Stretch and Sweep

[megd893]

Okay ladies.  Back from my 34 week checkup.  The boy is over the 99th percentile for size and at an estimated 6.5lbs already (as of ultrasound last monday). 
Doc is now talking about starting stretch and sweeps 37, maybe 38 weeks and every week to try and encourage delivery early.  

Any STM's have experience with this?  Was it helpful/successful?  I don't know much about it and the women in my life haven't had them before.  Any input/advice is appreciated!

[sully326]

My midwife did the sweep when I was pregnant with DS. IT HURT but by my 38wk appt I was at 4cm all on my own...I fully believe that & sex made it happen.

[alayne926]

I had my membranes swept twice with DS once at my 38 week visit and then at my 39 week visit. I had to be induced and then a c-section for failure to progress.

[sugarkissed]

May 12, 2015 14:14:14 GMT -5 alayne926 said:

I had my membranes swept twice with DS once at my 38 week visit and then at my 39 week visit. I had to be induced and then a c-section for failure to progress.

This was my exact experience as well.  

[wifedeangel]

I had my membranes swept at 39 weeks and went into labor within 36 hours. I was also dialated to a 3 and 80% effaced. It was uncomfortable, but not painful. It might help if your body is already headed in that direction.

[veggiemo]

Had a surprise membrane sweep on a Friday (she did it without warning or asking) at 39 weeks. I immediately started having contractions in the exam room. Contracted all the next day, water broke that evening, had DS bright and early Sunday morning. I'm convinced it jump started my labor. It was pretty painful, but short lived.

ETA: the membrane stripping was short lived-it was a quick process.

[ThePalindromicOne]

I'm pretty sure my OB said they can only sweep if you've started to dilate (which would make sense to me), so if you aren't dilated yet at 37 weeks they probably can't do it (unless I misunderstood). My OB explained to me that it could tip you over the edge if you are almost ready for labor anyways (good thing, but tough to predict if you're almost ready, right?), or it could cause your water to break before you're ready for labor (leading to induction anyways...), or it could do nothing. I might consider it at 38 or 39 weeks - we'll just have to see.

On a side note, my friend went into labor at 37 weeks the evening following her sweep.... who knows!

[fuccimama]

My baby was above the 99th percentile too! I was induced because fetal movements were very little! My DS was 11lbs 2oz and I didn't get any sweeping and stretching! I got a c-section after failing to progress past 4cm!

[sully326]

May 12, 2015 15:09:18 GMT -5 fuccimama said:

My baby was above the 99th percentile too! I was induced because fetal movements were very little! My DS was 11lbs 2oz and I didn't get any sweeping and stretching! I got a c-section after failing to progress past 4cm!

11lbs 2oz?!?!

[silv3rlining]

May 12, 2015 13:55:55 GMT -5 megd893 said:

Okay ladies.  Back from my 34 week checkup.  The boy is over the 99th percentile for size and at an estimated 6.5lbs already (as of ultrasound last monday). 
Doc is now talking about starting stretch and sweeps 37, maybe 38 weeks and every week to try and encourage delivery early.  

Any STM's have experience with this?  Was it helpful/successful?  I don't know much about it and the women in my life haven't had them before.  Any input/advice is appreciated!

1. I'd be leery of any type of "induction" techniques just bc of a suspected "big baby." US can be off up to 2 lbs either direction. And unless baby is estimated at 13 lbs I wouldn't worry.

2. It will only work if your body is ready to go in to labor.

3. Developmentally it's best to try to keep baby in until 39 weeks if possible.

4. My experience is it didn't work (I had GD so my OB wanted to try to get labor started). I had it done at 38 werks, 39 weeks, and twice at 40 weeks (morning/night) before my scheduled induction.

[megd893]

Thanks everyone for the responses! I was a touch nervous about it (pain/discomfort), but this is definitely helping.
Sounds like its entirely manageable just not a pleasent experience.
ThePalindromicOne - He said that he'll be starting them 38 weeks... but didn't mention anything about my level of dialation. I'll definitely ask him about this in two weeks. If no dialation will hinder his ability to do it.
fuccimama - There is talk that he could be 11lbs easily if I go to 40 weeks... sweet Jesus... my poor body!

[belle0720]

My OB told me last week that at my next appointment where I'll be 36w6d she's going to do a membrane sweep. She didn't say anything about the baby measuring big or give any weight estimates, in fact she said the baby is "perfect size". Whatever that means. I have heard that they are super uncomfortable but I really don't expect this whole labor thing to be painless, so it kind of is what it is.

[veggiemo]

silv3rlining, I mentioned something like that in the US measurement thread last week. I hate that the doctors try to guess any sizes at this point, based on fundal measurement or ultrasounds. It's just not accurately predictable.

