Links for info related to sweeps.

[earthquake]

HI all just wondering if anyone had any links to articles related to sweeps? not just what they are, how effective etc but from a natural birth view. i know my midwife is going to suggest it at my next appt and want to research it before i go so im aware of how i feel about it. i dont want to be induced artificially and would prefer not to have any intervention including sweep. i just want to read some information aboout them that doesnt seem anectdotal. everythoing i find on the net says 'oh worked for me' but if youre gonna go into labour anyway can a sweep even do anything? if your cervix is ripe surely youre body is getting ready anyway? tried looking in all my books but nothing substantial. however i noticed they quite often stretch a womend cervix during labour in ina mays birth stories?
hope that makes sense- know its quite a ramble.

 

[tristansmum]

i think most MW agree that unless your body is nearing labour then a sweep will not work. if you are ready it could kick start it for you. i think many women (myself included) feel its worth a shot as doesn't do any harm and if it gets you into labour without any other further invention then great. however, its chance of working is only like 50/50 so by no means guaranteed.

Mine don't work and i was induced 6 days later. i don't regret having it done as i would have spent forever wondering where it would if i had not had it done. i hope you go into labour before you have to make this decision xxxx

 

[Mervs Mum]

There is only anecdotal 'evidence' available I'm afraid. There is no research supporting their effectiveness. The risk with them is infection and a long crappy latent start to labour

 

[indigo_fairy]

I'm in the same boat as you so can't help much I'm afraid! All I can say is that I do think the sweep I had with my daughter might have contributed to her being hurried up before she was ready, ending in a horrid labour and birth tbh, but I don't know for sure. Think it depends on your situation and being the lesser of two evils in the end (i.e to avoid induction).

 

[Mum2b_Claire]

The MW attempted one with me at 41 weeks but I wasn't dilated. I did go into labour later that day, as far as I understand they're a not a particularly 'scientific' way to get labour started. I only accepted one because I was so against induction.

 

[SmokyJoe78]

After declining a sweep last week, I'm thinking about one for tomorrow, but can't decide. Have found some research though - all the studies mentioned seem to suggest that having a sweep is more 'successful' than not... although that still hasn't convinced me

See what you think!

https://www.midwifery.org.uk/index....embranes-&catid=91:hidden-archives&Itemid=110

 

[indigo_fairy]

"Sweeping of the membranes is associated with an increase in maternal discomfort"

That bit puts me off a little! Does that mean in labour or just after the sweep? Overall it's confusing what to do for the best lol

 

[moomin_troll]

at my meeting today i was told id be offered one at 41 weeks and she then went onto say 60% of women go into labour after a sweep...not sure where she got that from. it didnt work with me when i had one with zane.
i was already in slow early labour and it did nothing so i dont have much faith in them

 

[SmokyJoe78]

at my meeting today i was told id be offered one at 41 weeks and she then went onto say 60% of women go into labour after a sweep...not sure where she got that from. it didnt work with me when i had one with zane.
i was already in slow early labour and it did nothing so i dont have much faith in them

I'm pretty sure it's about 30%???????

Indigo - I know! I think it means just after/during the sweep. At least that was my experience last time

 

[special_kala]

at my meeting today i was told id be offered one at 41 weeks and she then went onto say 60% of women go into labour after a sweep...not sure where she got that from. it didnt work with me when i had one with zane.
i was already in slow early labour and it did nothing so i dont have much faith in them

I'm pretty sure it's about 30%???????

Indigo - I know! I think it means just after/during the sweep. At least that was my experience last time

maybe moomins MW is really good at sweeps

 

[moomin_troll]

at my meeting today i was told id be offered one at 41 weeks and she then went onto say 60% of women go into labour after a sweep...not sure where she got that from. it didnt work with me when i had one with zane.
i was already in slow early labour and it did nothing so i dont have much faith in them

I'm pretty sure it's about 30%???????

Indigo - I know! I think it means just after/during the sweep. At least that was my experience last time

maybe moomins MW is really good at sweeps

if shes that good then ile have one hahaha

 

[xxembobxx]

I had a sweep when my last DD was overdue. I went into labour a few days later but I don't think it was due to the sweep.
I had heard they were very uncomfortable and sometimes painful and I didn't find it too bad so maybe my MW wasn't rough enough!
I wouldn't have one again - I also had one as the it was portrayed that there was an awful alternative of induced labour. It was never mentioned that you can opt not to be induced and you can then be monitored to make sure baby is ok inside.
If I go overdue again I would refuse inducement if baby was ok - estimated due dates are just that AN ESTIMATE!

 

[moomin_troll]

my mw wrote on my notes yesterday that ive requested to be left to go 14 days over before being induced.....erm sorry who said i was going to be induced lol

being induced with zane was the right thing for me to do at that time, doesnt mean ile do it again if baby is fine

 

[Mum2b_Claire]

My MW said that sweeps rarely work when it's your first baby, more likely with second and subsequent, I have no idea if this is true or why.
I only had one last time because of the threat of not being able to use the birth centre, don't have that issue this time so won't be having one, and won't be induced just for being 41+3, which is when they like to induce you here *rollseyes*

 

[Celesse]

Me and my sister both had sweep, both went into labour within a few hours and both had pretty long and reasonably slow progress labours. Mine was around 18 hours but would have been longer if LO hadn't been distressed and lifted out via the sun roof, but my sis went for over 24 hours as her baby was fine, before ending up with an instrumental.

So I'm in two minds about sweeps and its on my "to look up" list. Yes it got me into labour, but would I have gone into labour pretty soon after naturally anyway and would it have been an easier labour if not started by a sweep? Also by baby's distress was a high heart rate as opposed to a deceleration pattern, so they suspected infection...could that infection have got in during the sweep? Questions I'll never know the answer to for certain, but worth considering if I have another "extended" pregnancy.

 

[Mervs Mum]

Sweeps are generally associated with long crappy exhausting latent / early labour and sometimes meconium. I understand the temptation and have been there myself though.

 

[Mummytofour]

I had a sweep at term + 7 with my fourth and it did nothing! I didn't have her until five days later.
I've been offered one today but declined.

I was also told as I was a multipara, I was considered high risk so may not be able to have a waterbirth! I just told them if that was the case then I will stay at home and have bubs alone! The look the midwife gave me was priceless!!

 

[indigo_fairy]

Me and my sister both had sweep, both went into labour within a few hours and both had pretty long and reasonably slow progress labours. Mine was around 18 hours but would have been longer if LO hadn't been distressed and lifted out via the sun roof, but my sis went for over 24 hours as her baby was fine, before ending up with an instrumental.

So I'm in two minds about sweeps and its on my "to look up" list. Yes it got me into labour, but would I have gone into labour pretty soon after naturally anyway and would it have been an easier labour if not started by a sweep? Also by baby's distress was a high heart rate as opposed to a deceleration pattern, so they suspected infection...could that infection have got in during the sweep? Questions I'll never know the answer to for certain, but worth considering if I have another "extended" pregnancy.

Thats how I feel too, I feel so much more comfortable with letting my body and baby start labour when they are both ready. I'm sure a sweep right now would definitely get my labour going but I want to have the most comfortable labour possible which for me means letting it happen without forcing things. My whole awful experience last time was all about forcing and rushing my body and baby, which ended in CS, not what I want this time!