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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Would you have a sweep at 39+1?

75 replies

Comps83 · 12/12/2019 10:23

I’ve been offered a sweep next Wednesday when I will have just clocked over to 39 weeks
I’m very undecided
Most people I’ve asked have said they would wait until after the due date
I’m not sure I want any intervention before the actual due date and there are no problems with baby or myself
DH would like me to give it a try but I know it’s just because he’s bored of waiting and hopes to still be able to have an Xmas day if he comes early
What would you do? I have no other children and I’m not at all bothered about missing Xmas this year if it means he comes naturally when he’s meant to ( obvs I will accept intervention when he overdue)

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shutupsteph · 12/12/2019 21:18

If you have no clinically justifiable reason to have a sweep they absolutely should not offer it anyway. The whole thing around due dates is so inaccurate anyway, you could be many weeks off giving birth or you could be ready to pop in a day or two. I would wait, baby will come when it's ready and as PP has said before, there is no evidence that a sweep speeds anything along so save yourself the invasive procedure if you and baby are healthy and happy

jenningzx · 12/12/2019 21:36

I'll only be having one if I get to over 40, my midwife won't do it unless you go over anyway. But as I only have 6 weeks off, if baby is late I'm getting a sweet for sure!

IceBearRocks · 12/12/2019 22:13

I'd have it ..... reduced staff over Christmas.....I've got a boy who spends lots of time in hospitals....any 'holiday'or weekend ...the NHS is precarious!

AlwaysThereForEveryoneElse · 12/12/2019 22:23

Yes because I'm so uncomfortable but I still have 6 weeks.

firstimemamma · 12/12/2019 22:30

I wouldn't op. Sweeps come with risks (albeit low ones).

I booked myself in for a sweep at 41 weeks but luckily baby came naturally on the day it was meant to happen.

Your dh makes me laugh. If he thinks it's possible to have a vaguely normal Xmas day with a very young baby, he is in for a big shock!

Original poster

Comps83 · 17/12/2019 10:07

@firstimemamma I think he’s in for a lot of shocks
Thanks for everyone’s advice
I’m still pretty undecided. And if I’m honest I’m annoyed I’m having to make the decision early. Most ppl I’ve spoken to say they wouldn’t even have the option until after 40 weeks , the consensus seems to be to wait though. Doesn’t help that DH keeps impatiently asking me when baby is coming and has taken some unpaid early days off work as soon as I mentioned the possibility of the sweep

I’ll see what tomorrow brings

OP posts:

ASundayWellSpent · 17/12/2019 10:18

No, the longer they can stay inside until when they naturally decide to be born, the more prepared they are for life outside the womb

vivapuff · 17/12/2019 10:49

Your DH needs to educate himself about childbirth. Has he attended any antenatal classes?

It's detrimental for you to have total strangers asking you when the baby is coming, let alone your DH!! Does he think you can tell the future? You don't need the pressure.

Your DH should tell his work you are expecting and he may take time off with short notice and have stopped all work travel by now. This is a very common thing. It is hard to imagine an employer not being understanding

Original poster

Comps83 · 17/12/2019 10:55

No he’s a teacher so he has a lot of bother getting any time off , even trying to arrange his own paternity cover has been a nightmare .
I’m hoping there will I’ll be yet another midwife there tomorrow who will be in the ‘wait and see’ school of thought.
I’ve lost count of the amount of different midwives I’ve seen

OP posts:

Dec19baby · 17/12/2019 11:02

@Comps83 have you had one yet? I just had a consultant appointment for first time, just really to discuss my birth plan. Although they were nice it felt very much like scaremongering coz I don't want sweeps or internal exams. As people have said, sweeps can only be done successfully when your cervix is changing anyway for birth, and as I'm only just 39+2 I think it's too soon to even think about booking an induction date Why aren't more healthcare professionals on the side of, majority of time babies will come when ready, they're not on a clock from the estimated due date..

Original poster

Comps83 · 17/12/2019 11:04

@Dec19baby no I have to make my decision tomorrow
Do you think if we were due any other time of year that this would be an issue? I don’t know anyone else who has been offered one early when there is no medical reason for it

OP posts:

Dec19baby · 17/12/2019 11:10

@Comps83 I do think holiday times make a difference, especially around Drs thoughts etc. She made a jokey comment about having a sweep Christmas Eve, about it being awkward time I think, but in my head, no time is awkward for a baby and birth. It's just "awkward" for staffing, which shouldn't factor into a normal healthcare decision like birth.
I was doing really well with my state of mind with doing my Hypnobirthing and anxiety, and feel like I've taken a step back now coz I'm not happy about sweeps. No matter what anyone says, it's still not "natural" and is a gentler form of induction, when you weren't totally ready.. especially when we're not even past a due date yet.