[lalamomma]

Mine didn't hurt with DD but I was 3cm and 80% or more. My doctor really thought labor would start anyway so she did swept my membrains. I think I was probably going to start labor anyway so maybe that's why it wasn't as painful as other people seem to think. I had DD less than 24 hours later. Maybe it helped maybe not.

[belle0720]

@jemomma I didn't ask for a reason, I just assumed it was normal. Maybe she was confused and thought I was already almost 36 weeks? The nurses have messed up on scheduling my appointments a couple of times and told me I'd be doing something earlier than I really did, so who knows. We'll see when I actually go in for my next appointment.

[ladymouse]

Sorry-ish for the random aside, but I'm reading this with the same intonation as the "bend and snap".



(I've had a rough day.)

[ladysif]

May 12, 2015 15:19:48 GMT -5 silv3rlining said:

May 12, 2015 13:55:55 GMT -5 megd893 said:

Okay ladies.  Back from my 34 week checkup.  The boy is over the 99th percentile for size and at an estimated 6.5lbs already (as of ultrasound last monday). 
Doc is now talking about starting stretch and sweeps 37, maybe 38 weeks and every week to try and encourage delivery early.  

Any STM's have experience with this?  Was it helpful/successful?  I don't know much about it and the women in my life haven't had them before.  Any input/advice is appreciated!

1. I'd be leery of any type of "induction" techniques just bc of a suspected "big baby." US can be off up to 2 lbs either direction. And unless baby is estimated at 13 lbs I wouldn't worry.

2. It will only work if your body is ready to go in to labor.

3. Developmentally it's best to try to keep baby in until 39 weeks if possible.

4. My experience is it didn't work (I had GD so my OB wanted to try to get labor started). I had it done at 38 werks, 39 weeks, and twice at 40 weeks (morning/night) before my scheduled induction.

ALL this. I had two membrane sweeps after 40 weeks (also GD). Neither worked, had to be induced.

My totally unprofessional opinion is that 6.5 lbs isn't bad. Are you tall, too? That can throw off the measurements. The idea is baby gains half a pound a week at the end which would still be under 10 with what they predicted for you.

Only you know what is best for you and baby, but try to take the size prediction with a grain of salt.

[fuccimama]

May 12, 2015 15:21:34 GMT -5 megd893 said:

Thanks everyone for the responses! I was a touch nervous about it (pain/discomfort), but this is definitely helping.
Sounds like its entirely manageable just not a pleasent experience.
ThePalindromicOne - He said that he'll be starting them 38 weeks... but didn't mention anything about my level of dialation. I'll definitely ask him about this in two weeks. If no dialation will hinder his ability to do it.
fuccimama - There is talk that he could be 11lbs easily if I go to 40 weeks... sweet Jesus... my poor body!

Just more LO to love! I got really sensitive about the LO came out a toddler and other big baby jokes!

[sully326]

May 12, 2015 16:36:31 GMT -5 fuccimama said:

May 12, 2015 15:21:34 GMT -5 megd893 said:

Thanks everyone for the responses! I was a touch nervous about it (pain/discomfort), but this is definitely helping.
Sounds like its entirely manageable just not a pleasent experience.
ThePalindromicOne - He said that he'll be starting them 38 weeks... but didn't mention anything about my level of dialation. I'll definitely ask him about this in two weeks. If no dialation will hinder his ability to do it.
fuccimama - There is talk that he could be 11lbs easily if I go to 40 weeks... sweet Jesus... my poor body!

Just more LO to love! I got really sensitive about the LO came out a toddler and other big baby jokes!

Girl, I heard all that too & DS was 9lb 4oz. I can only imagine how much you got it! As long has LO was happy & healthy, who cares how big he was...
Its just not everyday you hear about a 11lb newborn & it caught me off guard lol

[megd893]

May 12, 2015 16:20:11 GMT -5 ladysif said:

May 12, 2015 15:19:48 GMT -5 silv3rlining said:

1. I'd be leery of any type of "induction" techniques just bc of a suspected "big baby." US can be off up to 2 lbs either direction. And unless baby is estimated at 13 lbs I wouldn't worry.

2. It will only work if your body is ready to go in to labor.

3. Developmentally it's best to try to keep baby in until 39 weeks if possible.

4. My experience is it didn't work (I had GD so my OB wanted to try to get labor started). I had it done at 38 werks, 39 weeks, and twice at 40 weeks (morning/night) before my scheduled induction.

ALL this. I had two membrane sweeps after 40 weeks (also GD). Neither worked, had to be induced.

