Stretch and sweep and induction

[Bellsx]

Hi ladies I'll be 40 weeks on Thursday and I'm a consultant led pregnancy due to epilepsy and I'm also an older Mum age 40. I had an appointment booked in to see my community midwife next Thursday (at 41 weeks) but after speaking to my consultant this morning she has suggested that I am offered a stretch and sweep this Thursday then if that doesn't work another one next Tue so just wondering what that involves as my daughter was born 11 days early so not experienced this before. Also she said that if the sweeps don't spur anything on then she is booking me in for an induction next week so can I also ask what will happen then please.
Thank you

Anyone?

Just a midwife running her finger over your cervix to try and irritate it a bit. No biggie

I had a few sweeps in my last pregnancy. The midwife inserts her fingers and has a little fiddle around with your cervix. I found it uncomfortable, not painful enough to make me want her to stop. Afterwards I had a small amount of bleeding which was brownish blood and then some period pains. Unfortunately the sweeps didn’t make me go into labour and I was induced but it was before my due date.

When I was induced the midwife put a pessary up there and was told that I’d be checked in 24 hours if nothing happened. I went into Labour a few hours after the pessary was inserted. He was born about 8 hours after being induced. I have no experience of being put on a drip or having waters broken.

Good luck!

Had SEVERAL sweeps done to me. They try to open up the cervix a couple of centimetres to start the process. Personal experience: it doesn't work!!! Also it hurts. Not like labour but it's super weird and uncomfortable and a bit painful.

I'm due in October for baby no3 and will refuse point blank any sweep.

Regarding induction. Well... 40 weeks term is an average. You were early for your first, I was late for both my kids. Until 42 weeks (with monitoring) it's still a normal pregnancy. After 42 weeks doctors get very anxious, it can lead to more frequent problems.

Pessary and breaking waters are used in different situations. Personal experience: pessary was horrible, breaking waters was much better.

I don't know about issues regarding your condition. You should research on it or ask midwife about concerns with going over 40 weeks.

Good luck!!! Hopefully you'll start labour in the meantime