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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Sweep of the cervical membrane- did it work to get labour started or did it fail for you?

38 replies

Eva3 · 04/02/2005 20:30

Getting a bit desperate with sore hips and terrible sleep. Had my membranes swept by OB today at 11am but so far nothing. Last time, with DD2, it got things going within 4 hours. Am curious what the success rate is, and what others have experienced. Am not due until Monday but OB said he could feel baby's head and could break the waters if I wanted him to. Am hopeful this is all it will take....

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

sweetbean · 15/02/2005 11:01

how did it go did it work? i am waiting to find out if they can do a sweep thismorning as am late by 4 days and am realy getting fed up let me know.

mears · 15/02/2005 11:22

There are a number of threads on this one so it might be useful to do a search.

Sweeps can stimulate labour but in the majority of cases result in cramps and a bit of bleeding that can result in women arriving at hospital only to find they are not in labour. That in itself can lead to interventions.

Sometimes the sweep does get things going - in my own case labour started 12 hours later.
I think they should only be done when women are over 41 weeks as there will be definate plans for induction being made. If you are only a few days over your date it is unlikely labour will start and a sweep can cause more discomfort that anything else.

Uwila · 15/02/2005 11:24

I had a sweep when I was two weeks overdue. It was bloody painful and it didn't work.

But, hey, it was nothing compared to the pain of labour. If you go in, I would recommend taking two paracetemol before the appointment. Might help alleviate the "discomfort" (which is a euphamism for pain) a bit.

mears · 15/02/2005 11:26

previousthread

Toothache · 15/02/2005 12:03

Eva3 - I had a sweep done at 39wks when I was 2-3cm dilated with my 2nd. No contractions, but had had a slight post-coital bleed. Was sent home to let 'labour establish'. 2 days later and another 'quickie' with DH, I started to get mild back pains. Went to hospital and I was 4cm dilated..... so that was within 48hrs of the sweep. DD born 12hrs (didn't get labour pains until the last hour!) later at 39+2 wks.

It's just SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO exciting when you are so close to labour. Well I think it is anyway.

Angeliz · 15/02/2005 12:38

I am due on 22nd by midwifes (and both scans) estimation, and the obstetrician out me at 28th(????) for some reason.
The midwife didn't even ask me, she just said i'll see you on the 23rd and do a sweep if you've not had it!
Have to say i'm going to politely refuse from what i've read on here! (Might feel different if i'm very overdue but according to second date i won't even be due!

Was speaking to a freind of dd's mams yesterday and she's a nurse. She said, 'oh they won't even tell you they're doing it if you refuse, they just do it anyway when they're giving you an internal.' =
Now i know that would actually be classed as assault.
Mears, please re-assure me she was talking bo**ks!

spots · 15/02/2005 12:45

Just to complicate the picture, Angeliz, I had one at 41 weeks and it didn't hurt... the mw said at that stage I wa s 2cm dilated and she could have broken my waters then and there: 'please don't' I said. Went home, had slap up meal with DH, waters broke as I was putting down my pudding spoon, baby born 4am next morning. So for me it felt like a success... tho how much would have happened anyway of course I don;t know!

Toothache · 15/02/2005 12:46

Angeliz - I wasn't asked. She gave me an internal to check if I was dilating. She said "You're 2-3 cm dilated, and I've given you a membrane sweep, so you should be back in here tonight". I was delighted and very thankful!!!

Toothache · 15/02/2005 12:48

...meant to add. It hurt as much as a normal examination of my cervix to check for dilation.... which wasn't very much. It was uncomfortable, but not sore. It was also very quick.
Now getting the mirena coil fitted.... not THAT was sore!

Poshpaws · 15/02/2005 12:57

Sorry, Angeliz, I have to say (not meaning to scare you) that when I had a sweep at 41 weeks, 1cm dilated) it was BLOODY awful. I remember the pain of that much more than most of the labour with DS. So much so, that I WILL refuse one this time around.

I was not even worried about labour until I had the sweep (doc did not warn me she was going to do it) and even then I did not go into labout until 4 or 5 days later!!

Still, as Toothache has proved, it is different for each woman

Mum2girls · 15/02/2005 12:59

Didn't work for me - v.uncomfortable and midwife said I was nowhere near started.....induced eventually.

hayleylou · 15/02/2005 13:07

It worked for me.... I had mine done with ds at 2pm on the Momday afternoon and I was in labour and in hospital by 3.30am the Tuesday morning. DS was born that afternoon

Toothache · 15/02/2005 13:26

I suppose it must depend how 'ripe' your cervix is. Mine was good to go anyway!!! Probably would've went into labour at any time without the sweep. I was nearly 3cm dilated when she swept the membranes so would not have had to fight with my cervix to get to the membranes (ouch!).

galaxy · 15/02/2005 13:27

I had a sweep on the Friday and was told I "would" have dd by the end ofthe weekend.

My hindwaters broke the following Wednesday and I gave birth at 11pm on the Friday.

It was bloody painful and it never worked. I was also under the impression that it was the norm and I should have it done.

(Can you tell I'm bitter about it)?

galaxy · 15/02/2005 13:28

I was also given the sweep 1 day before my due date.

Toothache · 15/02/2005 13:29

I'd never heard of a sweep until MN. I was never offered one with ds.

horseshoe · 15/02/2005 13:50

Yes it did work for me...

had a sweep at about 12:30pm....really hurt

Started to get mucus about 4pm

By 8:30 decided i really needed toilet. Sat down heard a pop and an imense pain of a contraction and another 5 mins later waters had burst and that was that

Angeliz · 15/02/2005 13:54

These are all very interseting.
Still will refuse.

To have it done and not be told seems very wrong to me, but if i specifically tell her not to, then surely she can't!

pupuce · 15/02/2005 13:56

Angeliz, all you need to refuse is an internal, there is NO reason for them to put their fingers in!
Gosh I am amazed they are evn suggesting a sweep at 40weeks !!!

galaxy · 15/02/2005 13:57

This is one of the reasons I wish I'd know about mumsnet when I was pregnant. I was swept at 39 weeks +6. Now I know it wasn't necessary

Angeliz · 15/02/2005 14:00

Thankyou pupuce, phew!!

pupuce · 15/02/2005 14:03

Angeliz - Is my memory flawed or are you going to East Surrey?

Angeliz · 15/02/2005 14:04

No, i'm way up North.

pupuce · 15/02/2005 14:04

oops

Toothache · 17/02/2005 07:49

Am I the only person that SOOOOO wanted the baby born that I was thankful to the point of kissing the midwife when she said she had performed a membrane sweep?

I had SPD, swollen everything, headaches (not pre-eclampsia), heartburn, UTI's.

By 39 wks I was more than ready to give birth! Am I awful for wanting my pregnancy to be over?

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