what IS the difference between an a induction and a sweep?

[Biglips]

answers please

thanks

[Spider]

I'm no expert having had neither but I thought induction meant being induced with drugs to bring on labour and sweep is some kind of prodding of waters or something.

[Spider]

But someone less ridiculous will be along soon with a sensible answer I reckon.

[lulumama]

a sweep is not really indcution

a sweep is a way to try to kickstart labour,, the mw introduces a finger tip into the cervix, to strip the membranes away from the inside of the cervix...and this also irritates the cervix, and the stripping releases the hormones that can cause you to contract.....but you can go home afterwards, and it will only work if you would have gone into labour within 24 - 48 hours..so not a surefire way of starting labour

an indcution is actually starting labour...either with breaking the waters, or using a gel of synthetic hormones ( prostin....which is the synthetic version of prostoglandin, present in semen, which is why sex can help get labour started....) as it ripens the cervix. causing it to soften and dilate. this has to be done in hospital, and you stay there once the gel is applied. same with having waters broken.

if neither of these methods start contractions, or contractiosn not deemed to be efficient enough, labour is agumented ( strenghtened) with a drip of a synthetic hormone, syntocinon...which is a version of naturally released oxytocin...which is released by orgasm, and nipple stimulation.

induction guarantees that you will be made to go into labour...a sweep does not. induction can be unpredictable, taking hours or days

[emkana]

With a sweep they fiddle around your cervix to get labour started.

With an induction, they use drugs.

That's the technical explanation.

I've had both, sweeps never worked, induction did.

[helpmeforget]

i had the sweep done at 36 weeks as i had cholestasis and did not want induction( forced contractions from induction can hurt alot more), i would have gone full term otherwise but the sweep took 19 hours till waters broke (3 am in the morring), i did not dilate and my contractions were one on top of the other, consoltant said it was due to the sweep my body was not ready to go. wish she'd have told me that at first would have legged it away as fast as i could have, lol shit happens, iv been told!!!

[fawkeoff]

everything...........a sweep is when the midwife performs an internal and penetrates the cervix..........and induction is going in to the hospital,having prosting gels inserted in hope to dilate the cervix,then the breakages of waters, then a sybtocin drip to make the contractions.........these are very intense and u cant move off the bed due to being on a machine all the wat thru labour to monitor baby incase he/she becomes distressed due to the drip......avoid induction if u can

[Sam100]

Had an induction with no 3 as he was 12 days overdue. Had had a couple of sweeps which had no effect and had tried reflexology, which kind of got things going at 7 days overdue but although had what felt like about 2 hours of contractions it all peterd out. Was petrified about induction because had heard all sorts of horror stories of labour lasting days and needing all sorts of intervention. But in the end was a doddle. Had the gel inserted at 8 am on antenatal ward. Had a little bit of observation (belt thingy for listening to baby). As nothing was happening went for a waddle around the hospital with hubbie - had a tea break - more waddling - went for lunch. Felt a bit tired so at 1 pm sent hubbie off while I went for a lie down during rest period on the ward - told him to come back at 3 pm as was due for a review then. Contractions kicked in at about 2 pm. Transferred to delivery suite just after 3 pm (hubbie back bang on time). Got delivery suite to start filling the birth pool while we completed paperwork. Got into pool at 3.30ish - no 3 born at 4.30 pm!

Hope this helps if you are on route to possible induction. Give the sweeps a go first - your first one can be a bit uncomfortable but they get easier (kind of like births!). Had sweeps with no 2 as well - at last one the midwife said she could stretch cervix to nearly 5 cms - but did not go into labour for another 48 hours! When it did happen was all over in 4.5 hours!