Experience of a sweep?

Question

Has anyone had the experience of a sweep? If so, under what circumstances? Did you have to ask or were you offered?

I'm 38w 4d today and am due to see my midwife again at 39w. As I'm carrying a very large baby (over the 107th centile and I'm a size 10 frame...) I've been under consultant care with frequent growth scans. 
I have an appointment with the consultant the day before I'm due because my midwife wants me to be induced by term + 2 before she gets too big in there! She's said they won't induce early with circumstances the way they currently are (although if anything changes then it's a possibility) but do you reckon she'd do a sweep?

They offer them willy nilly in America it seems! Surely it's much better than being induced for you and baby? I know it's not guaranteed to work but may at least push things in the right direction? I'm too scared to ask in case she says no! Any advise please?

Answer

My midwife told me that she wasn't allowed to do a sweep until I was 40 weeks at least. I ended up having 2 sweeps, 1 at 40 + 4 and the other at 41 + 4. They weren't pleasant but not overly painful. I had slight cramping after the first but I went into labour 12 hours after the second thankfully - I was booked in for induction the day after and I was not looking forward to it!

Answer

I'm 38+3 and had my first sweep at 38 weeks, I'm in the UK also, I've had a lot of complications, 2 massive bleeds one at 20w one at 24w, lost 650mls of blood, sac bulging at 24w1d, been 2cm and 100% effaced since 27+4, they expected me to deliver before 28 weeks. My doctor was happy to give me the sweep because I've had a previous section, and all the problems in this pregnancy she wants to try and get things going on there own before they induce me on my exact due date, when you've had a previous section and you get induced it's really really high risk delivery, and with all the bleeds I've had she said I'll more than likely bleed during delivery especially if I'm induced. If I didn't have problems she would of done the sweep at 39w with it being my second child. First child they don't normally do sweeps in the UK till  40+6

Experience of a sweep?

Let’s Glow

Glow is here for you on your path to pregnancy

25+ million

4.8 stars

20+

Getting Pregnant

Pregnancy

1st Year (Baby & You)

Baby Products