3rd baby... sweep caused consistent contractions and now what??

[Louise Doran]

This is my 3rd baby... got a sweep at 3pm yesterday which was horrifically bad and had almost immediate contractions after. These were sore but bearable and ranged from 4mins for a few hours and then 7 mins fir a few hours. Had a really terrible one last night and went to hospital afraid I'd left it too late... still at a stretchy 2 and a half so sent home with cocodamol. This helped me sleep for a few hours and I'm awake again from 4.30 with more bad pains... and again they have eased and became irregular. I'm exhausted. What is going on??? Cant keep getting my.kids looked after indefinitely. So disappointed with my second I started pains at 3am and she was here by 8.30am... although admittedly I'd had a pessary induction.

 

[sarah34]

I had this with my 2nd, had two sweeps that caused consistent painful contractions but they stopped after a few hours. Eventually at 12 days overdue I had another sweep and my labour started that night. He was born 3 hours later! Hopefully your body is just practising for the real thing and you’ll have a nice speedy labour soon xxx

 

[Suggerhoney]

I think them sweeps just irritate the uterus because I had a similar experience with my second baby. I had 3 sweeps and each time they caused bleeding and constant pains that always fizzled out. Ended up going 14 days over due and needing the passery to induce.

 

[MollyMalone]

I think sweeps only work when baby is ready to come anyway?

I had one with my first but didn't really hurt and the Dr said she barely managed to do it a bit because I was so unfavourable (it was before my due date but I was miserable and asked). She told me to come back in a week and we'd see because it was unlikely it would work.

Nothing really happened other than me feeling like I was coming down with something. But I woke up the next morning when my waters broke, baby was out 3hrs later. She did say it could take up to 3 days for things to start properly but didn't think they would at all in me case.

 

[MollyMalone]

Just realised how old this message was. Embarrassing hahaah