Any advice on how to make a sweep more effective?

[1990shopefulftm]

I've got a sweep booked in tomorrow afternoon at 40+2, is there anything I should do to prepare for it or anything I can do afterwards that might increase the chances of it working?

I don't think they work and I think they're a bit pointless, sorry.

I think you go into labour when your body is ready. But there is some evidence that sex can help and it's certainly more enjoyable than a sweep!

When I was desperate (went over 41 weeks with DC1 and wanted to avoid induction) I had a sweep that was painful and did nothing, a few days later had acupuncture that was relaxing but no immediate effects, the following day had sex and went into labour within hours. Who knows if I would have gone into labour anyway.

Hi!
I’m due today and have one booked in for 14:30 I actually had one last week as well, when I had mine last week I was 2cm dilated and it did make me cramp you afterwards and I lost my mucus plug the next day but since then nothing 😑 I don’t think there’s much you can do if your body is ready it’s ready just don’t build your hopes up too much! (That being said fingers crossed it gets things going for you!! Xx)

@NameChange30
The hospital changed its restrictions recently so you can't have birthing partners overnight with you when you're induced until you get to 4cm or are showing other signs of active labour which is what's pushing me to give a sweep a try.

As at least I will have given it a go before I have to decide if I want to go through an induction partially alone or whether to consider expectant management instead (from what I've been able to find online not many people are lucky enough for the induction to work well enough in the at best 6 or so hours before my DH would be told to leave).

@Milliesmum4 I was very hopeful at the start of my pregnancy that covid wouldn't affect my labour/birthing choices but now that it is I'm not too hopeful of anything really.
I m just up for trying a sweep as then I won't have that question of what if i did do it and avoided a traumatic induction experience if I end up deciding to have one. I hope your second one works for you.

The consultant midwife who did my sweep told me to go for a long walk directly afterwards... it wasn't successful though annoyingly. Lots of mild cramps but didn't go into labour until I was induced.

If you end up choosing to be induced you could request an outpatient induction? I went into hospital for a couple of hours to get the pessary put in and then went home again, so I was able to do the first several hours of labour at home with my birth partner, and when I thought I was in active labour we went back to the hospital together. Much nicer and more relaxing than being alone on the induction ward imo. Not that I'd describe labour as nice or relaxing lol but I appreciated being at home as long as possible.

I think they're only effective if your body is naturally ready for labour so I don't think there is anything extra you can do. Mine kinda worked last time as I suddenly lost my plug snd had cramps but I wasn't in a full labour until a following 36 hours later and the midwife said at the sweep I was already 1-2 cm dilated so I probably would have just gone into labour anyways xx

@goodnightsugarpop my hospital does outpatient inductions with the balloon but I don't think they ll do it with a pessary for some reason, I ll ask my midwife if they d consider me as a good candidate for one.

I m getting strong cramps on walks the past few days but it stops quite quickly after I sit down.

@sarahc336 i d be quite happy if I went into labour 36 hours afterwards. It ll be good to know at least if I m dilated at all at this point.

But you're only 40+1 aren't you? There is no need to start considering induction at this point unless there is a medical reason for it? FWIW I wouldn't consider induction until after 41 weeks (in France the due date is actually 41 weeks not 40) but you don't have to have an induction at any point, even if you get to 42 weeks. Obviously you would weigh up the benefits and risks and it might reach a point where the benefits of induction would outweigh the risk. But it's your decision and by no means a given that it has to happen.

@NameChange30 yes I am. I m just struggling as I have hospital related anxiety which I ve had since I was quite young and I ve been mostly okay at managing it throughout my pregnancy until the restrictions changed last weekend so I know it's definitely clouding my judgement.

At my last appointment the midwife told me that I should decide by my 41+2 appointment what I want to do if I get that far, perhaps I should be more assertive when I see her tommorow and say I want more time than that.

It's such a shit time to be pregnant and giving birth with all the restrictions, and I'm sorry you have anxiety on top of that
I wanted two birth partners (a doula as well as my husband) and I was anxious about giving birth in hospital without them both, due to a negative experience first time around. So I can imagine how you might be feeling

In my experience HCPs can be a bit pushy with first time mums and it's difficult to be assertive especially if you are feeling anxious. But it's always your decision.

www.aims.org.uk/information/item/due-date

www.aims.org.uk/information/item/making-decisions

@NameChange30 thank you for your kind words, yes I need to try to do my best to not let them push me into anything.

I had a sweep in my first pregnancy at 41+4 and went in to be induced at 42. Was going to discuss having one at 41+3 with my second, but went into labour that morning so missed the antenatal appointment! Offered one at 40 weeks with my third and declined, the midwife I was seeing could not get her head around me saying no. She was really pushy and acted as if I had personally offended her (I probably had personally offended her by the end of the appointment as I couldn't help but laugh at her reaction to my continuing to say no and refusing to book an induction).

Fwiw, if I remember rightly a sweep, like induction of labour, is more likely to be successful if you have a favourable Bishop score... which means you're close to labour anyway! Best of luck, hope it all goes well for you

@unmarkedbythat thank you :) I ll make sure to ask what my bishops score is tommorow, I do find it easier to deal with things that stress me out when you can put a number to it.

@1990shopefulftm you definitely don't have to decide at 41+2 if you don't want to. I showed up for my induction appointment at 41+6 and said to the midwife "I'm not sure if I want to be induced yet or not, I'd like to speak to the doctor or lead midwife on shift please". She looked a bit taken aback (I guess not many women do this?) but everyone was so nice and supportive. I ended up talking through all the different options with 2 different doctors and the consultant midwife who helped me agree a plan. I ended up getting induced later that day and felt happy about the decision.

@goodnightsugarpop thank you for sharing your experience, I hadn't even thought about that as an option.
As I m low risk I only see the midwife at my GP and they re only there for half a day once a week hence the appointment at 41+2.

Booking an induction and then knowing I could go to the hospital and have the option of cancelling there and then after getting a second opinion , sounds much better.

I went for a jog (read lumber for 2 steps and pant) and then walked with one foot one the pavement and one in the road for a bit and I went into labour a few hours later both times. Admittedly this could purely be a coincidence!

I went into labour the day after my sweep, and reckon it did get things properly started, but it'll only work if your body is on the way anyway. I was 41+2, 1cm, and had started to lose my mucus plug a few days before. I did actually go for a long walk after the sweep, but pure coincidence, midwife didn't tell me to!