into labour.

SoyDora · 02/01/2019 08:58

I’m fairly resigned to an induction now. I have contractions all through the night every night and they stop every morning. I haven’t slept more than 2 hours a night since before Christmas. If I do go into proper labour naturally I think I’ll be too tired to push the baby out anyway.

Timeforabiscuit · 02/01/2019 09:03

Had a sweep with my first, had no clue what it entailed but midwife was a pro and gave me a pad and recommended a walk. It ceratainly kick started something and gave birth about 2 days after.

Really looked forward to my second sweep as I was bigger and overdue - not a flipping whisper!

cja06 · 02/01/2019 09:04

I had a sweep with my first. Wasn't painful and it did start things off with me.

Eminybob · 02/01/2019 09:08

I had 2 in the week leading up to my induction date. The first one didn’t work and the second I think did something as they only needed to use the gel once at the induction the next day rather than the drip. Which was kind of the point for me, I had the sweeps in order to avoid induction which is by all accounts worse than a sweep.

Woodward12 · 02/01/2019 09:20

I'm 38 weeks and planning on declining a sweep - they're presented as no risk but there is a chance of introducing infection, accidental breaking of waters etc and the evidence isn't really there for them being that effective. Plus uncomfortable and invasive.

However if I was rapidly approaching 42 weeks and wanted to avoid induction I will probably be tempted!

Poppins2016 · 02/01/2019 09:23

Which was kind of the point for me, I had the sweeps in order to avoid induction which is by all accounts worse than a sweep

Ditto.

I had three sweeps in the end, because I really didn't want an induction and my midwife agreed with my reasoning (she consistently commented 'I'd really try to avoid an induction', noting the higher risk of intervention, pain, etc.).

Each of my sweeps did 'something' to start the dilation process, but it was the third that sent me into labour. It's possible that my labour was longer and more inconsistent than it would have been if I'd gone into labour naturally without the intervention of the sweep, but I'm happy with my decision and sure that an induced labour, for me, would have been worse.

spudlet7 · 02/01/2019 09:24

I declined any sweeps for the same reasons as you. My best friend had 3 (maybe more, I forget) sweeps and has said she will never ever have one again. They were uncomfortable, the first two didn't work (obviously), and the third sent her into a long and painful false labour. I won't have one for my next either.

NoParticularPattern · 02/01/2019 09:25

I had one with DD but my main reason for doing so was to get an idea of how favourable I was. Obviously I couldn’t reach at that point and I have no idea what I’m feeling for anyway so it did help me work out how close I was. I was quite favourable but it didn’t work anyway. Ended up with induction which actually only needed the pessary as I was favourable, but I think if I’d not been favourable at the seeep I’d have put it back further and had another to see if there was any change naturally.

EverythingNow · 02/01/2019 09:33

I've had quite a few as all my babies were overdue. DC1 did nothing and I ended up being induced at 42wk with the pessary and drip.

DC2, I had 3 sweeps, and I started contractions about an hour after the 3rd sweep at 40+9.

DC3 ended up induced at 42wk again despite sweeps but it was a quick simple induction.

I have to say none were particularly unpleasant so when I'm overdue this time as I'm sure I will be I'll have a sweep (or 5) again!

thingersandfumbs · 02/01/2019 09:39

Midwife here.

Sweeps work IF you're already teetering on the edge of going into labour. They will not push an "unripe" cervix into labour and are quite uncomfortable if that's the case. If I have consent to perform one and discover it to be the case, very often I won't do it. I'll send the woman away with the information that the only thing we KNOW is that semen contains prostaglandins which ripen the cervix.

Also, it isn't daft to say that it will hurt when you're going to have a baby through the same hole. Labour generally gives you a warm up. Sweeps on an unripe cervix don't. It's a perfectly reasonable POV to be averse to discomfort! Grin

Wishing you all the very best OP.

Original poster
m4rdybum · 02/01/2019 09:46

@NoParticularPlan Yes I was thinking it might be good to have one at least, to see what kind of position I am in going into the induction (favourable or not).

I didn't think of the possibility of perhaps avoiding induction by pushing it back slightly, if the sweep brings about some kind of result.

My only worry is that I haven't really shown any noticeable symptoms of heading into labour - so not sure it would even be worth having if I haven't by then?

OP posts:
Original poster
m4rdybum · 02/01/2019 09:48

I'll send the woman away with the information that the only thing we KNOW is that semen contains prostaglandins which ripen the cervix.

I barely have enough energy or inclination to tie my shoes up Grin

OP posts:
thingersandfumbs · 02/01/2019 11:18

Make him do aaaallllll the work Wink

TruffleShuffles · 02/01/2019 12:05

I had an sweep at 40+4 in the hope that I could avoid an induction, I would say it was more uncomfortable than painful. I lost my mucus plug the following morning and was hopeful it had worked but then nothing happened and I ended up being induced at 40+10. The induction was extremely painful and if I have another baby I desperately hope I wouldn’t have to have another one.

Sexnotgender · 02/01/2019 12:36

I’ll be declining sweeps. The evidence just isn’t there to support them, they’re invasive and unnecessary in my opinion.

user1471433387 · 02/01/2019 13:23

I'll decline a sweep if I'm offered one tomorrow at my appointment where I'll be 40+2.

I asked for one just before I was induced with my first but the Dr didn't perform it as my cervix wasn't in the right position or something. My induction wasn't too bad, I just required 2 pessaries and gave birth in well under 24 hours from when I was first admitted to hospital.

I'd rather wait and let things happening naturally as I would imagine that would be a better labour. You could ask the midwife to examine you without a sweep? But that won't tell you anything definitive.

smerlin · 02/01/2019 13:28

I had three and the third one was painful bordering on violent. None started labour and I ended up induced.

Bananarama12 · 02/01/2019 13:37

2nd sweep worked for me. I had a trainee midwife do it while the trained midwife held my hand and did breathing techniques. It was actually a nice experience and I felt very relaxed after! Went into labour that night.

ILiveForNachos · 02/01/2019 15:48

What the midwife said above is really useful. I declined all sweeps and knew they didn’t work unless you were ‘ripe’ anyway and if I was ‘ripe’ my body was on its way anyway. I am also facing an induction due to a large baby this time and will be declining sweeps again. I hope to not be induced but there are a couple of positive induction threads on here that really helped balance out the ‘inductions are the worst’ stories you always hear. Make a decision that feels right for you.

thismeansnothing · 02/01/2019 17:58

I declined my first offer of a sweep. The next 2 couldn't be done as cervix was unfavourable/unreachable whatever and was pure bloody agony. Had a third one just shy of 42 weeks which could be done, but was again painful. And did sweet fa to bring labour on.

Darkstar4855 · 02/01/2019 18:14

My plan was for vaginal examination with a sweep only if my cervix was favourable. Never got that far as went into labour at 39+1.

SoyDora · 02/01/2019 18:15

They will generally only do the sweep if your cervix is favourable anyway:

RiskIt4Biscuit · 02/01/2019 20:39

I’m 39 weeks today and my midwife mentioned that I can have sweeps at our 40 and/or 41 week appointments.
At the 40 week appointment she will book me in for an induction 10-12 days later.

I would like to have a water birth, so am I right in thinking that induction could make that more difficult, while having had sweeps will not impact this?

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