Stretch and sweep uncertainty

[sunnyfields25]

Hi, I'm 38+5 and had a midwife appointment this morning. I've come home feeling pretty confused and emotional.

I have a DS (nearly 4) whose birth didn't go at all according to plan. Had to be induced at 37 weeks due to growth concerns, had an awful hospital stay, he had jaundice and tongue tie etc. So this time as long as the baby is healthy I'm hoping to do things as naturally as possible.

I've been doing a hypnobirthing course where the woman talks about the lack of evidence that a stretch and sweep works, plus the risk of introducing infection or breaking waters, so I'd decided it's not something I want.

However my midwife today presented it as something that will be happening at my next appointment (didn't ask my opinion). When I said I wasn't sure if I'd want that she said fine but in that case I'd have to have an induction if the baby doesn't arrive by a certain date. She said they don't 'let' women go beyond a certain point (can't remember exactly, I think it was 41 plus something). And she proceeded to tell me about how unpleasant induction would be, it felt like in an attempt to scare me into the stretch and sweep. When I asked if there are any risks associated with the stretch and sweep, she said a very definite 'no'. But this doesn't tally with what I've read online.

It may be that I change my mind and would want a stretch and sweep in two weeks. And I may actually be so fed up and want an induction by the time I reach 41 plus weeks. But I've come away from my appointment feeling as though I've got no say in any of it, and I am being told when certain things are going to be done to my body based on my hospital trust's schedule. I know they're not allowed to strap me down and perform these procedures without consent, but the way my midwife spoke about them it really didn't feel like I have any say.

I wondered whether other women felt pressured into a particular course of action by their midwives? And have any of you had a particularly good or bad experience with the stretch and sweep?

Sorry, that turned into a right ramble!

Yes exactly the same thing was said to me. She actually offered to come out to do it at my house and I waited in all day worrying about it and then she didn't even turn up!
I know there are some amazing midwives out there, but having come into contact with several different ones, there are an equal amount who seem incompetent at best, dangerous at worst.
I don't remember being asked to consent to the majority of interventions I was given or that my babies were given.

You can say no to a stretch and sweep, your midwife saying there are no risks is a load of shit to be honest. My waters were accidentally broken by my midwife during my sweep and they gushed all over her arm but I was made fully aware of this before I had one.

They advise induction anyway after a certain point so she's not just saying it because you don't want a S&S, I think it's 41+6 if there's no sign of baby yet and you're low risk as the placenta slowly starts to stop working after that point so it's best to get baby out.

You can absolutely refuse any care you don't wish to receive, don't feel like it's one or the other. You might find that you don't want a S&S and the baby might come on their own with no help!

I’m sorry to hear your experiences OP.
I have felt similar from interactions with consultants mainly. For months they were telling me I would be induced at 38 weeks so I have been worrying about that for some time. Then at my 36 week appt they said you can go to 40 weeks as long as everything stays stable.
I’m now at 39 weeks and currently being induced! In fact I’ve just started a thread about that.
I had a sweep last week. Nobody mentioned an infection risk but it obviously makes sense. I felt I ought to have it to go along with the medical advice but I would have much preferred to wait another week to see if the labour started naturally. In my case it would have been a bit risky because of issues with my BP so I felt I needed to get things moving.

I think you should ask for advice from as many medical professionals as you can before making a decision. Certainly don’t feel pushed into anything.

Ask for a second opinion. You don't have to consent to anything. It's your body and you don't have to let a stranger put her fingers inside you if you don't consent to it. Coerced consent is not consent.

You can absolutely say no OP, I'm really sorry they've made you feel otherwise. With my first pregnancy I went to 42+2 before being induced, before that I had 4 stretch and sweeps, 3 in hospital and 1 at home (all of which did naff all apart from become progressively uncomfortable and caused me to bleed, my cervix didn't change at all as a result). I'm 36 weeks pregnant now and have made it very clear that I'm not consenting to or accepting any stretch and sweeps this time around. Your body, your choice!

You can 100% say no!
I thought I'd refuse a sweep but got to 40
Weeks on Tuesday so thought I'd give it a go as I'm so fed up (I'd rather have a sweep now that works Than be induced at 42weeks!) but so far it's had no effect.

As others have said, your body, your choice! You absolutely can refuse a stretch and sweep. Personally, I had two, the 2nd midwife who did mine was amazing and tbh I didn't feel a thing. Within two hours my labour started. I went to 41+4 and I'm glad I at least tried it as I was sooooooo ready to get my baby out. I'd also recommend sex if you can face it, they say it's probably the best/most natural way to bring on labour!

If there is no concern about the health of you and/or your baby then it is absolutely within your right to decline both the sweep AND the induction.

Something interesting I just learnt on my hypnobirthing videos is even them saying 'we'll make you an induction appointment just incase' is enough to cause the anxiety/adrenaline that can delay your baby arriving naturally. Because you are constantly thinking about that date as a deadline that your baby has to arrive be in order to avoid induction!

So just say no thank you, I will wait until 41+6 (or whatever you decide) and then talk about induction once you reach that point.

I think it's a bit early for her to be worrying about stretch and sweeps to be honest. You are perfectly within your rights to decline it. They don't like you to go much over 41 weeks due to the placenta becoming less efficient, but again you can decline any intervention.
I had two sweeps with my last pregnancy. Neither worked, just made me bleed, cramp and feel horrible and hormonal for a week. I personally don't think they do much unless you're about to go into labour naturally. I wouldn't have one again, I would just wait for an induction if it was necessary to have one.

Thanks everyone for the replies, it's good to hear other people's experiences.

As I say I might have changed my mind in two weeks and decide I'll have the stretch and sweep after all. And if I reach the point where it's considered a safety risk to continue beyond 42 weeks then I wouldn't refuse an induction (just hoping the baby will make an appearance on their own). So it's not so much the thought of having these procedures that upset me, although I'd rather avoid them, it was more the midwife's attitude. It felt like she was telling me what would definitely be happening and it hadn't even crossed her mind that I might have an opinion on the matter. I'm not the most assertive person, which obviously doesn't help.

This midwife is meant to come to the hospital to deliver the baby when I go into labour, according to a new initiative being piloted by the hospital trust. It sounds like a great idea, it's just unfortunate the midwife I've been allocated is one I haven't really gelled with and who I find quite domineering. Just keeping fingers crossed that DH is allowed to be with me so I've got someone who actually knows my preferences and can stand up for me.

If you're feeling that way about your midwife I would contact the team and ask for a different one. It won't be helpful for your labour to have a midwife that you don't feel comfortable with.

I had a sweep at 39+6 but I was already 2cm dilated and had been having painful contractions for about 6hrs by this point. So my sweep was more an effort to try and speed things up. I don't know if it helped or not as I was still only 3cm 12 hours later but then things didn't begin to speed up in the night and I had my DD the next morning. But perhaps that would have happened anyway who knows. I don't think I'd consent to a sweep unless I was already in labour, or if it was done essentially as a first induction step that I was on board with, because of the risk of waters breaking. It doesn't seem like a risk I'd want to take if I was not about to be induced/not in labour, but seems less of an issue to me if I'm already labouring/know I'm imminently to begin labouring via induction anyway.

I’m not convinced with stretch and sweeps; had one attempted (cervix wasn’t favourable) before labour at 40+3 and one whilst 4cm dilated when I was 41 exactly, this one where they did it properly was absolutely horrid,

I agree with other PPs if you’ve asked for risks and she’s essentially lied then ask to speak with another midwife/doctor.