Offered a Sweep

JG1

I had a check up today - due on Friday. The doctor said 'we had discussed a sweep' (which we hadn't) and asked if i wanted to go ahead with one today. I was caught totally off guard as I thought it might be offered if I went beyond the due date not BEFORE! I am 35 and it is the first baby. Just wondering if he was offering it because of my age. Should i have gone ahead? Just not mentally prepared to go before due date. After, yes, not before!

January

Some offer the sweep to see if things get started, but a sweep won't work unless your cervix is soft and short, i.e. you are already ready to go into labour yourself. They can also be quite uncomfortable if you are not properly ready for them.

There's no reason for them, rather than to get things going quicker.

crazy cat lady

I've not worked in Maternity services for a couple of years now but when I was last working in Holles St, membrane sweeps were not routinely recommended. If you want to let nature do its thing then just say no.

Good luck with the arrival of the new arrival

Cat Melodeon

My circumstances were pretty identical to yours. I was repeatedly offered sweeps in the run up to my due date and I declined each time. I knew the due date was optimistic and ended up being induced at EDD +10 when the fluid levels seemed to drop. At +8 days I had finally agreed to a sweep even though I felt there was nothing happening. It was extremely unpleasant and had no effect other than to cause pain to my pubic bone. After 10 mins of this, the doctor said my cervix was way too high and he couldn't get near it. So in my case, no it wasn't effective at all.

Even when I went into labour after induction the midwives were concerned that my cervix was still very high. I think they were concerned that I would progress very slowly. In the event, I had two hours of slow build up of contractions, one hour of going from 2 cm to 10 cm, followed by one hour of actual pushing. Not bad for a first baby, and I think we surprised them all going from - to + so quickly.

Don't be pressured into unnecessary interventions if you don't want them. I had to go in for monitoring every day for the last few days because they were unhappy that I wouldn't comply with an earlier induction and wouldn't take a sweep. I had minor issues with my blood pressure and I think because I was 35 they didn't want to take any chances. But it was only on +10 days that there was a real reason for intervention so at that point I was happy to be induced. It's important to stick to your guns and not accept interventions if they are not needed, but it's also important to be sensible and get different opinions regarding what really is needed for you and your baby and when. The constant check-ups meant that we were able to get closer to our real due date without compromising baby's safety. I think leaving things to ripen as naturally as possible also made my labour easier and quicker.

Every woman's situation is different though. I found the midwives to be a fantastic resource for advice on what to do and who to speak to. They understood I wanted to take a 'wait and see' approach and really advocated for me with the doctors. Hope it kicks off for you soon!

JG1

Thanks! If nothing has happened in the next few days I might give the midwife a quick call before i go back in to see the doc.

Redpunto

Hiya - ive had sweeps with both my kids and it didnt work for either and it was (for me) not a very nice experience at all - especially as it didnt work. Its not going to promote labour unless your body is ready but this time around Im gonna decline any offers of a sweep - good luck