Stretch and sweep at 37 weeks?

[MissCherry]

Hello all. Saw my consultant today and she has booked me in for a stretch and sweep at 37 weeks. I’m a type 1 diabetic. I never had this on my son just had pessary at 38 weeks. I was told there only a 24% chance of it working? Has anyone had one that early. I’ve only been able to find things from ladies who are overdue. I’m stressing out a bit as they have booked it for 27th December and it means I now have to find extra childcare for my son as it’s the Christmas holidays and my partner can’t get the time off work(already has the following week of as we were told that’s when induction is) and I don’t want him to waste paternity leave if it’s not even going to work! Can it be refused?
Thanks in advance
Carys x

 

[Guppy051708]

I know you said you already found info on overdue ladies, but unfortunately that is all i have to offer. I had one done 40+3 and a second at 41+0 with my first baby. Neither one of them worked whatsoever. Caused a little spotting and some annoying little pains but nothing that lead to labor. He wasn't born until 41+5.

Ive had two babies come "late" and one come early (41+5, 38+3, and 41+0). I honestly think that if anything works its because you were going to go anyways and it was just the thing to push you over, so to speak. But that doesn't mean your body isn't ready. Perhaps it is! Only way to know is to try it out and see if gets you anywhere. Best of luck. I hope it works for you

 

[Kirstiedenman]

Like pp said it only works if your body is already ready and it just gives it the nudge it needs. I had one at 40+1 with my first but I was already 5cms when she did it lol and had bubs that night.
I also had one at 38 weeks with my third and had a very small dose of the gel put in at the same time and had my baby 10hrs later. I was 2cms and 50% effaced with a posterior cervix when I had it done.

Maybe go in at 37 weeks and when they check you before they do the sweep if you are a few cms and either 75% or 100% effaced say you don’t want it but if your not close it may help give you that edge for the induction to avoid pitocin

 

[Reiko_ctu]

I had one at 37+6 and it most definitely brought the baby into the world. But I was also on a mothers cordial and epo which prepare body for labour. 37 is a bit too early imo if it is to work. I wouldn't do it till probably close to 39 this time. A lot of the time 37 week baby's don't feed well and are quite dopey and tired. The last few weeks they still have developing to do.

 

[PaulaR]

I think anything can be refused but if it were me I wouldn’t outright refuse something bc of difficult but not impossible paternity leave situation. If your dr really thinks it’s necessary due to your condition I would do it. I would maybe get a second opinion if I was concerned about it’s neccesit but I wouldn’t refuse due to Paternity leave “wasting”

 

[Missbb2591]

You can definitely refuse it.

I’m being induced at 37+6 next week and I asked if my consultant would recommend a sweep before and she said honestly it’s unlikely to do anything at this stage except make me sore and give me cramps until they actually induce me on the Friday. So we decided not to do it coz I don’t fancy spending the last few days even more uncomfortable than usual! I had a sweep at 37 weeks with DD1 and it did absolutely nothing until my body was actually ready to go into labour. I was 4cm dilated from 34 weeks and yet it still didn’t work so go figure

At the end of the days it’s totally your decision. Good luck.

 

[Bonnie11]

Of course you can refuse, it's your body, you can refuse anything! I had 3 sweeps starting at 37 weeks to 38.5 and they did nothing. Like the others said I think it only works if your body was nearly ready anyway, can just help the process along. Also you could have the sweep and then see what happened, you don't need to book your paternity early just see if it does anything for you and if you go into labour your partner can start it then x

 

[corgankidd]

I know this is an old thread, just wanted to add my experience for anyone who has the same question. Baby #1 sweep at 38 weeks due to spd waters broke at 38+2 but labor never really started. Attempted to get labor going for 24 hrs then ended up with an emergency c section. Baby #2 sweep at 37+6 to try to get things moving so i wouldn't make it to my scheduled section date. Waters broke the next day at 38 weeks. Again labor did not start for hours after water breaking and after 30 hours of labor that resulted in no progress, ended up with another emergency c section.

It might be a coincidence that my water broke so soon after both sweeps, maybe they would have even without the sweeps. However, I do blame them for my unsuccessful births and will absolutely be avoiding them this time. Looking forward to seeing what my body does naturally.