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Hi girls
Just a curiousity question and would love to hear peoples opinions and experiences.
I have read on forums and from others that they have gone in for sweeps prior to 40 weeks.
Wondering why women have invasive procedures prior to when they are due. Isnt it best to let bub do what bub wants to do (at least until you are well overdue).
I am interested to find out what people think.
By the tone of your post it sounds like you're implying that women only have this done for their own convenience.:
Wondering why women have invasive procedures prior to when they are due. Isnt it best to let bub do what bub wants to do (at least until you are well overdue).
This is not always the case.
I had one with my last pregnancy as I was to be induced at 38 wks due a couple of medical conditions I had developed while pregnant. having a S and S was basically my best chance of avoiding the induction if it kicked my body into labour on it's own.
As far as invasive procedures go, a stretch and sweep is pretty low on the list. It's a fairly low level intervention that generally doesn't work anyway if you're not already close to going into labour and is definitely preferable to having your labour induced with drugs if that's your other option ;)
I had one and it was at the advice of the nurse(I think it was around 38 weeks). Knowing what I know now there is no way anyone will be doing anything like that to me to start labour this time, I also believe that it will start naturally on it's own when the body is ready.
Having said that though, of course there are instances where medically it is required, as Flea said to avoid further more invasive interventions.
PrincessMya,
I think there are plenty of reasons to try and get your body ready before your EDD. A s&s won't do much if the rest of the system isn't ready, but I suppose it may start the ball slowly rolling. And you must remember that a baby is 'full term' at 37 weeks :)
Tanya
Mads & jelvie,
What did it involve? What is a matter of a speculum and .....?
Flea,
I have no tone regarding this procedure just not sure why it is done - hence asking the question. Therefore not implying anything so please dont assume.
In regards to being invasive - this is catagorised as an invasive procedure hence why i refered to it as so.
What medical conditions is it used for... i understand people have it for medical conditions but which ones.
I had one done with my first baby as my BP was slowly rising over the week and the Dr wanted to induce me the following day anyways but wanted to see if he could kick start labour that way..
I was 39 weeks
Tanya
Thanks for your answer. I do understand that 37 weeks is considered full term.
I have been told i have a small baby on board and the doctors want to keep me overdue as long as possible (from what i understand) so i would assume this wouldnt be much of an option in my case do you think?
Do you know if it has much effect on speeding up labour if you have been having weeks of pre-labour symptoms?
I actually disagree with that statement. A baby 'can be' full term anywhere from 37 to 42 weeks, but some may need to reach to full 42 weeks before they are full term(for that individual baby).:
And you must remember that a baby is 'full term' at 37 weeks
AussieNic
Did it start labour or did you have to be induced anyhow.?
Sorry I will rephrase... a baby is considered full term and is fully developed at 37 weeks. Although the baby more than likely will be born after 37 weeks
Princessmya... I had a S&S when I was 40w5d with DD#2 and went into labour the next morning.
I am not sure about it speeding up labour if you have been having prelabour for weeks... can't see why not :dunno: I was having bad prelabour contractions with DD#3 and eventually I tried nipple stimulation (40w1d)and it finally got things going.
GL :)
Tanya
I have never had 1 but I think ppl whom have history of High BP, GD and are either trying to avoid meds (for BP) or going to be induced earlier prefer to bhave an S&S before resorting to drug inductions!
Princessmya,
I wouldnt believe the story of having a small baby on board, They have no way of telling the size of bubs til they are born!
Both of mine were considered small about 6lbish.... But born DD#1 was 7lb 10 & DD#2 was 8lb 1....
My cuz was told her baby was of a dangerously low birth weight & at almost 13lbs later they said OOOPs! Where did you carry her!??? My cuz delivered naturally as they believed bubs to be small, went intop shock & began fitting whilst they tore the baby out of her! She went on to have 2 more babies both over 10lbs & via C/sect as it was extremely traumatic for her! All this for a guesstimated 5lbish baby... hmmm...
When they tell me "It's a small buba, or a heralthy size I ignore them they have bo idea til bubs is out!"
I had one without informed consent, it was very uncomfortable, the OB then went on and refused to attend the birth, and I feel I was pushed into an induction 2 days later.
I am yet to meet an OB who consider 42 weeks to be full term. the fill in OB referred to above told me he routinely induces his patients on their due date or 1 day after (!) and mine won't let you go past 10 days overdue.
I wish I could find one who would!
WRT small sizes, my OB (not the one above, my actual OB) does not believe in u/s to tell the babies size, he used to but had to many occasiion where he had referred an expectant mum for a c/s (he is not a surgeon so doesn't do them himslef, and actively discourages them) for a "big baby" only to have her birth a 6 or 7lb bubba
It worked.. I didn't know it at the time though,, Labour started that afternoon but I thought they were bh's. When I went to the hosp to be induced the following morning they said I beat them to it..:
Well i had a Meeting with the doctor and he said that they would induce me on the 25th if no baby (term +10). He said i could have a sweep if i wanted it about 5-6 days post dates. SO not sure will have to wait and see i guess.
Tracey - yeah bub is ok size. Growing well which is the important thing. I was sent to a special sonographer (wasnt the dr who did the scan) to measure amniotic fluid and babies growth etc because i wasnt really showing all the much at 36 weeks. But all seem fine - bub is just hiding in there somewhere so that was a relief. Happy to have a little bub anyhow over a 10 pounder! lol ouch.
I had one when i was 6 days overdue - in the hope it would bring on labour and i wouldnt need to be induced. It didnt work and i ended up having the induction but I would do it again as I would want to give my body the best chance to go into labour without drugs.... good luck making your decision!!!
