sweep...

[kitalola]

at the risk of sounding stupid (especially seeing as this is my 2nd) what exactly is a sweep?

 

[luvmyfam]

If your cervix is at least 1 cm dilated, they stick their finger into your cervix and "sweep" around in order to separate the membranes from your cervix. If your body is somewhat ready to go into labor it could possibly help you togo into labor within 48 hours. Although my doctor said that she would want me to be more than 1 cm.

 

[Guppy051708]

luvmyfam said it perfectly! its basically just like an internal except they wiggle their finger around to "irratate" it. sometimes the irriation works and your body releases hormones and then hopefully you go into labor. I know the practice works much much better if you are 40+ weeks (doesnt mean it cant work before that, but it doesn't seem to as often). Personally, i think its one of those things if your body was ready to go into labor anyways, it will, but if its not-it wont

my doctor did it at 40+2 and i was .5-1cm dilated. I had her do it again at 41 weeks. I think i was about 1cm then. I didn't go into labor until 41+4 and i had my son after 30 hours of labor at 41+5. He was posterior so i think thats sorta why i went overdue but also bc i was a first time mom and on average, first time moms go one week and one day overdue (if they dont get induced).

 

[amelia23]

I had it when I was 41 weeks and 3 days pregnant the midwife basically swept her finger around and I almost immediately started having contractions (though I didn't know that at the time) it took about 16 hours for me to be getting the bad contractions and I had my baby about 12 hours later. It was nothing to worry about xxx

 

[a_c]

I asked for one at 40 + 6 as I was having mild contractions for a few days. I had one at 10am and waters broke 11pm. I had Poppy 2 days later. I'd have one again as long as I was favourable (at least 1cm) I found it fine.