To sweep or not to sweep...Updated

[Snookler]

Went to my appt yesterday. Dr. said that I was only dilated fingertip-1cm, so no sweeping for me. It was a huge relief not to have to make that decision, but kind of disappointing that all of this prodromal labor hasn't resulted in dilation. I'm going in on Monday for an ultrasound and NST, and we'll see what's happening from there. Send me labor vibes mamas, cause I don't want to have to worry about what my next step will be if I'm not dilated on Monday!
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Okay.. I'll try to make this as short and sweet as possible, although my hormones make everything I say come out all rambly and whiney. I'm trying to decide whether to ask my ob to do a membrane sweep at my appointment on Thursday. I'll be 40wks.
I've been riding the prodromal roller coaster pretty steadily since Friday. I've been working every natural induction method short of castor oil to try to encourage my body/baby to keep labor going if they were ready to no avail. I'm dialated to 1cm, feeling all kinds of pressure, contractions, and peeing every 45 minutes, but no baby.
I have fought through this pregnancy to give this baby his full time in the womb including switching ob's at 37 weeks because they wanted to induce / sched a C-sec due to "big baby". By all estimates, which I feel are reasonably accurate, baby is about 9lbs or more. Which this doesn't bother me, but delivering an 11lb baby 2 weeks from now does begin to give me anxiety.
To top it all off, the woman who is taking care of the office while I am out on maternity just gave her notice, and her last day is March 31. Which means I must be back to work in some capacity on April 1st. I had planned on taking a minimum of 4 weeks off, which means that every day I am still pregnant after March 1st is one less day that I will be able to stay home with the baby, establish nursing, and recover physically/mentally from the birth.

With all this prodromal, and indications that I would go early, I never thought I would be sitting here contemplating induction at this 40 wk date. So, would you ask the ob to give membrane sweeping a try? Am I just setting myself up for a massive flow of interventions once I start this?
Am I just a crazy, hormonal, pregnant woman? Tell me you understand.

[doulanichole]

I know it seems like you have a lot going on and things to consider, but after my last pregnancy and birth, I would be very hesitant to have my mebranes swept. First, you need to understand that prodromal labor is happening for a reason and not simply to annoy and frustrate you. It is very likely that baby is trying to work out a positional issue - have you tried doing things to get baby to move? If it is a positional issue and you choose to have your membranes stripped, it is quite possible that baby will have a harder time getting into a more favorable position, making labor longer and more painful. While it may bring on labor, you have to ask at what cost?

My own personal story is that I had weeks of prodromal labor from 9p-6a each day. In addition to the prodromal labor that would last just long enough for me to miss a whole nights sleep, I also had PUPPS which led me to choose to have my membranes stripped. I did go into labor that night, but it was a long, ridiculously painful labor. I take full responsibility for the decision to have my membranes swept, but would not choose it again.

As for your job, I'm not sure I understand why the timing of someone else's last day is your responsibility. You have come this far, I would hate to see you open yourself up to a bunch of unnecessary interventions due to discomfort and frustration.

[Saramomofmany]

Hey Mama,

I think most everyone can understand the end of pregnancy, wanting to get that baby out already. And I wish you luck in whatever you decide.

I did want to make a comment, last birth, we were thinking baby was going to be quite big, and I was scared, and my homebirth midwife said that the Mamas she has had that have had large babies, said they were so much less painful coming out then the smaller ones becuase there's more cushion/fat on the baby, so it's not so bony. Just a thought...

She also said that if you ask a Mom, a Midwife and a Dr. how much baby is going to weigh, that the Mom is usually most accurate, Midwife 2nd and Dr. 3rd.

If baby isn't ready to come out for some reason, do you want to make him/her come out before his/her time?? Are you positive on dates? With my 4th baby, I was "due" first week of Dec. according to charting/ultrasound. She wasn't born until Dec. 23rd, and with how much vernix she still had and such, the nurses said no way was she 2 weeks over due...she looked just right about 40 weeks.

For what it's worth, I did have my membranes swept as I was under pressure for being almost 42 weeks pregnant, and it didn't do anything but make me uncomfortable...as if you're not uncomfortable enough at the end of pregnancy as it is!!

I'm sorry you have to go back to work so soon after birth. Is there any way to have your work get a temp to let you have a little longer at home with baby if he/she takes a little longer to come out?

