what is a stretch an sweep?

[Kittin_1989]

I've had 3 babies an on my fourth an I've never even heard of this till I got on this app. Personally it sounds painful an unnecessary unless ur past due. An the stretch thing it sounds wrong lol so my question is wtf is it an y do only some drs do it?

[jholli]

I had one on Tuesday at 38 weeks. It's a more natural way of inducing labour as aposed to using drugs to do it.
The dr put their finger into your cervix and seperate a your cervix from the membrane so your body produce the hormone that softens the cervix. He then stretches the cervix open to help dilate. It has a 25% success rate. It is only performed by my dr if you are over due to help reduce drug induction or if there are medical reason an induction is required, this can help natural labour before induction by drugs.
In my case, a medical induction could highly likely result in a c section and if they do a c section, I will require a full blood transfusion. So we are trying all natural possibilities first.
I remember it being very uncomfortable and not as painful as I had myself hyped up for it to be. Lots of blood, but pain wise it wasn't too bad and I am not great with pain.
I have had contractions, lost my mucus plug and hopefully will have this Bub by the weekend.

[Kittin_1989]

Ugh that sounds awful I think even getting checked hurts. So that sounds even worse

[sgulia1987]

A stretch is when they try to stretch your cervix to dialate you more and a sweep is when they insert a finger and sweep it along the inside to separate the amniotic sac away from the wall of your uterus and cervix on the inside. It can be quite uncomfortable.