Monitoring over a sweep?

[Bournefree]

Just thinking about another post..

If you were "overdue", and we all know it's just that an estimated date, but your MWs will prob offer you lots of choices.

1 - wait and see
2 - wait and see, with monitoring. Of course this depends on what type of monitoring it is - CTG, taking your BP everyday, going for a scan every couple of days to check amenio pools and placental functionality?
3 - Sweep
4 - prostoglandin gel
5 - Artificial rupture of membranes
6 - Induction drip

I'm inclined to think that if it was monitoring as in CTG, I would be saying NOWAY... because they would have to get me into the hospital to do it.. and one "wrong" blip, and your in panic-mode submitting to all other types of intervention and on the clock.
So I would wait and see and then go with a sweep or gel over any monitoring, as that can be done at home. I know of course you can always walk away from the hospital, but that is easier, if your not even there to begin with.. if you get my drift?

How do you ladies feel? What order would you doing anything, or would you just stick with number 1. (as I would be inclined to have an out-patient scan done - as I did really)

 

[Mum2b_Claire]

I gave birth in a birthing centre where they would only take you if you were 37-42 weeks pregnant. So past that point I was prepared to accept more intervention even though I didn't want it, particularly the induction drip. My MW told me about various problems that can occur past 42 weeks so I was going to accept induction then, but definitely not before. I had an attempted sweep at 41 weeks (she couldn't do it though) because I wanted to go into labour naturally and use the centre. If that hadn't have been an issue then I wouldn't have accepted it I don't think.

 

[kiwimama]

I'm really against getting induced. If I were over 42 weeks, I'd probably want to be monitored (nothing invasive).. My midwife is VERY pro natural/ home birth, so know she would never make me go to hospital to be induced unless it was really deemed necessary. Not sure I'd accept a sweep, I believe that if your body is ready it will go into labour by itself, although I'd probably be trying all the natural things to try and jump start it if I were more than 2 weeks "overdue."

 

[Jenniflower]

I've thought about this long and hard as I keep assuming I'll go way over and I've decided I'm not getting a sweep at 40 weeks when they'll most likely offer me one. My Midwife said she can't do a homebirth after 40+12. But she also said I couldn't have one at 37 weeks and we all know how that turned out. So I fully intend to fight that and wait and still have my home birth. I will however go for the sweep at 40+12 but this would really only be to appease my midwife that I am infact trying to get the baby out. (Actually even saying that out loud now makes me re think if I would do that.) I would also let her know that I am willing to monitor the baby in anyway that she sees fit. As Mum2b_Claire mentioned there are issues if you LO goes much after your due date but the issues they're concerned with are easily monitorable (is that a word?)

I totally get what your saying about going in to be monitored Bourne. And actually I never thought about it in anyone else's eyes because for me I would go to a completely different hospital than the one that actually has the labour ward for the monitoring which means I wouldn't get tied down there and forced into staying at all. I don't know what I would do if I had to go to the same hospital that I would also deliver in.

 

[Celesse]

I declined induction.

The plan was a scan at 42 weeks to check on foetal well being followed by a consultant appointment. I actually went into labour bang on 42 weeks, had the scan in early labour which showed everything was ok, was "allowed" home to labour only to be rushed back in 5 hours later. So from my point of view the monitoring I had showed nothing, did nothing and made no difference to the outcome of my pregnancy/ labour....

... well no difference other than to totally stress me out in early labour and probably slow down my oxytocin release and progress in labour..... and had I not gone in for the scan maybe, just maybe I would have progressed quick enough to have avoided the section when my baby get stressed.

hmmm..... I didn't start writing this post as a rant but thats where its ended up.

 

[PeanutBean]

I won't do anything before 42 weeks. I won't have a sweep for three reasons: my loathing of internals; my current GBS status (it's not recommended for carriers); and there's not much consistent evidence that they actually do anything. If at 42 weeks I've not gone into labour I'd want monitoring for fluid and placental function etc. If it really looked like there was deterioration I'd agree to induction, but would want to be reading up on it all beforehand so I felt I understood what deterioration really meant.

