Call me crazy, but....

Ya Never Know

Is it weird to want this baby out with as little intervention as possible before I go in to labour??

As soon as I mention anything about wanting baby out, friends that have had kids are all telling me to get a "stretch and sweep" so she'll come sooner...

I don't want this at all. I mean... if baby is overdue and the only option is induction, then I'm fine with that, but other than that, I really don't want any stretching or sweeping, I'm fine just leaving well enough alone, and hoping that baby will do what she needs to do on her own.

I mean maybe this is inevitable down the line, but I wouldn't "ask" for them to do anything like that unless they "told" me it was medically necessary.

It seems like a lot of pain to go through for something that may or may not do anything at all. 

 

Mrs.MillerJune2008

You have to do whatever makes sense to you! I personally didn't see the point of OB offering to sweep at 38 weeks etc., but then choose to get it done at my appt yesterday. But it was my personal choice because I would rather avoid the pitocin. Each person approaches pregnancy, labor and delivery differently. Doesn't mean anyone is right or wrong! I hope both our LOs will decide to appear before any induction!

bikitybinx

No that's not weird at all.  I am 4 cm, 100% effaced, but nothing is happening - water has not broken, no contractions.  Yesterday my doc offered to strip my membranes.  I told her no - as much as I want her out (I am so beyond ready), she can come out when it's her time IMHO.  I'll just have to be patient (although it is getting increasingly harder to be! hah)

Mrs.MillerJune2008

Ainslie325:

Ya Never Know:

It seems like a lot of pain to go through for something that may or may not do anything at all.  

I can appreciate all of your sentiments, but I think the above statement might be a little off base.  Everyone has a different threshold for pain, and, from what I understand, for many women, a membrane sweep is no more uncomfortable than a cervical check (and I've never found these any worse than a pap-- not very uncomfortable at all).  If you want baby to come of her own accord with no prompting, that's a perfectly valid position to hold.  It's also fair to say that a sweep doesn't help accelerate the onset of labor for most women.  Unless you have a known issue with discomfort during cervical exams, though, I don't think you need to avoid the procedure (which takes seconds) because of pain.

 I totally agree with this. It was not uncomfortable at all for me; the worst part was her knuckle in my pubic area, but my cervix was totally fine. But I also haven't had any problems with any of my internals etc.

allisons1014

I was on the fence about whether or not I would want them to strip my membranes if I am still pregnant next week but I asked the doc at my appointment today about it just in case...she said because I am GBS + they wouldn't even offer it to me.

I'm glad that the decision is made and I don't have to think about it.  One less thing for me to think about.

lindsayandjamie

I think this is a great example of to each their own. I had it done twice, once at 38w and once at 39w, neither time was it what I qualify as painful, but neither time worked. I went into spontaneous labour yesterday at 40w1d. Your baby will come when he/she is ready, but I totally understand being anxious and wanting a natural intervention that could move things along quicker.

Ya Never Know

Ainslie325:

Ya Never Know:

It seems like a lot of pain to go through for something that may or may not do anything at all.  

I can appreciate all of your sentiments, but I think the above statement might be a little off base.  Everyone has a different threshold for pain, and, from what I understand, for many women, a membrane sweep is no more uncomfortable than a cervical check (and I've never found these any worse than a pap-- not very uncomfortable at all).  If you want baby to come of her own accord with no prompting, that's a perfectly valid position to hold.  It's also fair to say that a sweep doesn't help accelerate the onset of labor for most women.  Unless you have a known issue with discomfort during cervical exams, though, I don't think you need to avoid the procedure (which takes seconds) because of pain.

 

Regular exams have NEVER bothered me, but my doctor did a sweep today WITHOUT ASKING, and it was excruciating! I have a high tolerance for pain, but my cervix was up so high that in trying to get to it, it was definitely more than a few seconds of pain. It was awful. I know everyone is different, but knowing what I know now, there's no way in hell he'll be doing that again.