Will you / did you have a sweep? Any experiences welcome.

[Gilo2024]

NHS sweep - it's fairly 'normal' to be offered (and have) a sweep after due date - di you have one? Experience good/bad? Do they work?! Do they hurt 😫
For context, 2nd baby (no sweep needed with first) due 23rd Dec.

Also did you ever feel pressured into having one, either by medical professionals or family?

Had sweep with first 2 pregnancies. First time, I was 5 days overdue & went into labour the night I got it. The pain afterwards was really bad.
Second time it didn't work & I went 10 days over. Would recommend but obviously might not work!

I think research suggests they're safe and can work. I had one with my first at 41 weeks but didn't work - it was uncomfortable but not painful.

I had one with my first, 5 days over. It was very uncomfortable but not exactly painful.

Waters broke 2 hours later, but labour didn't start for a long time. Eventually gave birth by forceps 34 hours after waters broke.

I think, in hindsight, my body wasn't ready yet, waiting a couple more days might have helped. My waters breaking just added time pressure and stress which slowed it all down

I had a couple from 38 weeks with my first. Hoping to get labour going as had gestational diabetes and didn’t want to go to term due to risk of a big baby. I didn’t feel pressured, it was offered but I definitely felt I could have refused. It was quite uncomfortable but not expressly painful. Neither one worked!

This will help

I asked for one at 39 weeks with my second as she was measuring big and they were talking about induction at 40w which I was trying to avoid. They were happy to give it a go - no questions asked. It was quite painful but didn’t last long. I gave birth spontaneously (and quickly!) a couple of days later (the day before induction was booked) but no idea if that was because of the sweep.

I was really keen to avoid induction or c section so it felt like a no brainer to try a sweep or two.

I didn’t want to be induced, and my consultant wanted to induce me on my due date. My midwife agreed to do sweeps twice a week from 38 weeks. They were uncomfortable but not painful.

the last one was in my due date (it was a Saturday, induction was scheduled for the Monday). It felt very very different. Much less uncomfortable. And I was in labour a few hours later and gave birth in the early hours of the Sunday. No idea if it would have happened anyway.

I was booked in to have a sweep with both pregnancies but waters broke naturally both times the day before the appointment so narrowly avoided it.

Absolutely not. Rejected midwives offers with previous 2 pregnancies. Might be tempted if I was very overdue and at risk of being induced. Had nothing internal at all with my last pregnacy/ birth and don't want any with this one.

The research is very hit and miss as to whether there's any effect. They do however introduce the risk of infection. The only people I know while gone into labour very soon after them have had very painful and uncomfortable ones.

Just seems very unnatural trying to force your body into labour.

I had one with my first. Around about my due date. Midwife offered and I was up for getting things going. It was absolutely fine but it did bugger all, my son stayed put another week.

I had a wonderful labour brought on by a sweep (on my due date). The sweep itself started mild tightenings which then progressed to established labour overnight. Only needed a bit of gas and air right at the end 🙂 if I could guarantee another labour like that I'd do it again in a heartbeat!

Oh, I never felt pressured to have one. Midwife was easy going.

DC1 was born at 42 weeks. I had an attempted sweep at 40 weeks and it was very uncomfortable and I told them to stop. Subconsciously I think I just wasn’t ready to have my baby and was very tense. Second sweep was at 41+5 (I think!) and I went into labour the next day. The midwife could feel the baby’s head when she did the sweep the second time and I felt a lot more ready for it. I won’t say it was fun but it was very bearable and did get things moving and helped me avoid an induction.

I asked for one at 39 weeks and my waters broke that evening. I wouldn't have it done daily but it certainly wasn't the most painful part of the whole experience

My waters went at 38+5. I was offered a sweep as I wasn't aware of any contractions. I accepted and the midwife was going to do the sweep after I finished on the monitor. The monitor showed contractions so she didn't do the sweep.
I was booked in for an induction 24h after my waters went but she was born in the intervening period

I didn't feel pressured to accept either but they explained the risk of infection if I didn't go into labour once my waters broke

I had one and it definitely got me into labour.

They work! I had 2 48hrs apart and went into labour 5 hours after the second.

Uncomfortable but not painful, definitely not painful compared to a coil fitting or contractions!

I had one with my DD at 40+3. Went into labour the next morning. Obviously no idea whether it was due to that or not but had no issues with the labour.

I had one with my 2nd. It wasn't nice but not awful and I was 8 days overdue would have been looking at induction shortly. It was mid afternoon and, disappointingly, the midwife said cervix still very high so it wasn't looking good and I popped into town. However, I guess it did something as not long after I started getting contractions he was out by 9pm that evening!

I had one once and it was absolute agony. But I find smear tests agonising as well, so that's a me thing!

I wouldn't have one again. Don't think the benefits outweigh the risks (of infection, etc.)

I had one with my first and went into labour that night. Despite that, I wouldn’t have one again. They only really do anything if your body is already getting there anyway. It was uncomfortable but there are also risks such as accidentally breaking your waters. I intend to wait until I go into labour naturally this time, I don’t believe it’s a good idea to try and unnaturally induce labour unless there are specific medical reasons to do so (which, if I had, I’d probably opt for a c-section over an induction)

I had one at 40 weeks, baby was born at 40 + 5 so not convinced it did anything, but I'll have one with current pregnancy if offered. It didn't hurt at all, I was surprised. Felt no different to a smear.

Had a sweep on my due date and it was dreadful. I bled, felt sick and had to get DH to pick me up as I thought I was going to stack it. DD didn't come until a week later so I don't think it particularly did anything in regards to hurrying along the delivery. In hindsight I would have refused it.