1 week overdue, 3 sweeps, any hope of no induction?...

[Bubbles22]

So this will probably be a bit of a rant. I had my 3rd sweep today. I have had very little progress with any of my sweeps. I am currently sitting at 1cm dilated, soft cervix, still 2cm long (effaced I think), anterior cervix. This has been the same really for a week now.

They have booked me in for induction on Monday and I am terrified of induction. I also feel a little cheated that my body is not doing what it is supposed to do Im also conscience that the longer baby is tucked away, the bigger and more growth there is). I also want to experience natural starting of labour, the excitement, the waiting, the fear etc...

So my only question is, has anyone had 3 sweeps and still went into natural labour?

thanks x

 

[WTT_june 2014]

Hey Hun, hope you're ok, you know I feel your pain!! Sorry I can't offer any advice in terms of experience. but my sister is a midwife and has advised the following between now and my next sweep to hopefully get things progressing.

Bath once a day with 10 drops of Clary Sage (did this last night and it did start of tightenings. I thought tightenings were just false labour pains, but they do serve a purpose to push the baby right down into position)

Foot message (reflexology) - circular motions around ankles and between the gap with your big toe and the next gap down (apparently these are connected to the uterus so help stimulate it). This can also be done with 5-6 drops of Clary Sage in a carrier oil.

Hand or pump expressing 3 x per day for 10-15 mins per boob each time. I had been doing this but stopped, I'm starting again tomorrow. It did bring on tightenings when I did it before.

Drinking lots of fresh orange juice, eating freshly cut pineapple, eating sugar free polo mints - all for laxative effect to clear you out

DTD and stay laid down for at least 15 mins after with bum propped up with a pillow.

2000mg evening primrose oil once a day (to help soften cervix)

A good cry - get out a tear jerker film. Apparently this gets the hormones going.

And the usual bouncing on the yoga ball, walking up and down stairs and lots of walking.

Please God at least some of this should work, worth a try!

 

[ShowingPromise]

Sounds like some good advice there WTT!

Nothing to add other than I feel exactly the same as you. I'm not overdue yet but my midwife has booked me in for the three possible sweeps already and was giving me all the info on inductions at my last appt with her. No labour symptoms yet and I'm dye Sunday. I know not everyone gets them before it starts but I just have this feeling I'll end up being induced.

I really don't want an induction either so I'll also be trying these things! Hope they work for you Bubbles so you can have the birth that you want xx

 

[chitters100]

Hey, I had 4 sweeps and my induction booked for the Wednesday. I went in to slow labour on the Monday and then I had him on the Tuesday. Try not to be too disheartened, there's still time, I know it's easier said then done xx

 

[Bubbles22]

Thanks wtt. Where do you get the oil? Holland and Barrett?

I haven't tried expressing, this sounds really think but if I express will I not lose the colostrum?

I'll try to ramp up dtd, crying has been no problem lol and I'll get some evening primrose oil tomorrow. Fingers crossed we both have our babies in our arms before Sunday x

 

[Louise2013]

I'd just err on the side of caution with Clary sage as I had a horrendous experience with it, contracted (fully, as in couldn't talk/move/even breath properly they were so painful)/every three minutes for 36 hours and was at zero cm dilated the whole time, three failed visits to the hospital before they finally admitted me after two days when I was finally at 3cm but got a stern telling off from the mw for using it!! Was honestly the most hideous two days of my life at that point! Good luck xx

 

[xjdx]

Aww sweet it's a crap feeling being over. I went 5 days over this time. Turned up at hospital fully dialated I had no idea. I was in the pub 9 hours before trying to cheer myself up. If you look back at some of my posts I was convinced I'd be induced.
It could happen at anytime so please stay positive, fingers crossed xx

 

[WTT_june 2014]

Oh dear, thanks for the heads up Louise! How much were you using it?

Bubbles I bought the Clary Sage off eBay, got delivered the next day. Holland & Barrat was about £12 for a tiny bottle.

Regarding expressing you don't run out of colostrum, you body produces it until the hormone kicks in which is released when the placenta detaches, to tell your body to start producing milk. Double check this though, I may not have explained it well and that is only my understanding of everything I have read.

 

[kumber]

WTT you're right re expressing - your body makes it on demand until the hormone that produces your milk kicks in and then milk is made on demand instead

 

[H16]

I had a couple of sweeps with my daughter and they did nothing for me at all, I stayed at 1cm dilated for over a week. Finally it all kicked off on its on when I was 9 days overdue It could still happen hun x

 

[Bubbles22]

Thanks showing promise, I hope things start happening for you too

Oh thank god chitters and h16 this gives me hope that something will happen!

Thanks Louise, I'll do a bit of reading up on it and see what I think. Wtt, I'll get some of Amazon tonight just in case, thanks

Jd I love the fact you were fully dilated and didn't even know! I want that birth story lol! Hope you and baby is doing ok and settling in well

Wtt and kumber thanks for that. I'm completely clueless when it comes to breastfeeding... Wait till I get on our thread in the parebting section, I am going to wreck everyone's head ha ha!

 

[Louise2013]

I only used it in an oil burner when I had a bath, and a few drops in the water, so barely at all but the effect was pretty quick, I think I'm probably more sensitive to oils or something in that sense so not trying to scare anyone, have heard it worked well for others!

Totally understand the waiting is horrible! Xxx

 

[chitters100]

Just to be a bit disgusting, after the 4th sweep, my OH and me had naughty times and I really think that's what kicked things off for me!

 

[russellmuscle]

I went 12 days overdue and he was born on the 14th morning early hours. By induction.

I had 2 sweeps bounced like tigger and all the other things under the sun. I do believe sweeps helped though, i didnt need a drip my waters went on their own and body responded.

Good luck xxx

 

[babyslog]

I was 10 days late and had 4 sweeps!
He arrived 41+3 just missing an induction that was booked for a few days after!

I tried literally every single myth going.
Nothing worked! They really do just come out when they are ready!

My labour though for a first baby was fairly good! I was taking RLT from 34/35weeks upping the dose each week, i think that helped my uterus contract but dont have anything to compare it too..

Went for my final sweep at 9.30am, she said i was having minor contractions.
Got home and by 10.30am i could really feel them.
I was up the hosp by 1pm at 3cm.
4pm - 7cm
5pm i was 10cm and could push. He was born 5.44pm

Good luck hun i really do hope your not waiting too much longer xxx xx

 

[becky85]

Ah hope things kick off naturally for you bubbles in the next few days - I'm not due til Monday but after having a feeling all through pregnancy that baby might be early im now convinced that I'll end up needing to be induced - I almost don't trust my body to know what it's supposed to do even though it's been doing what it's supposed to until now pretty much. Iv been trying to get things started already even though not over due - have been massaging jasmine oil into bump and clary sage into wrists and ankles - tried it in the bath once - Iv been using it for a week and it hasn't made the slightest difference yet. Also bouncing on ball, walking and swimming every day, bouncing on ball, resting - nothing is doing anything yet - it's so frustrating at this stage isn't it just not knowing but at least if you're a week over already then you defo have less than a week left - I think induction should be fine just to kick start things and I know lots of people who have needed that and ended up having nice births but I know what you mean about wanting to go into labour naturally - fingers crossed for you xx