Stretch and Sweep

[Ange80]

OK im no two days overdue and have a DR appointment this arvo and am going to request a stretch and sweep.

Has anyone ever had one of these done and has it helped things along?

[Trillian]

There is no guarantee that it will work, and they are quite uncomfortable to have them done (this I imagine would depend on the person doing it and how gentle they are)

this is from the main site and describes what it is;

1. Sweeping Membranes / Stretch & Sweep
If you have a ‘favourable’ cervix this may be offered to you in the first instance as a ‘drug-free’ induction with less side effects and risks compared to other methods. It’s not usually painful but may be uncomfortable and result in some bleeding afterwards. Sweeping the membranes involves a vaginal exam, your doctor or midwife will place his / her finger inside your cervix and ‘sweep’ the membranes in order to separate it from your cervix. It is said to be quite effective, often within 48 hours of the sweep. A ‘stretch and sweep’ is the same sort of procedure, only your cervix is also stretched at the same time.

[curl]

I had a stretch and sweep with both of my daughters. It is very uncomfortable but for me it helped bring on labour in the first instance and the second it was a combination of both an induction gel and the stretch and sweep.

[Danni K]

I had a stretch and sweep done in both my pregnancies and it definately brought on labour in both!! With my daughter I had a show the following day and went into labour three days later and with my son I went into labour the next night. I definately feel that they help things along, well they did with me, probably because my cervix was quite soft and I was already dilated would have really helped too! They are quite uncomfortable and for me were just about painful but nothing in the whole scheme of things really.
Good luck, not long too wait now!! (Enjoy sleep now while you can!!)
______________________________________
Me 32 DH 30
Our loves of our life:
DD 3 years
Baby Harrison born 19/3/08

[babygiggles]

S&Ss have a 12-15% chance of inducing labour (higher if the cervix is very favorable)

i had 2 while in labour, and they helped things progress alot faster... but iv never had one to induce labour...

[maybub]

I'm pregnant with my first so don't know how it is to be overdue (yet he-he) but isn't 2 days overdue kind of early to be worrying about intervention??

[believer]

Hi Ange,

I've had a stretch and sweep. I had irregular contractions all night and called my midwife.She came over and checked my cervix and I was 2cm dilated at that point. She immediately did the stretch and sweep and 4-5 hours later ds was born!
So it can happen really soon, but it is also possible that nothing will happen really.

The week before ds was born, my cervix was the same as yours is now!

Good luck! Hope you will meet your bub soon, it's sooo special!