Original poster

Comps83 · 17/12/2019 11:13

@Dec19baby
You’ve echoed my thoughts exactly
The game changes after due date but if there are no medical issues with mother or baby I don’t think opening hours and staff holidays should be taken into account before then

OP posts:

Em8725 · 17/12/2019 11:51

My midwife wouldn’t let me have a sweep at 39+6. I had to be 40 weeks exactly before one was even offered. I had three in total, before baby finally made an appearance at 41+5. At the third one on the morning of my labour, I was there for induction but didn’t need it (or the sweep!) as he was already coming, but they didn’t realise until the sweep.

tisonlymeagain · 17/12/2019 11:57

If you've got no medical reasons to have one and baby isn't on the large side etc then just say no thanks!

meow1989 · 17/12/2019 12:12

I had one ay 39 +2 (refused to leave mat ward until consultant asked and agreed as ds was set to be 11lb if I went 2 weeks over and theres no way I would have been able to deliver him). I basically drove home in labour and started having contractions an hour or so later.

As I was I never dilated beyond 4/5cm and needed emcs but I'm still happy with my decision to push for sweep.

vivapuff · 17/12/2019 13:32

It is definitely being offered because of time of year. This is for convenience of staffing, not for your comfort or the comfort/health of your baby.

It's odd that your DH is so eager for the baby to come early when surely he has holidays coming bring a teacher? I'm still that the school doesn't have the ability to call in a supply on short notice if you went into labour before the holidays. Surely teachers sometimes get ill suddenly and the school manages?

Dec19baby · 17/12/2019 13:56

As my husband is also a teacher, depending on what council and country you're in, my husbands school don't use supply teachers and covering last minute classes is actually put upon other teachers, so I can understand his difficulty in getting off. However I do agree in that surely he'd want it to come when he finishes, which I presume is this Friday? More convenient lol

Original poster

Comps83 · 17/12/2019 14:57

He’s also worried if I go 2 weeks over he won’t get much time with the baby before going back to work
When I question anything about his work he just says I don’t understand. Which I suppose I don’t. He’s been very stressed about having to arrange the cover
He’s taken tomorrow and Thursday off unpaid and then he’s off for Xmas + 2 weeks (statutory ) paternity leave . He did so as soon as I mentioned the sweep. I said I wouldn’t be pressed into it just because he’d taken the days off though

OP posts:

Bee1710 · 17/12/2019 15:20

I waited until 40 weeks and had twice or thrice after that and my baby girl was born 11 days over due

Amanduh · 17/12/2019 16:20

Absolutely would if I could just to try.. although last time I had three and nothing worked 😂

pollysproggle · 17/12/2019 16:33

I didn't think they offered a sweep before your due date?!
This royally pisses me off because with my last I was pleading with midwives to do anything to start my labour early because of big baby but they refused saying not before due date. Roll on two weeks and I gave birth to an over 12lb baby.
Im expecting again, they better bloody listen this time so to answer your question, yes I would have a sweep at your dates.

Original poster

Comps83 · 17/12/2019 16:48

@pollysproggle ouch. I deffo would if I was suffering or was due a big baby. It doesn’t seem fair at all that ppl asking for them have been turned down yet I’m perfectly fine to wait and have had scaremongering weeks before I’m even due . I hope they listen to you this time!

OP posts:

Dec19baby · 17/12/2019 16:57

@pollysproggle first timers can be offered one from 39 weeks.
And also, the NICE guidelines do not recommend offering an induction/early labour start just on the basis of a "big baby"- this is without any known medical issue such as diabetes etc. So although I'd understand why you'd want it, clinically it's not recommended, and hospitals should be following NICE guidelines. They don't always though..

pollysproggle · 17/12/2019 17:11

Absolutely understand the reasoning @Dec19baby but yes, so frustrating. I think it was because I knew the baby was huge but everyone said 'ooo not massive, 8-9lbs' which is small compared to my first even at 10lbs. No diabetes either, I'm tall, slim and vegetarian. I just give birth to absolute units apparently.
I am under a consultant this time. I don't want to be induced really early but maybe not left to go overdue would make a difference 😁

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