I'm not sure if you have had other babies or not, but I was just reading recently, that for first time Mamas, that going over 40 weeks is really extremely common.

I hope you can make the right decision that will be best for you and your baby. I've never been in the situation of having to be back to work after baby is born so that has got to be extremely stressful for you. Good luck with whatever you decide. I think we all get to the point at the end that we just want that baby in our arms!!

Take care, Sara

[XanaduMama]

PP is right--the prodromal is likely trying to get baby into the best position to be born. Do you know how s/he is lying? Have you tried a chiro adjustment or acupuncture? I know how exhausting it must be, though.

That said, I wouldn't do the sweep. It DOES set you up for more interventions by making PROM more likely, which puts you on the "clock", which makes induction/supplementation with pit more likely, etc etc. It also raises the risk of spreading infection up in there (again, bad if you're promoting PROM).

Just to add also that AVERAGE gestation for 1st time moms is 41w2d, so you're not even close to being overdue yet. And estimates of baby's weight at this stage are notoriously unreliable, even ultrasounds. So I would try to trust that your body isn't going to grow a baby bigger than you can birth. They also don't put on that much weight in these last weeks.

As for work, ITA with PPs--you need to take the leave you need to take (and 4 weeks is a MINIMUM for feeling human again, IME), and they need to hire a temp or something to cope.

Hugs--and hang in there!

ETA: oops--just saw you're not a first-timer. But still: you're not overdue!

[Snookler]

Thanks for the support mamas. I tried having this conversation with my mom and DH last night, and all they could come up with (and I quote) was "Eeeeeeeew". Which was not very helpful wither way.

I know that I just need to find some serenity with all of this. I've been getting chiropractic adjustments regularly for the past 6 weeks. I had a massage therapist come by the other night to help me relax. It's just that these going nowhere contractions have got me starting to question my body's ability to do this since they start and stop. Although my mom did labor for 56 hours with my brother, so I suppose I'd rather take that in 3-4 hours segments over the course of a week than all at once. Maybe my body knows what it's doing after all?

I work in a 2 person office in a senior community. Which means that if someone isn't here to run the place, maybe the sprinklers don't work right, or maybe someone dies of cardiac arrest because there wasn't anyone in the office to call 911. I'm the manager, which means even hiring a temp would be my job, and then I'd have to figure out a way to let them in the office. I can find a way to fudge it for a few days with volunteers, but more than that and my job may be in jeopardy. DH is a SAHD, and trying to find a new job post pardum is even more horrifying than coming back to this one sooner than I thought possible. At least it is only 5 minutes from home, and I'm able to be home to nurse the baby at lunch every day. So I'll find a way to make it work.

I was induced with my first (fell for the "big baby" cr*p - plus I had been without electricity for 2 weeks due to a hurricane which made me highly suggestable due to the stress) 10 days before his due date, and have never been ok with that decision. I want to do right by this baby, I just hope my sanity and inner strength let patience prevail.

Thanks again mamas for reminding me of what I needed to hear.

[avasmomleigh]

You are definitely in a tough spot-I hope you are able to come up with a plan that makes you feel some sort of control and happiness.

I didn't have my membranes swept with dd, so I don't have an opinion on that.

But, as the main breadwinner in my family right now-I understand the pressure of going back to work at 4 weeks (WAAAY too early IMO-but either way, I'm there too-I have to be back in 4 weeks). Shorting yourself recovery time will be really stressful physically and emotionally. Inducing isn't something to choose lightly (of course), but the stress of returning to work after 2.5-3 weeks or so at home, or the stress of finding another job/worrying about your family's financial stability is a reality and has to be taken into account. Certainly not ideal, but a reality. I'm right there with ya!

In that situation, I would ask to be induced asap so I can have as much recovery and baby time as possible. And trust me, the thought of being induced does NOT make me happy-I want my baby to come when he's good and ready.

Unless you can beg the lady who gave notice to wait one more week for her last day?????

Good luck!

