What is a sweep?

[jewelsb]

Please explain I have never heard of this before!??

 

[hardworknmama]

It's where the doctor (or midwife) runs her finger over your membranes in the hopes of thinning them out to help bring on labor. Most docs won't do a sweep until at least 37 weeks and some won't do them at all. My doc did mine with my second but I only knew because she told me she had. Some people say it hurts like the dickens to have a sweep but it varies from person to person.

 

[goddess25]

Your cervix has to show favourable signs... ie it should be thinning, be a soft consistency and show signs of dilation. I had sweeps with both of my children and it put me into labour both times.

 

[jewelsb]

Your cervix has to show favourable signs... ie it should be thinning, be a soft consistency and show signs of dilation. I had sweeps with both of my children and it put me into labor both times.

How long after the sweep did you go into labor?
Was it right away?

 

[hanelei]

I had a sweep at 40+3, it wasn't painful, just slightly uncomfortable and it only takes a couple of seconds. Contractions started 24 hours later at about 10am on a Sunday, waters broke at 3am on the Monday on the way to the hospital and LO was born at 9am. It's unlikely you'll go into labour straight away, it could be hours later or even a couple of days.

I was quite happy with it because I was going to be induced on the Tuesday if I hadn't gone into labour by then.

 

[sam#3]

I had 5 sweeps between 40-42 weeks with #3, and i did several myself but he was adament he wasnt ready to come out yet, so i think they will only trigger things if you are ready to go

 

[xoxsarahxox]

I was in slow labour for a good 6 hours with my second child but nothing was happening, i thought the midwife was checking to see how far dilated I was but turns out she was doing a sweep, it wasn't painful just uncomfy, after the sweep my contractions got stronger within the hour and about 2 hours afterz the sweep I was in full labour and had him 4 hours in total after my sweep