Sweep at 38 weeks and 5 days??

[Samlew89]

Hi everyone, just looking to hear others stories with sweeps.
I have midwife Friday which will leave me at 38 weeks and 5 days and I'm considering asking for a sweep.
I've had my show, braxton hicks, back pressure etc. Baby is healthy but big (according to growth scans)
In quite a lot of pain myself due to pgp, babies bum wedged under my ribcage (feels like it's going to pop open) and the little guy keeps leaving leaning on my sciatic nerve which is literally taking my legs from underneath me. Almost took a tumble down the stairs.
Do you think midwife will oblige if I request one?
Do they hurt and how successful are they?
I have two other children son (4) daughter (9) but no sweeps in previous pregnancies.
Just a bit nervous but want to get things going....
☺️

Ime they only ogfer them at your due date. Mine was uncomfortable but manageable

That's what I've heard from some women but others saying depends on your situation and your midwife. Only another 10 days till due date so if I have to wait till then I guess I'll have to manage right

Sweeps aren't proven to induce labour and in many other countries e.g. Germany they don't do them. Regardless asking for one before exactly 40 weeks is too early, your baby will come when baby wants to.

The problem with a deer is that it can send you in to early labour but you won't necessarily progress. I know you are keen to get moving but can you spend the next 10 days lying on the sofa or wherever is comfortable?

A deer??? Ah haaaaa. A SWEEP

@Samlew89 I was induced at 38+3 so they wanted to check my cervix and give me a sweet at 38 weeks to see if Induction would be possible, It was a consultant that did my sweep and she said I would go into labour from it as I was already dilated ... nothing happened but the induction went well...

Unless you have medical reason and/or are going to be induced they won't do it, midwife may try but probably wouldn't be able to anyway...

I've never hit 40 weeks with previous pregnancies, I had my daughter at 38+6 and son at 37+1... My midwife keeps commenting on size of baby and he's been engaged since 30 weeks.

Spugzbunny.... I wish I could just lie down all day that would be something. But lying down doesn't make a difference to the pain. The baby leaning on sciatic nerve on and off whether I'm standing/lying or sitting. Feels like he's trying to corkscrew his way out

@HJWT I was induced with my last pregnancy. I fell over, landed on my bum and waters popped. Tried pessary but wasn't strong enough. Was then induced by drip but this was horrendous experience. It wasn't connected properly. Bed was wet so told midwife the solution in drip had been leaking out. By this time the machine was turned up every half hour to almost full amount, midwife didn't turn down before connecting it back properly. So I had full wack of hormone straight off. Was ready to push in under a minute. I was only dilated 3cm. Just about to get sent for a section and my body decided against it and dated and born 7 mins later.

Well my doc/ midwife said they do work - if your body is ready.
I had one at 39 weeks with my first pregnancy and it sent me into labour that day 1.5 hrs later baby was out and healthy we left hospital hrs later.
Baby number 2 I had a sweep at 38 weeks, and again they said I was favourable - went into labour 2 days later.. 1.5 hrs of labour and I had another happy healthy baby. So you can have them to good effect but your body must be ready for them to work. I was told the midwife could feel babies head when she did it, so I think both my DC were very ready to come out.

@Mummab3ar That sounds really positive, thanks for sharing! Hopefully midwife will give me a sweep and my baby and body is as ready as I think they are...
Have painful tightenings for the last 2 days but nothing regular or no pattern, the pressure is all there, had my show (tmi) so fingers crossed 🤞
Sorry for rambling on am quite anxious haha 😂

If a sweep works it's because you would have given birth then anyway. Otherwise no-one would be medically induced, they'd all just get sweeps...

@Samlew89 I'm currently 37 weeks with #3 so I know what you mean 😂 I've got such horrible tightenings (but I know its just body practicing) and horrid pressure were his head is pushing on my cervix 😂! All good fun!
I didn't have a show until after my sweep with my second so perhaps thats a good sign. I know plenty of people say they have success but normally their cervix was already pretty thinned out and ready anyway. Like I said - all depends on how favorable your cervix is when they do it.
Also I didn't ask for any of mine, so I'm not sure how your midwife will be. Some can be pretty funny about it I hear, but I can't give you any input on it because as I said I didn't have to ask.
Fingers crossed baby comes soon for you to help with the pain 😘

I don't know if it would definitely work but have you tried nipple stimulation? In my last pregnancy I tried it at 39 weeks and 2 hours later my waters went x

I was booked in for an induction at 39 weeks due to low water volume, had a sweep at 38 + 2 as they said a good sweep might help make my cervix more favourable for the induction, lost my plug the next day and my waters went 2 days later so my induction was brought forward a day due to being 24 hours since my waters went and she was born after just having the pessary at 38+ 6.

However I also had 2 sweeps with dd1 that did naff all and she ended up being 11 days late.

