Did membrane sweep work for you?

[Shahhhh]

Hi ladies. I'm FTM, currently 38+1 with high blood pressure in pregnancy so I'm being induced on Monday. Midwife did a sweep today, she said I'm 1cm dilated but that babies head is still quite high. I had the sweep probably about 1pm-ish, it's just before 5pm now and I am having some period like cramps, I'm assuming because of the sweep. Just wondering what any of your experiences were with the sweep? Did it work for you? Thanks in advance :)

I had a sweep and it worked. But wouldn’t do it again

Thanks for you reply! Can I ask why? Was it a bad experience for you?

It worked for me in the sense that I went into labour within 24 hours. But I was a week overdue so who knows if that would have happened anyway! Good luck OP.

I have 3 kids. The first 2 no sweep and normal (long) births. 3rd baby did a sweep as I was fed up of being pregnant (stupid I know!) so asked for one and had a terrible birth. Don’t know if medically they are related but that’s my explanation of why. My sister had sweeps and was fine. One worked one didn’t.

I had a sweep with both my younger two, never worked. Only thing that brought on my labour was breaking my waters.

None of my sweeps worked for me. Think I’ll refuse them this time round.

Good luck.

It's a proper mixed bag isn't it? I suppose I'll just have to wait and see how my body does with it 🤷🏻‍♀️ it was uncomfy but not the worst thing in the world. I'm guessing as she said babies head was still quite high, not sure how effective it will be for kick starting anything although I have had quite a lot of discharge and some cramping since! Fingers crossed 🤞

Had one with DD as had symptoms of pre eclampsia at 37 was. Midwife thought it likely it would work. I found it really painful and it did nothing. Neither did induction process until they broke my waters and put me on the drip. Wish I’d continued with monitoring and let things happen naturally.

Interesting, thank you!

I'm in on Sunday morning to have balloon put in so I can (hopefully) have my waters broken on Monday morning. It's my first baby so honestly no clue what to even expect!

I had a sweep at 39+3 and the midwife doing it broke my waters, so probably not the best outcome! I was already 3cm dilated when they checked before the sweep and I had no idea (I was in for induction).

However as my waters broke it put me front of the queue for delivery suite! I lost my plug soon after the sweep too which was very bloody. As it happens my baby wasn’t very happy so I ended up with a csection but I had started having contractions about 18 hours after waters breaking.

As I was having an induction I found it helpful to know if I was already dilated as I was dreading the balloon! I would have another sweep if needed.

A single sweep statistically doesn’t do much, you need three before they start to have much of an impact.

Mine really depended on who did them, they were pretty painless for the right people; and fucking hurt for others 😅

Best of luck OP!