After having a membrane sweep
After your membrane sweep you should wear a sanitary pad and can go home and wait for your labour to start. Most women will go into labour within 48 hours. If you do not go into labour within 48 hours your community midwife will give you an appointment to come for an induction.
They will insert their finger into the opening and gently 'stretch' it and 'sweep' their finger around the inside of the opening. This separates or 'strips' some of the membranes away from the wall of the womb. Sweeping of the membranes releases a hormone called prostaglandin which helps labour begin.
Although it is not guaranteed to work, it is considered an effective way of encouraging the onset of natural labour within the following 48 hours and can reduce the chances of you needing an induction. If your first sweep is unsuccessful, you won't necessarily move straight into induction.
It's only offered at 38 weeks or later, and in order to do a sweep, the cervix must already be partially opened, explains Kim Campbell, a registered midwife in Vancouver. If your body isn't readying itself for labour, the cervix will be out of reach and firmly closed, so the sweep can't be done.
Focusing on slow breathing and using other relaxation techniques during the exam can help to reduce discomfort. You may have some spotting after the procedure, so wearing a panty liner is a good idea. It is normal to feel some cramping afterwards. This cramping may or may not continue into active labour.
After a membrane sweep, go home and wait for labor to start. Common signs of labor include contractions, losing your mucus plug, having a bloody show, and your water breaking. Call your healthcare provider immediately if you have any severe pain or heavy bleeding after your membrane sweep.
You might feel mild cramps or contractions for up to 24 hours afterward. You may also have slight spotting (a small amount of bleeding on your underwear) for up to 3 days. This bleeding can be reddish, pink, or brown and may be mixed with mucus. Spotting and cramping after membrane sweeping are normal.
Results: Spontaneous labour occurred in 79% of women following membrane sweep.
Having a membrane sweep does not hurt, but expect some discomfort or slight bleeding afterwards. If labour does not start after a membrane sweep, you'll be offered induction of labour. Induction is always carried out in a hospital maternity unit.
Walking. Being upright and gently active may help your baby move down towards your cervix, which encourages it to open, according to this NHS guidance.
What should I expect after membrane sweeping? Membrane sweeping does not usually start labor right away. During membrane sweeping, you may feel some cramping like you get during your period. You may feel mild cramps or contractions (muscles of your uterus getting tight) for up to 24 hours afterward.
A bloody show usually means labor is coming soon. Some women experience a bloody show weeks before labor and others don't have a bloody show until they are in labor. It's a good indication that your body is getting ready and your baby is in the final stages of development.
You might have some cramps or contractions after a stretch and sweep. You can take paracetamol and have a warm bath if you are in pain. If you're in a lot of pain, call your midwife or doctor. Pay close attention to your baby's movements after you've had a stretch and sweep.
This is something that you need training to do, to make sure that you don't actually hurt the cervix. So we wouldn't recommend that you do a DIY membrane sweep at home. However, if you want to try and get into labour, there are lots of other things that you could try.
A membrane sweep is when your healthcare provider sweeps a gloved finger across the membranes that connect your amniotic sac (a fluid-filled sac that contains your baby) to the wall of your uterus. It's performed once your cervix has begun to dilate and can't be done if your cervix is still closed.
Unless you are at least 1 cm dilated, it can't be done. After a sweep you will most likely lose some or all of your mucous plug.
Stress and muscle tension and can delay labor by making it harder for the cervix to dilate. These issues can also keep the baby from descending. Many women benefit from practicing breathing exercises or meditation before and during labor. Even dimming the lights can help.
Exercise Ball Bounce
Gently bouncing on an exercise ball to induce labor not only encourages baby to move down and in turn assist with cervix dilation, but it can also soothe baby, Green says. Sit on the exercise ball, with your legs wide apart, and move your hips up and down.