Membrane sweep - what is it?!

[LoveActually]

Am due on Sunday, saw my midwife for the 'official' last time yesterday. She told me if baby has not arrived by next Saturday I'm to call her and she's to come round our house to give me a sweep. I remember seeing some threads about this earlier on but can't find them now.
Had a relatively uncomplicated pg, luckily.
x

hi, I'll let someone else give you the technical details of this, but I have had a couple of sweeps in the last week as I am 41 +1 today. Basically the midwife inserts two fingers inside you and pokes into your cervix to loosen the membranes. For me the first one was painful as my cervix wasnt open at all, but the second wasnt as bad as I'd had a show that morning and she said baby was lower and i was 1cm by then.

Hi mismelly, does that mean your baby is on the way?! I thought it might be a bit painful. x

well who knows! I had a bit of cramping overnight, but since I've gotten up, nothing much else has happened except for another bit of 'show'. I think it's painful if your body is not as ready for it, but if you cervix is a bit softer it wont hurt so much. Is this your first? It is mine. Oh, also I cramped all night after the first sweep as well, but they finished by 7am

This is my first, because everything has been so 'easy' I'm now getting nervous about the pain. I think I'm going to drink raspberry leaf tea and go for a walk today.
I do think/hope the baby will come in her own time, just it seems from other mumsnetters that docs do insist on getting involved if things are late.

I think the same. I'm booked for a post-date assessment on thursday, where they're going to scan and check my waters and blood, and I assume will push the induction. I hope bubs arrives before that, but I dont want to go too much over either, as Im worried about baby remaining healthy.