Questions about the stripping of membranes, or sweeping.

[LEXIANN21]

I had a sweep at 38+5 as they were concerned my baby was too small and wanted to get her out quickly. It worked for me - went into labour within 48 hours. It was rather unpleasant but not too painful. I'm hoping I'll be able to have a sweep this time too, if baby not making any signs of arriving on my due date. I don't want to go too overdue! Best of luck x

Thanks that would be my ideal situation, thats the turn out I am hoping for.

 

[BabyBoyNYC]

tried to have one at my 38 week but she said it would hurt so i backed out, then yesterday at my 39th week app she tried twice but i'm not dilated enough so she couldn't do it

 

[LEXIANN21]

tried to have one at my 38 week but she said it would hurt so i backed out, then yesterday at my 39th week app she tried twice but i'm not dilated enough so she couldn't do it

bummer! Which child is this for you? I mean first, second, third, etc??

 

[BabyBoyNYC]

tried to have one at my 38 week but she said it would hurt so i backed out, then yesterday at my 39th week app she tried twice but i'm not dilated enough so she couldn't do it

bummer! Which child is this for you? I mean first, second, third, etc??

first

 

[Vikki2010]

I had one today at 16:15
At my last midwife appointment (I was 38+5 weeks) She said when I went back in 2 weeks if baby wasnt here by then I would have a sweep.
I was having regular contractions before and during my midwife appointment lasting 8-10 minutes apart.
She said to me I was 1cm dilated then performed the sweep which I thought HURT like hell!
She said I may experience contractions after it and I did they were coming fast and strong I was crying with the pain
After 2 co-codamols and a hot bath everything stopped I have had nothing since lost abit more plug but no more pains.
Im now 6 days overdue and going out of my mind
So I dont think its worked for me

Ive had so many false alarms now Im beginning to think im never gonna go into labour

 

[gatormom2tots]

Hi, I have only recently been made aware of this procedure. I know in the US its called "stripping the membranes" and in the UK its called "Sweeping the membranes". I have loads of questions for anyone who has been through this or will have it done.

Why did your dr do it? Was 39 weeks, showing signs of being ready, and midwife was pregnant too so I guess she knew my misery!
How early into the pregnancy will they do it. Doc told me that they only do it if you are already starting to dilate and efface- otherwise it doesn't have much effect
Does it hurt? Not anymore than an internal exam
Did it work for you? yep, daughter was born last than 24 hours later
Will it have any negative effects on baby or mother? no
How soon after you had it done did you go into labor.about 8 hours or so

I'm excited about trying this and will ask my dr if she'd be willing to do it for me at my 38.5 appointment.

Thanks for all and any help!!

m

 

[keljt1127]

my doctor said she doesnt even ask she just does it if you are dilated to at least 1 cm starting at 37 weeks!

and sometimes it doesnt work for some woman and sometimes woman go into labor very fast, just depends.

I was going to get one but am not dilated :/

 

[iamgracie]

I had my MW appointment last Tuesday at 39+6 weeks and I thought she was going to give me a sweep. Unfortunately, she didn't. Just asked me if I was overdue with my first baby, I said yeah, 1 week overdue. So she must've assumed that this one will be no different. She said she'll do a sweep next Tuesday if I haven't given birth yet, and booked me for induction on the 20th. I can't believe how far they booked me for induction! I just want to be in labour now! I'm getting so tired of this bump

 

[kimber89]

i never even heard of it until i became pregnant myself.. can i ask what do they actually do. i dont have a clue what it is??

 

[Vikki2010]

i never even heard of it until i became pregnant myself.. can i ask what do they actually do. i dont have a clue what it is??

All they do is sweep a finger around your cervix I dont really know much about it myself but seemily its to separate the membranes around the baby from your cervix to release a hormone which could kick start labour

 

[Genna]

I had one with my son when I went in for my induction. it was very unpleasant, but only took a few seconds I bled a lot afterward, and was very crampy.

 

[Mummytofour]

I had one at 41 weeks with number 4 and it just made me crampy but didn't start labour.
I try to avoid internal exams anyway and will definately not be having a sweep with this one!