My totally unprofessional opinion is that 6.5 lbs isn't bad. Are you tall, too? That can throw off the measurements. The idea is baby gains half a pound a week at the end which would still be under 10 with what they predicted for you.

Only you know what is best for you and baby, but try to take the size prediction with a grain of salt.

I wouldn't consider myself tall, but I am 5'7.  The half pound measurement is what I was told as well which would put him "exactly" at 10lbs.  
He hasn't seemed overly concered yet, and DID say he's going to keep an eye on him and decide closer to when he wants to do it.  Make the decision on a week-to-week basis.  

re: bolded.... thanks for the reassurance. 

[ladysif]

May 12, 2015 18:20:51 GMT -5 megd893 said:

May 12, 2015 16:20:11 GMT -5 ladysif said:

ALL this. I had two membrane sweeps after 40 weeks (also GD). Neither worked, had to be induced.

My totally unprofessional opinion is that 6.5 lbs isn't bad. Are you tall, too? That can throw off the measurements. The idea is baby gains half a pound a week at the end which would still be under 10 with what they predicted for you.

Only you know what is best for you and baby, but try to take the size prediction with a grain of salt.

I wouldn't consider myself tall, but I am 5'7.  The half pound measurement is what I was told as well which would put him "exactly" at 10lbs.  
He hasn't seemed overly concered yet, and DID say he's going to keep an eye on him and decide closer to when he wants to do it.  Make the decision on a week-to-week basis.  

re: bolded.... thanks for the reassurance. 

You're welcome. Also, FWIW, given how your doctor phrased it, it seems to be the thing for doctors to say when a baby is measuring big. Last time they talked to me about early induction/scraping membranes due to size (FTR he was 8 lbs 1 ounce at 40 weeks 6 days, they estimated he'd be 9-10 lbs). We didn't in the end, there was no medical reason and more benefit to him cooking the full time. This time, too, different doctor but she has already talked to me about scraping membranes at 37, 38 or 39 weeks. Barring any unforeseen medical reason, not happening. After last time's experience I'm more lackadaisical about disregarding her because I think it is just a precautionary thing they have to say for babies measuring big. (This one is measuring big too.) But again, only you know all your circumstances and they're the paid professionals. 

[Deleted]

May 12, 2015 15:45:42 GMT -5 veggiemo said:

silv3rlining, I mentioned something like that in the US measurement thread last week. I hate that the doctors try to guess any sizes at this point, based on fundal measurement or ultrasounds. It's just not accurately predictable.

[br

Agree! Agree! Agree! I've heard far too many stories of weight guesses by doctors being off that their is no way I would be down for pushing an earlier delivery 'due to size'
My baby is also measuring 99% at 36 weeks this time around and my doctor didn't say anything about needing me to go earlier.

[ktbear]

I had mine swept at 40 and 41 weeks, still had to be induced at 41 and 4. I have heard it only works if you're ready to go into labor anyway, and I guess DS just wasn't ready.

[cnumbers]

No experience sorry but I hope it goes okay and I'll be thinking of you .

[silv3rlining]

May 12, 2015 19:29:41 GMT -5 @poppyc8 said:

May 12, 2015 15:45:42 GMT -5 veggiemo said:

silv3rlining, I mentioned something like that in the US measurement thread last week. I hate that the doctors try to guess any sizes at this point, based on fundal measurement or ultrasounds. It's just not accurately predictable.

[br

Agree! Agree! Agree! I've heard far too many stories of weight guesses by doctors being off that their is no way I would be down for pushing an earlier delivery 'due to size'
My baby is also measuring 99% at 36 weeks this time around and my doctor didn't say anything about needing me to go earlier.

Back in November a friend of mine was scheduled to be induced before her due date bc her doc thought the baby was going to be over 9 lbs (I didn't know she was supposed to be induced), she ended up going into labor on her own the night before. Her son wasn't even 7 lbs.

[megd893]

This is SO helpful guys.
I'm definitely going to ask more questions. He made it sound like this would HELP bring on labour, but if it's not going to work unless I'm going to go into labour ANYWAYS, what the hell is the point?
Also going to ask how accurate he thinks this size prediction is...

Making me shake my head at him...

[silv3rlining]

May 13, 2015 8:14:36 GMT -5 megd893 said:

This is SO helpful guys.
I'm definitely going to ask more questions. He made it sound like this would HELP bring on labour, but if it's not going to work unless I'm going to go into labour ANYWAYS, what the hell is the point?
Also going to ask how accurate he thinks this size prediction is...

Making me shake my head at him...

I think it *can* help but it won't necessarily start labor if your body isn't ready. I think it's within 24-72 hours from the sweep if it's going to work.

(FFWC?) If my OB suggests it at my 39 week appt I'd consider it.