Sweep...

[Ugg]

Have been booked in for a 'Sweep' midwife has given me urine bottle with Boric Acid in it....why?...is this something to do with the Sweep?..would have asked midwife at the time but have got home and only just looked at urine bottle - also anyone had a sweep, is it really uncomfy?!....

I know plenty of women who have done their own sweeps so can't be that painful or they wouldn't do it? I have never had it done, nor would I attempt it myself so have no personal experience.

I had to google boric acid, as I'd never heard of it. Are you in the UK?

Yes, in the UK...I googled it too but couldn't get any clear answers...

I don't know anything about boric acid and wasn't given that when I had my 2 sweeps. My experience of sweeps is that while certainly not pleasant, they weren't awful and were over quite quickly. Take dh/dp with you if you can though as its nice to have someone's hand to hold and as you can imagine its pretty invasive.

I had a sweep and never really felt it but mw did say everything felt very ready iykwim so don't know if that's why I hardly felt anything.

I never got anything when I had the sweep so don't think the boric acid/urine bottle is connected tbh.

Can you ring yur mw now and ask?

i had 3 sweeps, was 11 days overdue. they were scratchy like a smear test. the boric acid in my urine bottle wasnt to do with my sweep, i had to have that when they were checking my protein levels in wee.

The Boric Acid is just a 'preservative' for the wee in the bottle. Some bottles come with it in, some don't.

Boric acid is just a preservative for your urine, nothing to do with your sweep.

Take a couple of paracetemol before you go.

I had one last week and I would say it was more uncomfortable than a smear test but the same sensation iyswim. More unpleasant than anything else. I wasn't even at term though so it may get less painful the softer your cervix.

Good chance to practice your relaxation techniques!