Different hospital trust will have different policies. You would only be offered a sweep at 40 weeks for a first baby and 41 for 2nd or more babies at ours.?Unless it was agreed and written in your notes by a consultant. I hope things ease off for you it sounds like you're having a rough time

If you're consultant led for a suspected bigger baby then ask your consultant. I was offered one at 37+6, or I could've been induced if I'd wanted. My baby is measuring >95th. No heath issues, just make big babies.
I declined them but have had sweeps at 38+5, 39+5 and 40+6... I'm going into have my waters broken tomorrow as the sweeps haven't done the trick, at 41+1. I just got lots of cramping, show etc for days after which tbh just gave me false hope 😕 I was very very favourable after the last two and all my community MWs are surprised the one last week didn't work as I was aleady four cm and thinning with waters right there ready to go.

They csn help psychologically ime, but if your body isn't physically ready and on the verge of labour then they won't and you may feel worse for it.
Good luck, read the NICE guidelines for big (macrosomic) babies as they're very useful to know. www.nice.org.uk/donotdo/in-the-absence-of-any-other-indications-induction-of-labour-should-not-be-carried-out-simply-because-a-healthcare-professional-suspects-a-baby-is-large-for-gestational-age-macrosomic

Macrosomia alone ISN'T an indicator of early induction.

@Mummab3ar Hopefully midwife will give me a sweep. Weird thing though since writing this post in bed this morning I have been having tightenings with pain that's not eased and back pain with it. Am hoping doesn't fizzle out but knowing my luck will disappear again. My partner is home today too because of snow so would be perfect timing if the little guy decides to make an appearance.
@myboysaremyworld135
I haven't tried it. Maybe give it a go later anything is worth a go at moment. Thanks for the tip
@CookieSwirlC Sounds positive, again think it's all down to whether body and baby ready isn't it... Fingers 🤞 ☺️
@Tootyfrooty35 my boys on the 90th percentile but not consultant led as everything seems fine. But I'm only small so the fact he is big is a bit worrying and making me more anxious not to go any longer. Had my others early at 6lb5oz and 6lb8oz so the thought of him being a lot bigger is terrifying. Haha!!
Hopefully won't be as bad as I'm thinking 🤞🤣

@samlew89 I had my second at home and he was 11lb5.... A tota surprise that he was that size but I managed with no pain relief and only a second degree tear. Your body can do amazing things 😁
Have a chat with your midwife but I suspect as you're not consultant led theat they'll say no. I had my first one at the pregnancy assessment unit, my community mw made the appointment and I saw the on call consultant who understood my reasoning for having one early and agreed to it, and a further one a week later. Worth a try maybe?

@Tootyfrooty35 11lb 5 😧 I can only imagine how hard going that must of been. Reassuring knowing big baby born at home though and everything good. Yeah I think worth a try as I know a few ladies who've had one a tad earlier than 40 weeks but in my area all depends on which midwife you see on the day. Guess I shall see tomorrow 😊

@Samlew89 Yeah, I keep having pain but it fizzles out 😭 they say 3rd babies like to mess you around and I definitely feel that might be the case 😭😂!
Also my midwife said recently that weight isn't the thing that makes it more difficult. Apparently it is simply head circumference that os the hard part, so if you have a heavy baby you might not tear at all. 🤞 hopefully that's true 😂! Also I am petite size 8 normally and each pregnancy measure above 90th percentile, but my two boys were both under 8lbs so you might be okay 💕!

@Mummab3ar
My son was round the same percentile as this pregnancy but he was only 6lb 5.5oz born but he was born 3 weeks before my due date so am guessing he would have been a bit chunkier if went full 40* weeks. Suppose won't know until he is born. And hopefully his head won't be the size of a mini football ⚽ haha!!
I feel your pain its horrible when u think this is it, pains get stronger and closer and blink their gone again! Hope the rest of your pregnancy goes smoothly too 😘

@samlew89 it wasn't easy that's for sure. 😂 but totally manageable. His head was huge too, 98th centile I think. But I was on top of the world afterwards. So worth it.
I can definitely say thirds are very stop start, I've been faffing on for about ten days I'd say with pains, shows etc etc but has always fizzled out. Having my waters broken tomorrow so that'll be it hopefully, it's exhausting the non stop guessing and symptom spotting.
As long as baby's head and shoulders fit through your pelvis then you're good, and remember position is important too. Best positions are squatting or on your side, both open up your pelvis more.
Good luck 😊

@Tootyfrooty35 I'm finding the stopping and starting hard work it's disappointing then when you get your hopes up aint it.... Best of luck with having waters broken tomorrow. Hope all goes well for you and everything goes your way. All the best..... I can imagine the head was super duper painful then 🙈 but as u say the pain seems to be a distant memory the second your little one is in your arms.... Good luck hun!!! 😘😘

Midwife here. Sweeps are offered at 40 weeks for first babies or 41 weeks for second onwards. They are not allowed to do them any earlier unless a consultant has documented that you can have one due to a medical reason. A midwife doing a sweep before term risks her registration, they are not without risk and to expose someone to risks without indication is legally malpractice.

It must depend on your midwife. I'm seeing my midwife on Monday for my next routine appointment, I will be 38+3 and she's offered me a sweep. This is my second child.