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Baby Hints & Tips

Membrane sweeps at 40 weeks pregnant

A membrane sweep or stretch and sweep is when a finger is swept around your cervix by your doctor or midwife with the aim of bringing on labour.  The membrane sweep causes a release of a hormone called prostaglandin which helps prepare the cervix for birth.

(Medical disclaimer: Tips provided need to be considered in conjunction with medical advice. For immediate concerns, please contact HealthDirect (Australia wide) ph 1800 022 222 – to talk to a registered nurse 24hrs a day, and in emergencies call 000.)

membrane sweeps at 40 weeks pregnant I’ll be 40 weeks pregnant on Thursday and my midwife will be doing a membrane sweep when I see her Tuesday. Does anyone have stories to share for, ie if the sweep helped to bring on labour? I know it does depend on the person, just need something to keep me going!

  • I had one at 41 weeks, went power walking and went into labour on my front lawn 🙂 lol
  • Sorry but it didn’t work for me. :good luck
  • I had a sweep done at 41 weeks and still went up to 42 weeks lol and got induced, so waste of my time but it is different for everyone…
  • I heard it can work for some people. Didn’t work for me I had it done on the Friday and was due the following Wednesday had a few cramps. Good luck though hope it works for you
  • 2 sweeps with my son and neither worked! Good luck! You’ll see your baby in no time 🙂
  • I had one done at 39+3 in the morning was having contractions by 6pm and gave birth 915am next morning!!! Good luck, I hope it works for you 🙂
  • I had a sweap with my first nothing happened he was 10 days late had with 2nd at 39+3 n she was born day after my due date 🙂 so all depends on how ur body reacts 🙂
  • I was completely hard and closed and they did a sweep and was in full blown labor within 6 hours!! Good luck!
  • Not sure if it’s coincidence or not but only pregnancy I had sweep with with the only one of my children to come without an induction. Doesn’t hurt it’s more uncomfortable. I’d try it again with any subsequent pregnancies even if it’s mind over matter, doesn’t matter to me as long as it works.
  • Sweeps only work if it ripe! Doesn’t hurt, more like a rough fingering!! Mine worked for my last bub.. labor started!!
  • I had a sweep done at 40 weeks and had to be induced 12 days later, so didnt work for me but my cousin had one at 40 weeks and her bub was born early hours next morning guessing it depends on how ready bub and your body are, hope it works for you cause waiting past your due date sucks lol. congrats in advance on your new baby and hope everything goes smoothly, just think, if it doesnt work for you your days are numbered anyway he/she cant stay in there forever!
  • I had a sweep done at 37 weeks as I was already 3cm dialted and had high blood pressure and my baby was already quite big, and nothing really happened, it wasn’t painful just a bit uncomfortable. I think the main reason mine didn’t work was because I have a slightly twisted pelvis and my babies head always sat very high so my waters just didn’t break, I ended up being induce the next day and had my little boy 28 hours later by emergency c-section. Just go in there being positive and relaxed your so close to the end now it won’t be long and you’ll be meeting your little bub, good luck!
  • Membrane sweep got all of my 3 going within 6 hours ( I was told to go home & have GOOD sex also, which I did )
  • I was a couple of days overdue and as I had high blood pressure they were planning on inducing me on the Monday. However on the Sunday I had to meet my Obstetrician at the hospital to have my blood pressure checked (it was a daily checkup) and she gave me a membrane sweep to try and bring on labour and sent me home. 8 hours later I went into labour and didn’t have to be induced.
  • I had one at 39 weeks pretty much had contractions straight away and had bubs the next day:) tho I was well ready to have him he was born 10 pound a week early!
  • Both of my children came immediately after a membrane sweep – 1st in 5 hrs, 2nd in 1 hr!!!
  • Had the sweep, within the hour I was having little niggly pains, nothing too much but then about 5 hours later I was into it! Maybe I was just ready to go just needed the little extra help! Bit uncomfy but nothing too bad.
  • I had sweeps done with both pregnancys and both worked! Its a bit of an uncomfortable feeling. But worth it best of luck!
  • After i had the sweep nothing happened. so it didnt work for me. but it was def worth the try 🙂
  • Had a sweep with my 2nd baby, went into labour that night, she was 10 days overdue though. Had a sweep on my due dats with my 3rd and didn’t work, ended up going 9 days over…… Everyone’s different!
  • I had a sweep at 39weeks. It didn’t work (and I was already 3cm dilated at the time) so I was induced 4 days later.
  • I had a sweep with my second at 40 weeks and was induced 9 days later
  • I had a sweep on the Thursday when I had a week to go, but had bub by Sunday, so it somewhat worked lol
  • I had a sweep at 42.5 weeks well overdue on a Thursday nothing happened for 24 hours then I went into labour a day before was going to be induced but don’t work for everyone good luck
  • I had it done with my daugher at 40+5 ish and it didnt work, female doctor did it…. Was induced a few days after that! I had another sweep/stretch last Tuesday by the male doctor, I had a bloody discharge later that afternoon, started getting pains through the night, went to hospital to get checked at 3pm Wednesday (slight car accident) and I was dilating but was advised it would be easier at home. I did have another internal and the mw wasn’t as firm (for want of a better word) as the male doctor. Anyway I had my bub 48hours after having the sweep and I was 11days over due.. Good luck
  • I had a sweep done and it hurt like hell!!! Depends who does it. However i had bad tummy crampy since getting it done and i went into labour 10 hrs later. I was already 2 cms dialated however i had been in pre labour for 9 days before i had it done
  • I’ve had one done that didn’t work just be prepared for the quick uncomfortable procedure. I suggest taking someone with you if you can.
  • I had 3. One on my due date Wednesday, another on the saturday and another on the Thursday. I was only ever 1cm dilated at all of them and ended up being induced on the Friday-Still only 1cm, 10 days over. Good luck. Don’t count on it.
  • I’m another one where sweeps didn’t work. 🙁 Had multiple sweeps with both pregnancies but was induced both times.
  • I was already in stage 1 labour @ 40 weeks, they gave myself the sweep done 3 days later at 11am & by 5.30pm my water broke & I was in second stage labour, my DD arrived the next day.
  • Had one sweep on due date with first and was induced at 40+11. My second I had one at 39 weeks and one at 40+5 and I had my baby girl on 40+8. One of the midwives said to me that multiple sweeps is more effective. And may I suggest start rolling on the fitball helps baby get into good position 🙂
  • I had a sweep done & had my baby boy the next morning – he is now 3 weeks old. It worked straight away. Not the nicest thing to go through but it works 🙂 good luck with everything xx
  • I had 3 sweeps done from my due date onwards. Bit of cramping but no results. Went into natural labour 4.5 days after my last sweep and still had to use cervidil to help it along cos I wasn’t dilating or thining. 26 hours later she was finally born
  • I recommend it though. It helped me to feel like something was actually happening even though I was so overdue. It has worked for some.
  • I had a sweep done with my first, the next morning at 5am my water broke. but it was another 52 hrs till he was born. it did bring on labour though :o) good luck!

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