Will a sweep help?

[AnnieCat84]

I'm 40 weeks and seemed to have experienced all of the pregnancy symptoms in my last trimester despite the first two being very easy.

I'm desperate to meet my baby (and get some relief from the swelling/carpal tunnel/itching/etc) and wondered what the options were!

I'm seeing midwife Monday. Is it worth asking for a sweep when the baby isn't engaged yet? Will it even do anything?
Are sweeps as horrible as they sound?

I'm going on walks, bouncing on my ball. Get the odd period type cramps and back pain, but no other symptoms or Labour signs as of yet. What else can I do!!!? Sex is next on the list!

There is never a guarantee a sweep will do anything to help. I didn't find mine that bad but my cervix was favourable and I'm generally good at keep relaxed during things like that which does help with the comfort levels.

I would absolutely not have one done if your cervix isn't favourable though, that can be a lot more uncomfortable and you may go through it for nothing

I had one at 39 and 6. I was in for reduced movements and asked could I have one. I was already 1cm. It definitely helped.

I had one at 41 weeks and it wasn’t just uncomfortable it was painful. Give me a smear test over a sweep any day! DD didn’t arrive till 41+4 so it didn’t even do anything. Currently 39 weeks with #2 and won’t be having one this time.

Sweeps are pointless. It works only if the baby is about to be born anyway. The rest of the time it won't work and it's a painful procedure which has stressed you out (and therefore makes it less likely you'll actually give birth.)

I honestly found the sweep I had to be pain free. It wasn't even uncomfortable.

I think sweeps are a waste of time...they are only effective if you've started labour (in which case you don't know if they are actually doing anything, or you would've progressed like that anyway)
My friends that have gone passed due date have had multiple sweeps to no impact.
I personally think mine was quite detrimental, as extremely uncomfortable and invasive (I was 2cm anyway) as as I was contracting it was awful - it just made me more anxious about labour kicking off.
How ever uncomfortable you are now, when your baby is here, you'll wish you could've had a few more days of pregnancy!
Relax, watch your favorites film, eat chocolate and get the oxytocin flowing (or sex as you suggest!) - which is more likely to instigate labour then a sweep.

Many European countries wont do them as they have no evidence for working! I wouldn't but I'm not in 2rd trimester yet so up to you. Long story short if you're not 42 weeks I'd let baby come when they're ready!

Thanks all!

It's reassuring to hear that waiting a bit longer might be the right thing to do! Hopefully he'll come when he's ready... I'm just so impatient!

You have your whole life to enjoy your baby. Another week of being childfree - the final week ever! - should be a blessing. I wish I could go back and have that week again sometimes 😂

I'm in the same boat. 39 weeks pregnant and booked in for a sweep on Wednesday, but I don't think I'll bother getting it done...Even though I want my baby Out!!!!!!!!So fed up and uncomfortable lol. Just seems a bit pointless if your body isn't ready to go into labour anyway. I didn't know this. I thought if you had a sweep, you would pretty much go into labour.

I had one at 40+5, I didn't ask for it, just got told if I got to 41 weeks they'd do one. I thought it was just standard. Only risk I got told about was accidental rupture of membrane.

I can honestly say it was one of the most unpleasant experiences of my life. I felt like I had been violently assaulted, I'm not exaggerating. I cried, partly from pain but mostly from being so emotionally upset by it.

I will never have another.

I did go into labour 12 hrs later. But it was a hideous b2b labour where I ended up exhausted, DD was distressed, then got stuck when she tried to turn. I ended up with a spinal block ready for emcs and DD born not breathing by foreceps and ventouse one contraction before the CS had to happen.

I've found out since that a sweep increases your chances of other interventions. I wonder what would have happened if we hadn't hurried it along? Would DD have turned around? I think so.

@WeeDangerousSpike I feel for you and hate how women feel pressured into things and it's come to the point where we feel like we have no understanding or control of our own bodies. I suppose it's hard to know how it could have gone but I've had bad smear tests as it is so will definitely be avoiding this!