To sweep or not sweep

[hb1]

Hi

I am aiming for a natural birth - albeit in hospital - but hoping to use TENS at home with hypnobirthing and then continue hypnobirthing at hospital with waterbirth ( hoping the only birth pool is available when I go!! ).

Anyway - I was trying not to get hung up on my EDD as fully aware can go 2 weeks either side but at my 38 week appt my mw said that, if I wanted, I could have a sweep at my 40 week appt - I initially thought no - would leave to 41 weeks at least for this but as I have gotten to my EDD I am feeling a little more impatient. Everyone I have asked has said to go for the sweep.

My OH will fully support anything I choose - but has said he thought we were steering away from a sweep with the "all natural" aim.

Anyway - I said I would ask for advice on this forum. What do you think - to sweep or not to sweep - are there arguments for and against? Particularly from a natural birthing point of view?

Many thanks for any help

hx

 

[Jenniflower]

Sorry I can't give you a real answer but I am very interested to hear what people say. I could probably copy and paste this post for me when I'm in my 40th week hahaha.

I always thought I would because it's natural so what's the problem, but then my hypno practitioner, whom I respect so much, said to just let it go naturally. She said my body will know when it's ready so not to rush it. I think in my mind I'll wait till the last possible minute. They said in my area they won't do home births after 40+12, (which I know isn't written in stone, but still I just want things to be easy) and as it takes like 2 days for a sweep to work I thought waiting until 40+10 might be useful. I honestly don't know though.

 

[hb1]

It's so hard to know what to do for right or wrong - I really thought I was cool with waiting - I am normally such a patient person.

I guess I have been thinking about whether a sweep is considered "intervention" in the true sense of the word and whether it has potential impact - eg difficult birth, potentially leading to more interventions - I just don't know the answers - arrrrgghhh!!

hx

 

[pimento1979]

Great question, I would love to hear the answers to this one! I am considering a sweep at 40w, but like you, not sure if this would start off a series of unwanted interventions. And I'm being really selfish that I want LO out early or on time due to other reasons...

 

[chuck]

Right now I'm in the frame of mind to say no a sweep this time round.

I had 2 last tiem, one at 39 weeks did nothing and then 1 at 41 weeks....that started things but I really dont think baby was ready hence why he was back to back and caused me all the heartache he did. Although who knows, I may have got to 42 and gone for an induction not really knowing any better and things could have been worse.

But by the time I get to term + what ever I'm sure I'll want the little bugger out!

 

[hb1]

Well in the end we decided against it but asked the MW to check my cervix - just to get an idea of where we are - and my cervix was too high up for her to even get to - so a sweep would've been impossible anyway!

I think I will go for one at 41+1 weeks tho if I haven't popped already - more to avoid induction which they would be looking at doing 4 days later or so anyway.

Thanks everyone

hx

 

[Bournefree]

I had a sweep done to avoid induction - it worked for us. almost to the minute DD was born 48hours after.

For me it was very much the lesser of 2 evils! There was no way I wanted to have to choose to be induced.

But you aren't being pressured for an induction yet, so plenty of time, and your body has to be ready to get a sweep done. Let time take it's course.

I do know how jettery and impatient it can feel waiting though!

I know technically a sweep is a form of intervention, but there is no evidence that it leads down a slippery slope on interventions. You just go home after, or it can be done in the comfort of your own home.
Try all the other stuff too - sex, walks, spicy food. Though, baby will prob come when they are good and ready.
XxX

 

[hb1]

I was glad we decided against it - I think it was more other people hanging on my edd - I've constantly been mentally thinking of January as my due month to avoid this but it's hard as you get to the end.

And personally - I was glad that any choice was essentially removed as my cervix was so high up that she couldn't even get there to check it out as we'd asked - so was able to appease my mum and sister who were all for the sweep as it simply wasn't a possibilty!! phew!

Have, however, got my birthing ball out and been going for walks in the hope my cervix sorts itself out!!

hx

 

[Kitten]

I had a sweep at 41+1 because I'd been stuck at 2cms for 5 weeks due to his position and I knew he wasn't going anywhere. If I had to have an induction (they booked me in for the Saturday and this was the Monday before) I wouldn't get my home birth and I really didn't want an induction as I have an uber hospital and needle phobia and didn't like the idea of having a drip stuck in me and being stuck in the hospital for days having my baby forced out of me with drugs.

 

[Jenniflower]

I had a sweep at 41+1 because I'd been stuck at 2cms for 5 weeks due to his position and I knew he wasn't going anywhere. If I had to have an induction (they booked me in for the Saturday and this was the Monday before) I wouldn't get my home birth and I really didn't want an induction as I have an uber hospital and needle phobia and didn't like the idea of having a drip stuck in me and being stuck in the hospital for days having my baby forced out of me with drugs.

I agree with this. The sweep seems the lesser of two evils. But why are we all feeling pressured to induce? Would it be better to decline not only the sweep but then also the induction and still get our home birth with LO is ready?

 

[MandaAnda]

Jenni, I feel this way now.

I had two sweeps: one at 40+2, one at 40+3 and one scheduled for 40+5. He was born at 40+4, so I obviously didn't have that last one. My community midwife was happy to do them when I requested them, as I so wanted my home birth and didn't want to have to fight that induction battle. In the end, I had grade three (very thick and therefore more dangerous) meconium and delivered in hospital. I can't help but wonder if the sweeps stressed him enough that he passed so much meconium. I spoke to a midwife at my place of work about it recently, and she doesn't think the sweeps contributed. I'll never know. I'm ok with it now. I was doing what I thought was best for me and baby at the time, and hindsight is 20/20. You live, you learn.

But I'm sure that, next time around, I won't ask for the sweeps, at least not before 42 weeks. If I go "over," I'll be happy to submit to monitoring to ensure baby's continued safety, but I'd really like to be sure that my baby is the one that ultimately decides when it's born.

 

[MandaAnda]

Oh, I meant to say this. I couldn't tell from your OP if you meant you were stopping the TENS once you leave home/get to the hospital. I'm sure you know this, but once you start TENS, do not stop it unless you are just about to get in the water. Obviously, you don't want to get zapped, but you don't want the benefit of TENS stopped with nothing (water, in your case) to take over. You don't realise what a good job it's doing until it's gone!