Membrane Sweeping? What is it? Does it actually help induce labor??

Question

I’m at 37+5 my gestational diabetes has gotten pretty bad. I’m not injecting insulin up to 6x a day.
He wants to induce me at 39 weeks for sure, but he said at 38 weeks next week he wants to do a membrane sweep to see if it will help contractions come on naturally verses putting me on harsh medicines like pitocin which hurt more. So he’s considering my pain.
What is membrane sweeping (he kind of explained) did it help you?
Once they did a sweep, how long after did you go into labor??
FTM here any info helps!!

Answer

I had two membrane sweeps when they tried to induce my labor (on & past my due date). It felt very uncomfortable and did not help at all. I also got Pitocin first for 12 hours, then for 24 hours, a Foley balloon and all kinds of other induction methods for 4 days and nights (!), and I did not go into labor at all, and so they did a C-section which was such a relief after this torture nightmare. That being said, the membrane sweep was peanuts compared to all the rest, and probably worth a try. Maybe it works for you- there is nothing really to lose. Good luck!

Answer

I had a membrane sweep at 39 weeks and went into labor within 12 hours. My labor ended up being very long, but baby did come!

Answer

I had it done with my second baby.  I was 39w4d and already 3cm dilated and 50% effaced - but no sign of labor starting.  It was uncomfortable and maybe slightly painful as it was done, but also only took a minute or less.  I don’t know exactly what they do when they do it… I know I read about it at the time but now I forget 🤦🏻‍♀️.  I would totally do it again though.  I went into labor 12 hours later and my baby was born 5 hours after going into labor (although the length of labor probably had nothing to do with membrane sweep).

Answer

I had membrane sweeps with all 3 kids and pitocin with my third. The sweeps hurt more tha. The pitocin to be honest 😂 but that might be because my contractions with my first two without induction were pretty intense.
Sweeps didn’t help at all with my first two.
With my third I was induced due to GD and high BP. My cervix was high and a fingertip dilated so they started the induction with a sweep as I also needed antibiotics for GBS. They did a sweep around 1 AM and started pitocin around 5 AM. I think they did another sweep around 8 AM when they checked me again. I had him at 4 PM.

Answer

I got my membrane swept with my second one two times. The first time didn’t do anything and I didn’t really feel it. The next week he did it again and it HURT and he said he jumped me from next to 0cm dilated to 3 cm dilated. I went to the hospital that night (about 12 hours later) and had my son in the early hours the next morning. My OB predicted my baby would be here within 24 hours of the sweep, based on how dilated I ended up.

Answer

Do t do it if you don’t want it. I don’t know why they all always wanna do it. I avoided it with my second. I had it done with my first and it just hurt and made me bleed.

Membrane Sweeping? What is it? Does it actually help induce labor??

Let's Glow!

The Top Baby Tracker App: Embrace New Beginnings with Tender Care

The Top Fertility Tracker App: Your Path to Achieving Pregnancy

The Top Pregnancy App: Nurturing Your Journey to Motherhood

The Top Period Tracker for Empowering Your Menstrual Health Journey