I think for me it's a moot point. Byron came just after 38 weeks. I was just do giant I am sure that I literally couldn't contain him. You've probably read this elsewhere but there was so much fluid my mw thought he was an 8lber at least and he was only 6lb12. Once my waters emptied I looked less pregnant than I do now. I'm a short-waisted 5'3 and my torso isn't going to get any longer this time so I think it likely I won't really go over. I really hope I get to 40 weeks this time. Not least because I'd rather a Taurus than an Aries.

 

[Jenniflower]

I really hope I get to 40 weeks this time. Not least because I'd rather a Taurus than an Aries.

I say this all the time. I hope she doesn't come after 41 weeks or I'll wind up with a Pisces. I would much rather have my little girl be an Aquarius.

 

[PeanutBean]

I'm a Pisces, and my mum. My dad, brother, aunt and bil all Aquarius and nutters! They are very hard people to live with! Pisces on the other hand are beautiful thoughtful emotional people.

 

[Jenniflower]

I'm a Pisces, and my mum. My dad, brother, aunt and bil all Aquarius and nutters! They are very hard people to live with! Pisces on the other hand are beautiful thoughtful emotional people.

Pisces are whiny, cry babies... I mean uh. Lovely individuals yes, yes. That's what I meant.



Mind you I'm a Gemini, I just get on better with Aquarius'

 

[PeanutBean]

My sister and other brother are Gemini. Contrary bunch. Byrin is a Sagittarius. I never got on with them!

I'm not whiny. I have Taurus rising so am super practical. It's makes a good mix with floaty Pisces.

 

[MandaAnda]

Up until 42 weeks, I'd just wait.

42 +, I'd be happy to submit to non-invasive monitoring.

If said monitoring showed something non-urgent but that things weren't optimal, say decreasing liquor, I'd have a sweep. That's as far as I'd ever be happy for induction to go. The pessary and drip are too awful for me to think about unless they were vital.

 

[rainbowgroove]

I really hope I get to 40 weeks this time. Not least because I'd rather a Taurus than an Aries.

I'm an Aries, my husband is a Pisces and this baby is due right on the cusp - should be interesting!

I already have a Leo and 2 Capricorns - I'll take the Leo anyday

 

[MandaAnda]

DH and I are both Capricorns (arguments due to stubborness much?) and have a little boy fish.

 

[PeanutBean]

Oo I get on with capricorns and would definitely pick one o et a Leo! Funny how we like different signs. My sil is an Aries, stubborn much? DH is a Virgo. Never really knew any virgos before but he's pretty decent.

 

[Jenniflower]

My hubby's a Capricorn. I'd take one over a Leo any day. My brother is a Leo and one of the more annoying people I know, hahaha. (Mind you my rising sign is a Leo, so that could be a reason hahaha) Virgo's are awesome! I've never met a Virgo I didn't like. PB, you're a Pisces Taurus? So you're a stubborn cry baby then?

(You know I love ya!)

 

[PeanutBean]

No I'm creative, intuitive, practical, efficient...an excellent person in a crisis as not only do I make you feel better but I also fix the problem!

 

[Jenniflower]

No I'm creative, intuitive, practical, efficient...an excellent person in a crisis as not only do I make you feel better but I also fix the problem!

Love it!

 

[chuck]

I'm guessing that being a CS mumma that induction isnt an option anyway but I would say no way jose to any form of induction drip to make me contract.

When it comes to monitoring hmmm I dunno, I have the option of going to the local birth centre (if its still open) to be monitored as I live in the same town so I'd do that -I wouldnt travel the miles to either hospitals n the area to be monitored everyday as I cant afford the travel costs more than anything LOL!

I dont think i'll go over 42 this time though, just a feeling/hope/want/dream LOL

I'm in 2 minds over a sweep though, I had 2 last time and the 2nd started things but baby was high and back to back hence the problems with slow labour I had. Had I declined and waited or had an induction who knows what would have happened?

So this time if baby is right side out then I'll go for the sweep or maybe have the sweep and spend the rest of the time on all fours!

 

[DolceBella]

Wouldn't you say that sweeps only work if your body's ready anyway?

 

[MandaAnda]

Wouldn't you say that sweeps only work if your body's ready anyway?

To a great degree, yes. Because, if your cervix is high and tilted back, no one can reach it to stretch and sweep it in the first place. But, when reachable/doable, it can still speed things along and is still an intervention that may alter how things would occur naturally.