To sweep or to not have sweep?

[Billiebt288]

Sorry if this has been already asked recently, but find all you guys so helpful!

I’m almost full term and was told about the option for a sweep at 40 weeks, just wondering if people have successfully had these and brought on labour, how painful they are and if people just decided to wait it out naturally and managed to not have and intervention. Also how any ways to naturally induce labour much appreciated, so ready for this baby now 😩

[Claireeeeeeeeeeeee]

I decided to not have any interventions as I felt she would come when she was ready. I know how frustrating and uncomfortable later pregnancy is. I tried a lot of walking, sitting on the birthing ball and raspberry tea, not sure any of it helped and she just came when she was ready at 40 +2

[Nicole12345]

I had it with my 1st one, labour started the next day! It is not a pleasent thing to go through, but still worth it.

[Hidden]

I had one at 41 weeks and it did nothing. The sweep itself was fine just uncomfortable x

[Hidden]

The consultant offered me the option of a sweep at 39 weeks, at the time I was 36 weeks and baby was breech. When I asked why I shouldn’t just allow things to run their course (there were no health concerns for me or baby) he didn’t have an answer (he seemed unnecessarily anxious about baby being breech).

I left the appointment determined to get baby to turn by my next appointment, which I managed after 2 days following a chiropractor appointment and using techniques from the spinning babies website. On the day of what would have been my follow up appointment with the consultant at 39 weeks I went into spontaneous labour at 4am. I went along to the department to cancel my appointment in person whilst I was in early labour 😂

Personally, I’d always go for letting things happen naturally unless there are specific reasons to intervene as it seems one intervention ends up leading to another, but it’s personal choice.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

And just to add, I was fortunate to have an entirely natural labour with paracetamol and the birthing pool for pain relief, using hypnobirthing techniques to support me.