[Saramomofmany]

Originally Posted by Snookler

I work in a 2 person office in a senior community. Which means that if someone isn't here to run the place, maybe the sprinklers don't work right, or maybe someone dies of cardiac arrest because there wasn't anyone in the office to call 911. I'm the manager, which means even hiring a temp would be my job, and then I'd have to figure out a way to let them in the office. I can find a way to fudge it for a few days with volunteers, but more than that and my job may be in jeopardy. DH is a SAHD, and trying to find a new job post pardum is even more horrifying than coming back to this one sooner than I thought possible. At least it is only 5 minutes from home, and I'm able to be home to nurse the baby at lunch every day. So I'll find a way to make it work.

Since DH is a SAHD, could he fill in for you at your job for a couple weeks to give you a little longer recovery time? It would be easy to give him the key to the office...and I'm guessing He would be easy to train since he probably has a good idea what is going on as it is...??

Sara

[Incubator]

:
Better yet, have you thought about doing a call-forwarding thing to your home? Or take baby and Pop to work with you. Make a mini-recovery nest at the office if you have to, surely whoever is above you has GOT to have some compassion? Heck, I'm 21 months postpartum and STILL feel wiped out and unable to work everyday.

[~Katrinka~]

Are you a crazy, hormonal, pregnant woman? Of course you are. Aren't we all at this point?

I have never had my membranes swept, so I can't offer advice on that aspect.

I do think you should consider giving yourself at least another few days to go into labor on your own. This is your 2nd baby, and chances are good that you will go into labor before 41 weeks.

You said you were trying natural induction methods -- are you taking evening primrose oil? I love that stuff.

I know how much it sucks to contract all the time and not go into labor. I sometimes tell people that the last few months of my pregnancies are like being in labor a little bit at a time, for months. On the plus side, when I had my youngest dd, my labor was only 2-3 hours long, and the first 1 and 1/2 hours, I didn't even think I was in labor.

Oh, and you want to hear some real crazy, hormonal pregnant woman stuff? At this point, now that I'm just about 37 weeks, I talk to my uterus during contractions. I am like, "okay, hey. If you're going to hurt, let's get something done here. You lower muscles -- you work on opening the cervix. The rest of you can concentrate on moving the baby down." Yep, I'm bananas.

[jillybeans]

just a for you mama. You'll find the right thing to do, just follow your instincts.

[DBZ]

I had mine swept the other day. I was not feeling well the rest of the day. I had some serious cramping. My lower back was killing me. I got worried that the baby was malpositioned and that the contractions were banging his/her head against my spine. I was also pretty nauseated. It did put me into serious nesting mode, which was totally needed LOL. My next mw appt is Tuesday and I don't know if I'll have them do it again. I might just skip it and wait till I'm 40 weeks instead.

[mightymoo]

I don't personally recommend getting membranes swept, especially if you are or may be (e.g. don't know, didn't get tested) GBS positive as it increases your risk of infection. I went to 42 weeks and had mine swept several times and this was the most likely reason I came down with a fever and got an infection which necessitated my induction and weakened my uterus so the induction went nowhere - the result of which was a c/section . Looking back, the only thing I would change was sweeping the membranes. That's my little PSA.

s Sending you some labor vibes ~~~~~~~~~~~

[Incubator]

Originally Posted by ~Katrinka~

Oh, and you want to hear some real crazy, hormonal pregnant woman stuff? At this point, now that I'm just about 37 weeks, I talk to my uterus during contractions. I am like, "okay, hey. If you're going to hurt, let's get something done here. You lower muscles -- you work on opening the cervix. The rest of you can concentrate on moving the baby down." Yep, I'm bananas.

: OMG! I'm not alone! I also tell the baby to "stop that" or "knock it off" after several painful thumps. This has cause more than a few people to walk away from me quickly in the grocery store.

Anyway, back to OP: PLEASE give that baby plenty of time to work out whatever issues it may have in there. Just keep an eye on your kick count to make sure it's doing alright. I hate how close I came to giving in to an induction with #1 just because the OB thought it was "abnormal" to go past 40 weeks. She started talking about induction a day before I was even due,: and on top of that I told her repeatedly that I didn't care how far along the U/S said I was I knew exactly when he was conceived and he wasn't due for another week anyway! In the end... he was right on time

[alijased]

Just keep an eye on your kick count to make sure it's doing alright


At 40 weeks, what would a "kick count" be thought of as normal?

[DBZ]

Why do you need a u/s and nst on Monday? Will you even be 40 weeks then? Some women don't dialate at all before labor begins.