 

[LEXIANN21]

tried to have one at my 38 week but she said it would hurt so i backed out, then yesterday at my 39th week app she tried twice but i'm not dilated enough so she couldn't do it

bummer! Which child is this for you? I mean first, second, third, etc??

first

That makes sense then that you may not have been dialated at 38 weeks since its your first baby, congrats by the way, I'm hoping since its my second that I will have started to dilate. I know with my first I didn't dilate at all and then finally my water broke lol!

 

[BabyBoyNYC]

tried to have one at my 38 week but she said it would hurt so i backed out, then yesterday at my 39th week app she tried twice but i'm not dilated enough so she couldn't do it

bummer! Which child is this for you? I mean first, second, third, etc??

first

That makes sense then that you may not have been dialated at 38 weeks since its your first baby, congrats by the way, I'm hoping since its my second that I will have started to dilate. I know with my first I didn't dilate at all and then finally my water broke lol!

finally got to 2cm so she was able to do it! but i'm getting induced on monday because my bp won't go down

 

[BabyBoyNYC]

also my obgyn encouraged sex but after a sweep no thanks! my husband got so excited too lol poor guy!

 

[londonangel]

I had a second membrane sweep yesterday. Still no baby, haha. Maybe I am one of the lucky ones, but I didn't get bleeding or cramping after. I didn't get that with the first one either. The worst thing was that my skin is sensitive and the antibacterial cream stuff the midwife put on her glove before doing it meant I had a burning sensation 'up there' for about two hours afterwards. Ick! She said my cervix had changed quite a lot since my last sweep though - now moved towards the anterior and 50% effaced (was posterior and uneffaced at my first one on Sunday) and it was also softer. The sweep yesterday was far less uncomfortable than the first one. Best advice I can give is to relax as much as you possibly can and just concentrate on your breathing and try not to think about the fact that someone has their finger up there. My hubby came with me for both my sweeps, bless him so I could hold his hand. He may have regretted giving me his hand though - I gripped it so tightly yesterday that he was left with three red finger marks on it. Goodness knows what will happen to his hand if I am in labour pain! I told him it's a good thing maternity is opposite the casualty department, in case I break a bone in his hand (!).

 

[LEXIANN21]

tried to have one at my 38 week but she said it would hurt so i backed out, then yesterday at my 39th week app she tried twice but i'm not dilated enough so she couldn't do it

bummer! Which child is this for you? I mean first, second, third, etc??

first

That makes sense then that you may not have been dialated at 38 weeks since its your first baby, congrats by the way, I'm hoping since its my second that I will have started to dilate. I know with my first I didn't dilate at all and then finally my water broke lol!

finally got to 2cm so she was able to do it! but i'm getting induced on monday because my bp won't go down

let me know how your induction goes, i'm curious to hear about all inductions as that may be me if he doesnt show up before 40 weeks on his own or with the help of membrane strip good luck!!!

 

[mommyof2peas]

Hey so a good story for you

With my first I did have a sweep but it didnt do anything, was induced a week later.

BUUUUUTTT with this one. Doctor gave me a "mini" sweep at 37 weeks. Because even though he will do them at 37 its a bit early still. So a week later at 38 weeks he did a proper sweep at 10:30 am (this was tuesday) Went to bed at 10:30 pm thinking it hadnt worked. Was woken up with contractions about 2:45 am and by 9:01 am I had my beautiful little girl. Birth story here, since it is the sweep that sent me into labor thought you might wanna see how it went https://www.babyandbump.com/pregnancy-third-trimester/637771-birth-amelia-anne.html

Good luck!!

 

[LEXIANN21]

Hey so a good story for you

With my first I did have a sweep but it didnt do anything, was induced a week later.

BUUUUUTTT with this one. Doctor gave me a "mini" sweep at 37 weeks. Because even though he will do them at 37 its a bit early still. So a week later at 38 weeks he did a proper sweep at 10:30 am (this was tuesday) Went to bed at 10:30 pm thinking it hadnt worked. Was woken up with contractions about 2:45 am and by 9:01 am I had my beautiful little girl. Birth story here, since it is the sweep that sent me into labor thought you might wanna see how it went https://www.babyandbump.com/pregnancy-third-trimester/637771-birth-amelia-anne.html

Good luck!!

Awesome story thanks for sharing!!!! I can't wait til Monday to discuss with my OB when/if she'd do this for me!!

 

[LEXIANN21]

That is a fantastic birth story by the way, I hope I'm that lucky!!