Sweep - what to do?

[Purple Hugs]

Hi all - hoping some of you can help.. have experience or know some facts! lol

Sorry it's a long one..

So... MW appointment today shows everything fine check wise. Baby is back to being 3/5ths engaged.

As you all know I'm hoping for a home birth, having loads of BH, period pains etc, but no show or waters 'going'.

I'm 38+3 at the moment and went 5 days late with my eldest 10 years ago.

Still measuring 1 cm ahead - which i've been all the way through and MW says along with this being 2nd pregnancy and BH's etc that she thinks I'll probably 'go early' and has told me to let them know if I have a show or waters go as they'll need to know asap that things are happening.

She also spoke to me about having a sweep at 'full term' if I make it there. Well girls, I have a week to consider what to do about a sweep..

So.. next wednesday is my next appointment - I'll be 39+3 I didn't think to ask her if the sweep would be next wednesday or if they'd wait till the next week or maybe Monday 21st as I'll be 40+1 then.

One of the other MW's orginally told me that a sweep is offered at 40+10 then induction at 40+12. So that's what I kind of had in my head.

So... what do I do? What would you do?

I don't mind the sweep from next week to the 21st/22nd, but wouldn't want it later than that in case it brought baby on for xmas day.

If I've not had her by 23rd then I'ld rather 'take my chances' on an xmas day delivery and if it's meant to be its meant to be! lol Does that make sense?:sigh:

What are the chances of a sweep actually working? I didn't have one with eldest. How long does it take to work?
It's thrown me a bit to be honest! lol I know I have time and may not need to make a decision but it's rattling around in my head.

Thanks for listening and for any advice you can offer! Greatly appreciated. x

 

[shelbell]

Sweeps are more effective with a second baby, as your cervix never fully closes. I found the 3 I had painless and they did certainly start things off. However after 24 hours of early stage contractions things stopped again. BUT that was at 38 weeks pregnant, not full term.

I found that I started with period-type pains the teatime after having the sweep at lunchtime. By the next morning they were regular but mild, and by the following teatime they were 5 minutes apart and lasting 45-60seconds.

Here they offer sweeps from due date onwards quite often, instead of waiting till +10 days.

 

[Purple Hugs]

thanks Shell, ((hugs))
Have been having period pains on and off, back ache and Braxtons regularly. When they spark up like yesterday morning .. yesterday morning was 5 mins apart and for 3 hours in bed.. really thought it was the real deal due to the pain level - but alas when I got up at 7am they stopped!
This is why MW thinks I may not go full 40 weeks, but guess I need to get my head straight for next week! lol

There is still a tiny part of me that thinks I should let things happen like I did with Erin, but then if I could have baby before xmas it would be much 'easier' on us all. I hope that doesn't sound selfish though.

 

[shelbell]

Doesn't sound selfish at all. When it's not your first you have more people than just yourself to think about, and Christmas is an important time with young kids.

 

[Purple Hugs]

Thanks shell just a dilemma and can't help wondering if I should leave well alone and let baby decide when to arrive. lol

 

[XxAbbiexX23]

I think you should let nature take it's course PH, rather than getting the sweep, unless you go over, just let the baby come when it want's to It's up to you of course, but at least it's more of a surprise when it happens. xxx

 

[Purple Hugs]

Hi Abbie - funnily enough (looking at the time you're up late too).. I'm sat up at 1.15am and was about to post that i've decided NOT to have the sweep!

DH and I have chatted, and we both feel the birth wouldn't be as natural if we had the sweep and that patience and convenience are not reasons for it really.

We are going to speak to the MW next week about when she'd do it AFTER xmas and am thinking if it's the Wed clinic still then that'd be the 30th Dec. So 10 days over - which is when they originally told me it would be 'offered' and IF we are still pregnant then - then we'll have it to avoid induction - which would be 'offered' around 14 days - which is new years weekend.. so not sure they'll leave me that late without getting tetchy. lol
Chances are baby will be here well before then.
For now.. I'm thinking EDD 10 days.. Xmas 15.. and we'll see where we are then!
Feel soooo much better for having decided that, and am putting faith in my baby and body to do it's 'thing' when ready.
As you say.. more of a surprise that way! lol

 

[MrsDannyDyer]

Hiya i had 2 sweeps with Rhiannon. The 1st one the mw offered because i was having bh's. Had this at 39w and i ended up in the hospital the next day and they gave me a sweep again, said to OH he could go home baby wouldnt be coming tonite. anyway i asked him to stay and watch eastenders 1st. thankfully i did. i had her 3 hours after the sweep!!! he'd never have made it back otherwise.

so id recommend it. i will defo take it if im offered with this one and get that far

 

[Purple Hugs]

lol amazing how it differs. though you must've been ready. I have read that if htey 'take' the plug with them when they do it then it works.. i think it has to be done properly to work - like most things! lol

 

[MrsDannyDyer]

I'll dig out my wee preg book and check cause i had it out a few weeks ago and read about the plug going, will look n see if it was b4 or after d sweep...

have u decided if ur having one or not?

