sweep or not to sweep?

[milkmachine]

Hiya! i am now over due and will be offered a sweep this thursday and then monitored every few days (previous stillbirth) for the week after that before being offered an induction. i plan to refuse induction provided baby is well and happy. now... a sweep is like the first stage of induction, ive not gone into labour on my own before would having a sweep take away the going into labour on my own bit? there are mixed opinions about sweeps, im undecided.... what do you lot think?

 

[jenstar]

My circumstances are different from yours in that I have had healthy pregnancies going to full term. I was offered a sweep with no.2 the day before his due date but I refused as I consider it to be a medical intervention and I wanted the baby to come when ready, without intervention. I know it doesn't involve drugs or any special equpiment but that doesn't make it normal in my opinion.

And yes afaik, the medics will say that it was their sweep that put you in labour. And they cover themselves by saying the sweep can take up to 2 days to work!

Obviously if you went way over, you could still demand your home birth, but how much would the stress of fighting the midwives affect your enjoyment of the experience? A sweep might be something you have to do in order to get the home birth you want.

 

[milkmachine]

My circumstances are different from yours in that I have had healthy pregnancies going to full term. I was offered a sweep with no.2 the day before his due date but I refused as I consider it to be a medical intervention and I wanted the baby to come when ready, without intervention. I know it doesn't involve drugs or any special equpiment but that doesn't make it normal in my opinion.

And yes afaik, the medics will say that it was their sweep that put you in labour. And they cover themselves by saying the sweep can take up to 2 days to work!

Obviously if you went way over, you could still demand your home birth, but how much would the stress of fighting the midwives affect your enjoyment of the experience? A sweep might be something you have to do in order to get the home birth you want.

this is kinda where im at too un sure about it atm.... not going to do anything unless im 100% certain on it this could be my last pregnancy and i want to go into labour on my own.

 

[NuKe]

i got a sweep, and my waters broke less than 2 days later. i got very very crampy from the minute it was done, and lost my show in 2 parts about 6 hours after having it done. i thought this was brilliant til the little madam pooped in me wen my waters went and i had to get that dam induction drip anyway!!! id def get a sweep again tho.

 

[kiwimama]

If it meant I could have the homebirth I really wanted, I would do it.

 

[KandyKinz]

I would do it.... Stretch and sweeps have been shown to decrease induction rates so they can work but like many other things (like EPO, sex, pineapple)... it will only work if your body is getting ready anyways. It's more of a kick start rather than beginning of an induction.. Having a stretch and sweep is not one of those spiraling interventions that leads to more and more... There is a small small risk that it will cause your waters to break... but I've never ever ever ever seen this happen and have performed dozens and dozens and dozens of stretch and sweeps as a student.

The main down side is it is considered to be very uncomfortable to most women... Quite frankly it hurts! But it's one of those things that if it's too uncomfortable you can always tell the midwife to stop right then and there. Also, it's also something you could do on you're own if you can still reach your cervix and are brave enough.

 

[milkmachine]

i had a few when i was induced with my daughter due to reduced movements, they wernt unbearable...
i am desperate want to avoid going hospital, at pretty much all costs. perhaps its the lesser of two evils? i am very aware that this is very likely to be my last chance at having a baby (split up with my kids dad at the start of this pregnancy also not sure of being able to emotionally deal with another pregnancy)
I can reach my cervix its pretty low but has been for a while so im not sure if thats an indication of impending labour not soon anyway) i wouldnt want to accidentaly break my waters with no contractions and end up in hospital anyways- also i think i need another half cm on my fingers to get the dexterity to actually do anything other than feel it.

 

[Rmar]

I will admit that I don't like the idea of a sweep but it seems to be the least intrusive form of 'medical' induction. Like was said before, only works if they are ready to be born. I would go with it if you are going to face even more opposition against your homebirth if you don't.

You aren't that far past 40 weeks. How many weeks will you be on Thursday? When do you have until they start pushing for you to not have a homebirth?

 

[milkmachine]

pfft already last week the midwife was saying that i could be induced if i wanted too and that they would make it a positive hospital experience. Thursday is when the offers of sweep/monitoring come in at 41weeks. they wouldnt be pushing if i didnt have the history i do at least i hope not) i have refused consultant led care too so they are a wee bit nervous.

 

[milkmachine]

after some calculating im not due till the 9th anyway! wonder if theyll listen to that

 

[milkmachine]

well i dont think i am anyways.... hurm

 

[2010mummy]

Hey Milkmachine I'm in the same boat; we are planning home water birth and I am now 41+2, midwife booked me in for a sweep on Thursday though I am in two minds whether to cancel it or not, I'm not terribly comfortable with it as an intervention BUT I would do anything to still have the homebirth and avoid the induction battle. I want to let things take their course but I am geting very frustrated.

 

[MadamRose]

Yes i would have the sweep if it meant you might get your HB i would also look at things to help naturally get the right hormones going round the body

 

[milkmachine]

im not actually convinced im even due yet :/

 

[2010mummy]

Due dates CANNOT be accurate, no one really knows when they ovulate or conceive and the 1st tri dating scan dates based on AVERAGE foetus sizes which were set in the 1970's, these can't be applied to everyone of every size and ethnicity. From what I've read many supposedly post-dates babies show no signs of being overdue when they arrive at all. It annoys me that midwives take your EDD with a pinch of salt early in pregnany but when it actually comes they ese it as fact.

 

[2010mummy]

Right after a very motivating phone call with my doula I have cancelled my sweep and will just go for an ordinary midwife check up. I can always have a sweep if I want one next week. I feel really relieved, not because I'm afraid of labour quite the opposite, I clearly wasn't up for it, I want my baby to come when she's ready and not be poked out of there! I didn't like the way it was assumed I'd want a sweep, like there's no trust in my body or my baby, I hate the way even the nicest mw makes you feel like a failure, tut tutting and making noises about baby being naughty or lazy, babies have no concept of due dates, they come when ready.

Phew, feeling more empowered to do this on my own terms!

 

[KandyKinz]

I agree that the concept of due dates of nonsense.... As mentioned above the ultrasound accuracy was based on data done years ago (and us humans have tended to get bigger overtime) and regardless of that first trimester ultrasounds are still only accurate within +/- 5 days, after 12 days the accuracy decreases to +/- 7 days and after 22 weeks the accuracy decreases to +/- 2 weeks! Anyways, even done at the most accurate time there's still an 11 day window where you could possibly be due... so to base management on that alone is completely ridiculous...

With that said I can completely understand their fears due to your history. Here if that happens women are offered induction at 37 weeks and it's very rare for them to decline.... The midwives I know would probably be thinking about you day and night and praying constantly if they had a client like you.... Not saying you're a bad client (cause being assertive is certainly not a bad thing...and I would be doing exactly what you are) but you're definitly a client that would up the worry abit.

Hopefully babe will decide to come sooner then later!

 

[milkmachine]

its tricky i think i will just decide on the day, either due date baby will be over 40weeks albeit just about on the latter date so should be safe to come. i just dont want to push things along if they arnt ready or end up with a cascade of interventions. do they offer another sweep before pressing induction? i will refuse induction unless they can prove that there is a decline in either mine or the babies health.....

 

[KandyKinz]

Is there a time in which they can legally say no to homebirth... Here in Canada it's 43 weeks.

 

[milkmachine]

i have no idea tbh :/