To sweep or not to sweep??!

[FirstTimeMom91]

Hi all, I'm currently 36 weeks + 5 days and I'm starting to get really uncomfortable when it comes to moving around now. His heads engaged which I got excited thinking it maybe here sooner but the midwife says that doesn't necessary mean anything will happen yet. It's my first baby and iv been booked in for a sweep on the day I turn 39 weeks. I thought it was something that most people have but some people have told me to go for it while others have said not to as its not natural. I also heard they really hurt as well. What's your opinion on sweeps?

Hurts like hell. I wouldn’t rush to have one; it’s better than a medical induction, but better to just leave things until you get to your due date at least, if you can.

Had them both times didn’t hurt just uncomfortable.
Someone told me it’s like getting fingered by a 16 year old and I have to say that is an accurate description.
It was over fairly quickly. Second baby still needed induction tho so it didn’t work.

I had 4 and they did nothing.

I had 2 at 39 weeks. Very uncomfortable both during and after. Baby was 3cm dilated at the second still went to 41+2. However hind waters broke which led to me having to have an induction and a terrible birth which I won’t go into detail about. I wouldn’t rule sweeps out but in hindsight I would have waited until past my due date.

I had one at 40+3, it was a bit uncomfortable but nothing major. Lost my mucus plug and went into labour over the next 36 hours, baby born at 40+5. I suspect if you're on the cusp of being ready to go they move things along a bit, but if you're nowhere near they don't do much. I'd have one again if I got to 40 weeks.

I had mine, can’t remember how it felt but I was ivf so got pretty used to being uncomfortable down there. I remember being excited to get mine as I believed it meant my baby would be soon after (know that’s not always the case). I bled right after mine, didn’t get out until dd arrived a few days later.

I’m in the camp leave it to nature. 40 weeks is an arbitrary figure. Baby comes when ready.

Hurt that I cried and I hve a high pain threshold.

Waste of time for me

Had two with DC1, at 40 weeks and 41 weeks. Horrendous pain, I think due to incompetence of midwife. She told me while I shrieked in pain at the first one that she couldn't reach my cervix, hence the struggle!! And made no difference apart from I was sore for days and felt if anything it may have made baby shut up shop!

I did think twice about it, but decided to go for another two with DC2, again at 40 weeks and 41 weeks. This was with a different midwife who I liked better, so was possibly a bit more relaxed - a totally different experience, more like a smear. I asked her to check first if she thought I was ready for a sweep, and then consented when she said she felt it would be straightforward. Went into labour after the second one.

I had one at 39+3, not effective for me but was keen to get labour started as I had gestational diabetes.
I think if there's no specific reason to try and get baby out by due date then I'd wait until 40 weeks to have a first sweep, your cervix is more likely to be amenable to it than at 39 weeks.

Worked for both mine at 37+5 and 38 weeks but they were ready and I was already 3cm+ with both of them (in early labor but didn't know it).

Hurt like fuck honestly, and I had no pain relief with the first one. In the plus side he popped out 4 hours later so...

If you're not dilated or showing signs, don't do it!

I had one at 38 weeks and it took my plug away. Then I had the pessary put in a whilst after to start the induction process and it went smoothly. I was contracting after it so would have again.

It was extreamly painful and did nothing. Still had to be induced at 41 weeks.
I'm pregnant again and no way I'm getting an other sweep.

I had two with first baby, one with second and declined any with third, they didn't do anything for me, all babies came 'late' i.e when they were ready

I had a sweep at 39 weeks and also another at 41 weeks. I also had the balloon induction but I would have rather another 6 sweeps than the balloon in my opinion.

I was told it was like having a smear but I can safely say it hurt a lot more than a smear and I would have liked to have thought the 2nd one had worked but had the balloon fitted immediately after so I don't know what started it all.

My baby was born 3 days later and is 9 weeks on Monday ☺️

Didn't hurt at all, but I had a male midwife with very long slender fingers!

IMO avoid, for all the reasons/experiences already shared in this thread!

Mine was only so uncomfortable because my cervix wasn't soft enough so she said midway- this is pointless but we can try again in a few days.
TBH I was desperate to try and get the ball rolling, it can't hurt (metaphorically) so it's up to you if you feel you think it might help...

Nope. Leave to nature. The only sweep I had was in full blown labour but babys head was slightly off centre and my cervix was thick on one side and paper thin on the other. Then I got in the pool and he popped out 2 hours later. Would not accept in pregnancy but I'd not take an induction because of the calendar either.

Sweeps are an intervention. Midwife friends tell me they only "work" if your body is about to go into labour anyway, so there's no point to them. They also do have some risks of infection as the midwife is putting their fingers right up inside you (further than your partner will ever go!).

You especially don't need one at 39 weeks! Trust your body at that point, most babies are out by 41 weeks.

Didn’t hurt me at all, but was already 2 cm dilated, so probably why. Was going to be induced anyway so was happy to try give things a little push to avoid induction. I think if I wasn’t being induced, I would say I will accept the sweep but only if cervix is favourable, if it was fully closed and unreachable then to leave it alone. Thats if you don’t mind the having a look part, most importantly it’s entirely your choice so dont feel pressure either way!