I had loads of pre-labour contractions - two weeks worth - and was 4cm dilated when my ob suggested a S&S to move things along. In my case, it actually made my contractions very irregular, and at one stage labour stopped altogether. The next day I was induced when bub was found to be in distress.
I have GD (gestational diabetes) and my OBS will not do a S&S to bring on labour. In actual fact he won't even talk about an induction or S&S until I am over my due date. I saw him today and he told me that b/c I have controlled my GD with diet & exercise there is no reason for me to be induced or a S&S to bring on labour. He also did mention that unless the cervix is ready, that induction / s & s is almost pointless as nothing is likely to occur.:
But if it was at the critical point of Meds or else have baby perhaps then they'd do one??
As I said I havent had 1, but all OB's do things differently!!
I had 5 with DD and if any of them worked then it was maybe the last two, but i was 41+3 by then so i'm assuming she'd have been born at SOME point. LOL.
I had the first one attempted at 39+5 at my regular midwife appointment. My midwives don't generally do them before 40 weeks but i begged as i was a homebirth and my BP was getting higher and higher and the Ob was threatening daycare monitoring (having to go into hospital twice a week, NOT why i opted to homebirth, so i could sit about in the hospital for 4 hours every 3 days!) so i figured it was worth a go. As it happened my midwife coudn't reach my still posterior cervix so it never happened.
The following appointment (at the dreaded hospital!) i was 40+1 and they managed to do a successful sweep. I got a teeny bit of show, some weak BH for a few hours, then nothing. I barely felt them TBH, as my midwives were very gentle and funny and kept me feeling relaxed and good-humoured about the whole thing. My Ob's registrar did one when i was 41+0 which hurt, as she was so rough - you'd think she didn't have a vagina herself! I got the impression from her technique that she'd mainly done VE's on women with epidurals in place, even the midwives were grimacing as she did it. None of them used a speculum, just a lubricated gloved hand (2 fingers usually). As i said, it was never an issue.
I was happy to have them as it was my chance to avoid hospital birth. On my last appointment at daycare (41+3) i was given one, then the Ob came and discussed my induction (booked for 42wks, in the hospital). I told him "don't offer me the pitocin drip because i'm telling you right now i don't consent" and he read my chart and said "you're dilated to 2 already, i'll just break your water" and i said "how long before i get the drip if nothing happens?" and he heaved a big sigh and said "24 hours but i might just "forget" and let you have 48 if you take the antibiotics IV...?". I frowned as the whole idea sounded awful to me, and then Linda, the daycare midwife, who was overhearing it all, said "Oh, Beccy, i forgot to do your sweep!" and took me back to cubicles for another one. She told me, when her fingers were on my cervix, that she knew she'd not see me on Tuesday as i was clearly about to go into labour myself. DD was born at home as planned the next day.
Yes, they're invasive, but far less so than the potential things i'd have done to me if i didn't labour myself. For me they were the lesser of 2 evils.
Bec
"While I'm doing an internal I'll give you a sweep to help things along" - so I didn't really pick for them to be done! This was pretty much standard practice, even during labour. But I only had internals from about 40 weeks onwards. Bit uncomfortble, had one 2 days pre-birth that was awful, hurt for hours afterwards.
I was also given one without consent....:( first baby and did not know any better yada yada yada
I was booked in for the induction and when they went to put the gel on I was 1cm dilated. Loking back I am 100% sure that is what she did because it hurt alot and then she gave me a big pad to wear and said that my waters could break any time (they didn't) and I ended up on the drip all the next day and then an epidural etc etc.....
I guess she was trying for me not to have to havethe drip but sheshould have asked me as I probably would have said yes as I desperately didn't want the drip and was gutted when they said that was going to happen.
Hence I am using a Birthing Service this time = no Ob in sight!
Well I had one done...for no medical reason other than i was 39wks and ready to have my baby on time. It didn't work though and I still went 11 days overdue. I see nothing wrong with it and I will take the opportunity again to help bubs along if and when it arises, in my experience it was relatively painless, it was more uncomfortable....
Princessmya I had a s&s at 36 wks as I had pre-eclampsia and was already 3cm, by the time I got to the labour ward for a ARM and drip I was 4-5cm so it did work a little.
I also had a s&s at 39wks 4 days as again I was already 4cm and had a LOT of pre-labour and was over it however this time it didn't do anything and I had ARM at 40wks 2d.
Both of mine didn't hurt at all just a bit uncomfy having someone try and stretch your cervix with their hand and no spectulum or anything, very quick and over and done with
Well i am going to see how things go.
Was thinking of asking for one next week at my appointment when i am 39+5 or if they say no then maybe at 40+5.
They wil induce me regardless at term + 10 so maybe it might help things along?
i had one as i was being induced 7 days laters due to public holdays etc it would have ben earlier i was already 3 - 4 cm dilated i was already contracting irregularly any ways as soon as i had it done the contractions cranked up a notch though we still drove the 40 mins home only to turn around and go back with contractions 5 min apart soon as i was hooked up to the ctg contractions slowed and eventually stopped i made it all the way to my induction date where i had ARM and the drip and Ryan was born 2 hours later good luck with it all:
I have never had 1 but I think ppl whom have history of High BP, GD and are either trying to avoid meds (for BP) or going to be induced earlier prefer to bhave an S&S before resorting to drug inductions!
Wow
Well by the sounds of things. It isnt really a fool-proof option.
Most of you seem to have had it done and still went over or needed to be induced.
Got me thinking now - maybe i should just wait and see what bub wants to do...