What are the chances of modwife agreeing to do a sweep at 40wks +2??

[ConnorTraceptive]

Am due this week and will be seeing m/w when I'm 40 +2.

How far past 40weeks do you need to be before you have a sweep. I went overdue by 2 weeks with ds and was induced and had lots of problems coupled with the fact that he was a 10 pounder.

I desperately don't want to be induced and quite frankly don't want to give this baby any more time to get any bigger!

As I'm term is there any reason not to have a sweep?

My midwife has offered me a sweep if I get to 40 weeks (am 33 weeks now). I think you'll have no problem getting one because (I remember you posting on one of my hyperemesis threads) it isn't your first baby so a sweep should be easier and you have probably suffered enough by now! I will be in a similar position if my other complications do not force me to deliver before then.

Thanks crokky. I only got to see the student midwife last week and she gave me an appointment for when I'll be 41 +4. No way I'm waiting that long so phoned to make an appointment this week (hopefully my usual midwife will be back)

Hope your hyperemesis is under control now?

Hyperemesis is under control, I am still being (very much less) sick, but it is not killing me anymore!! Def don't wait til 41+4.

Mine did one at 40+3, and said she routinely does them from 40 weeks if people have started to dilate.

It didn't actually work, though, in my case. I was 4cm dilated when she did it, and the same 24 hours later (then admitted to hospital and had my waters broken to get things going - had pre-eclampsia).

Bless you, it really is the pits isn't it? I'm well past it now but certain smells still trigger a memory of it a bring a wave of nausea. Even the theme tune to Bob the builder makes me feel ill (DS watched a lot of dvd's when I was at my worst)

Thank muffin it's looking favourable that she might then. I really hope so.

Just had a sweep today at 39+1 as baby is big.

If you don't mind me asking merryberry how was it? never had one with ds infact never heard of it until this time round?

I had a sweep at 40 + 2, went into labour 5 hours later.

I had a sweep on my due date with first baby. I'd been having mild cramps since the day before and she said there was nothing to lose as I was efaced? Is that the right word?? Soft and ready though no dilation.

It didn't hurt at all and took less than 1min. Proper labour started within a couple of hours and DS was born just a few hours later so I was very pleased with the result.

Just ask her to check if it's possible. My midwife said any natural labour inducement is safe after 38wks. With DC2, I had relexology at 39wks and went into labour within a couple of hours too. You could always try that if you can't have a sweep. Just make sure the reflexologist is trainedin pg reflexology.

Hmmm someone else has mentioned reflexology I think I may give that a whirl to.

hi CT sorry, been busy. It was fine having it done, like a normal internal, a bit more uncomfortable than usual because so swollen in late PG. She had to rummage a bit as cervix still quite posterior, though nice and soft and slightly open as most multiparous cervix are. She told me when she had touched the baby's head, and was out of there about 20 seconds later, having then done the sweep.

Would also like relfexology, but can't face having to find anyone and go see them! anyone know London north home visiting reflexogists?? SHe panted hopefull7y....

meant to say, had a few cramps, nothing much happening. I suspect won't really...feel too settled in myself...and also that I have had more painful cervical smears than that sweep!

your chances should be pretty good, i reckon. esp if you explain about needing to be induced last time, and not wanting that this time.
good luck, and congrats

I think it probably depends on what their policy is in your area, here they won't do a sweep before 40+8. but know other people seeing different midwives who got one sooner, some even before due date.

Thanks everyone - she knows my history and wants to help avoid induction so hopefully she'll be on board with it all.

My mw did one at 40 weeks on my first pregnancy - then a second at 40+6, which got things going. Was merely uncomfortable, though I was rather surprised at that given the length of her fingernails . I wouldn't have thought that fingernails that length were particularly practical for a mw...

I got a sweep at 40 weeks, didn't work though so got another one a week later that did. Think they are ok to do provided you are at due date or after, didn't hurt that much either.

Good luck, I'm sure it will be out one way or another soon !

I had a sweep at 39 weeks as they wanted to induce me due to high bp. It sort of worked - I didn't go into full labour but had a lot of contractions and (I think) made me more more receptive to the eventual induction.

Worth knowing that they can sweep more than once, and more and less vigorously. I had a first sweep with the consultant who was very gentle and it didn't do much. I then had another sweep with the midwife who felt like she was trying to drag the baby out by the heels! But it wasn't painful, just weird and jiggly and slightly uncomfortable. After that one I lost my plug and started having mild contractions.

So if the first one doesn't work you can always ask to be done again...

Poledra - will check her nails before we start

odd and possibly gross fact - I read somewhere that in traditional midwifery, midwives used to keep the fingernail of one finger long and pointed for breaking the waters.

young visitor, that is a very gross fact. i am 40 +1/3/4 depending on which lot of dates you believe.

MW doing a sweep tomo. Been spending the evening searching old MN threads for sweep advice and am now terrified that it could set things off too quickly!