Stretch and Sweep

[JoMarie]

My Ob has offered to give me a stretch and sweep at my next appt. if I haven't gone into labour befire then. I will be 38 1/2 weeks at this appointment. I had a 'show' last Monday and have had a few nights of start stop contractions, but nothing that lasts.

Has anyone else had one done at about this time, and had this started labour? My Ob suspects I have already started to dilate as I have lost the mucous plug already. I am in two minds about it as part of me feels I should just let things happen on their own.

[Tobily]

A stretch and sweep won't do anything unless your body/bub is ready and you're really close to labour anyway. So don't be too concerned about it being major intervention/interference because it's not

I had one done at 37w5d with DS and it did nothing. Absolutely nothing at all, and I was 3cm dilated and had been losing plug for a week when I had it. In the end it's up to you of course but my feeling by that point was that it couldn't hurt, since I was going to be induced at 38w anyway and I wanted to give my body a chance to start on it's own.

[Inanna]

JoMarie,
I have had a sweep and stretch (sounds like an exercise routine hey?!) with four of my babies. My first it did nothing. MY second I went into labour the next day. MY third it did nothing and my fourth I went into labour the next day.

It does a couple of things - on of them -the stimulation of the cervix is thought to produce prostaglandins that aid in giving things a wriggle on. There is the risk of PROM which of cause you don't want - the risk should be minimal though. It can be an effective way of starting things along. It's a really good sign that you have lost your mucous plug. It's really up to you what you do. I understand wanting a hands off approach - I only did it as I have a history of long gestations. MY first child was born at 42 weeks so that's why I had it done. I had it done with my second as I didn't want to be late as an induction meant I couldn't go to the birth centre where I had chosen to birth.
Good luck with whatever you decide...