whats a sweep?

[Natalie1984]

hi guys im 34+5weeks pg and call me stupid but i have no idea what a sweep is, could someone plz explain it 4 me, thanx

Hi Natalie
Congrats on your PG. I'm assuming it's your first!
I'm not an expert but I think a sweep is usually performed when you go over your due date by the midwife.

From what I understand (but I didn't have to have one) it's the same thing she'll do to see how dilated you are when you're in labour - i.e. pop her fingers and have a good old feel around to get things moving.

HTH
best of luck

Hi, i had to have a sweep at 41+2 and it is when the MW gives you an examination and actually sweeps her fingers over your cervix, it's a little uncomfortable but it's over quite quickly. It is supposed to stimulate the cervix to release the 'labour' hormone i think. you quite often have a show after it and it can sometimes bring on labour. i had a show 2 days later but no baby till a week later! Good luck x

"sweep" makes it sound much gentler than it is
they give your cervix a good hard jabbing with their finger(s)

I had a sweep, I was 6 days over. The mw will insert her fingers into your cervix and make a circular motion to stretch it out to release the plug and encourage labour. I had a show 2 hours later and went into active labour 2 hours after that.
It sounds horrible, but it's not that bad, it's slightly uncomfortable, but late in pg your uncomfortable anyway.
Goodluck

it is also known as stripping the membranes.. or a stretch and sweep

the MW will insert a finger tip into the cervix, and literally 'sweep' around to seperate the membranes from the cervix. and to try to stretch the cervix too.. this essentially irritates the cervix and promotes the release of hormones that can trigger labour

it is best done at 41 + weeks. and can be done several times to try to get things going before a chemical induction done in hospital.

it can lead to accidental breaking of the waters

if it is going to work , it will work within 48 hours .

it is different to a vaginal exam. to see how far dilated you are

My MW really wants to do mine at exactly 40 wks but I'm not at all keen until wk 41.