 

[Purple Hugs]

At the moment am leaving it. but never say never in a week! lol
Seriously though DH and I both kind of feel baby will arrive when ready and are keen to allow her the time to choose her own birthday. I guess it sounds a bit hippy-ish but we're pretty relaxed. I did think that if I haven't had bump by 30th I'll have it then as that'd be to try and prevent inducement.

 

[angie-bum]

I have been looking it up on babynbump, someone said about nice guidelines so I checked them out. It says that a sweep should not be routinely offered before 40 weeks, if the pregnancy has been uncomplicated, but should be talked about by week 38 and offered between 40 + 0 days and 41 + 0 days. I am wondering what to do myself as I have always been convinced the 13 week scan was off for my dates and that the one they did at 8 weeks was closer to my estimation. The first scan gave me the date of Dec 11th. I am seeing my mw next week when the official dates will be 39 weeks and 6 days. I am wondering what to do. I have heard sweeps can cause more pain than going into labour naturally but I am worried that as babs is estimated big (with a big head) that she might have problems getting into the right place....don't know, baby is due out a week b4 Christmas, if they don't do a sweep at 40 weeks, then baby might arrive right on Christmas (with the extra pain of a sweep!)....don't know, just hope baby comes out b4 that. She keeps teasing me, had what looked like a bloody show last night and aching low in my pelvis, but it has gone off again. But I have got the nursery sorted at last. Hubby just has to paint the walls now =)

 

[Purple Hugs]

well hun, I think if you 'go' with your gut instinct of 11th dec as your due date.. then perhaps ask your MW if she can assess you internally as to whether you are 'ready' for a sweep. Sweeps work best if already 1cm dilated (and as your first that might not be the case) and also the cervix is in the right position.. can't remember the terminology efaced or something like that. Basically means it's come forward rather than tucked back in a protective way.

If that is good and she feels it'll work.. then go with it if you want to. The worst that'll happen is a couple of days of aches n' pains.. which we've both had anyway! lol
Thing is you have time on your hands xmas wise - if you had a sweep tomorrow you'd still have 12 days till xmas anyhow.
All depends on your MW and if she'll do one or not though. As I wasn't even offered one with my eldest I truly don't know.

I think they seem to be more 'common' place these days.
Part of my reasoning on NOT having one personally is that if baby comes on xmas day then it was 'meant to be'. lol Both DH and I want to let this go 'natural' as much as possible as we did with our eldest. If that means I have 1, 12 or 18 days left.. then well that's what I have! lol
We have agreed we'll accept a sweep at 10 days over, and induction when offered IF baby hasn't arrived - due to the risks after that not due to impatience. We have waited soooo long for this baby a few days doesn't make much difference but we can't take a risk that we could make a bad decision in the end and not accept induction.

Sorry have gone on! lol
Glad you're doing well and nursery is coming together - we're not painting etc till next year.. not even bought stick-a-rounds like we were going to, think it's because baby won't be in there yet. lol I have spotted some LOVELY laura ashley paper though.. so keen on getting some in the new year! lol

 

[angie-bum]

thanks for your advice Jane....I suppose I am just worried cos not only was she estimated 8lb when scanned weeks ago and also her head had got bigger proportionally and was also in the 95th percentile. I know that the scans are notoriously off, but am still concerned. I suppose my biggest nightmare is if baby didn't come out naturally because her head is too big for my pelvis and that they don't intervene because they think she is less developed than she is....

saying that they may have got my dates right, so I am not even 40 weeks yet and they may have over estimated her size...I am trying to have faith in my body and the system as a whole. I suppose I just thought that as she was supposed to be big weeks ago I thought she'd try and come out at around 37/38 weeks but naddah! I am not wanting her out through inpatience, I am wanting her out cos I am so worried that she's not going to be alright if she stays in much longer....it's first time nerves I suppose, can't help it =(

 

[Purple Hugs]

I know it's size matters with you hun - I meant about impatience with me! lol
I just hope they got the size wrong for you. It must be worrying and to be honest if they were THAT worried I think they'd have had you in fro a CS by now. I have an ex colleague who has had a CS last month.. she is 5' 0" and her hubby is 6' 5" - so they had fears of baby being massive.. turns out she was 6lb and would've been fine! lol

So fingers x'd the same happens for you.. x x