My name is Trish Ware and I am obsessed with all things pregnancy and birth, and helping you to navigate with the practical and the magical seasons of this journey called motherhood.

I'm an all day coffee sip and Mama of seven.

I've had the amazing privilege of delivering mini babies.

In my 15 plus year career as a labor and delivery nurse, and as a mama of seven, I'm here to help you take the guesswork out of childbirth so you can make the choices that are right for you and your baby.

Quick note, this podcast is for educational purposes only and does not replace your medical advice.

Check out our full disclaimer at the bottom of the show notes.

Hey mama, and welcome back to the birth experience.

So we are gonna be talking about membrane sweeps and I wanna tell you what they are, how they work, when to get one, and how to make them more comfortable if you choose to do one.

Now, let's get this out of the way, right up front.

You do not have to get a membrane sweep.

It is completely optional.

It's your body, your birth, your decision.

But if you're curious about it, or maybe your provider has brought it up, or your sister, your friend, or random, Sally, I want you to be fully informed before you say yes or no.

So what is a membrane sweep?

A membrane sweep, also called a stretch and sweep is a method used to try to encourage labor to start more naturally.

And here's what happens.

Your provider will do a cervical exam, meaning they need to check your cervix with a gloved hand.

Obviously, believe it or not, back in the day they didn't use gloves, but that's another podcast.

If your cervix is dilated enough for them to get at least one finger inside, they will insert their finger into the cervix and make a sweeping motion around the inside of it.

Now, if you want a visual head to Instagram, I did a live on this and I also did a reel showing it using an orange.

This separates the amniotic sack from the cervix, which can stimulate.

Can stimulate, doesn't mean it will, but can stimulate the release of prostaglandins, which are the hormones that help soften and prepare your cervix for labor, which is really, really important, especially for my first time mamas.

'cause that takes a little bit longer.

It is not an instant like switch on the light for labor, but it can help nudge your body in the right direction if it's already getting ready.

Especially, so that leads me to my next point.

When should you get one?

I do not recommend getting a membrane sweep before 40 weeks.

Why?

Because your body needs time to do its own thing.

Now we've got things that we teach you guys inside of our classes to prep your body starting at 27 weeks.

But membrane sweeps really work better after 40 weeks.

Your cervix, your hormones just may not be quite ready yet, which means.

It's kind of a waste and it's not super comfortable, so it's less likely to work and could just cause discomfort without much benefit.

The best approach that we recommend to our students, our members, and especially to our mamas inside of their labor bat signal.

If they want a membrane sweep, wait until 40 weeks and be prepared to do two or three over that next week and a half.

It usually takes multiple sweeps to be effective, especially if your body is moving slowly towards labor.

I have to laugh whenever I'm recording a podcast, you guys.

This is like total truism.

I am moving my hands all over the place like you guys can see me.

But anyway.

All right, next, do you have to be dilated for a membrane sweep?

Yes, your cervix has to be open a little bit, just enough to fit one fingertip inside.

So if your cervix is completely closed, your provider won't be able to do the sweep, which also it needs to be your provider.

Unless you have a bestie labor nurse friend like me who will come over to your house and do it, which is on the downside did for Ashley.

Your cervix does have to be open, does not have to be dilated for labor to start.

Do you hear me?

Now, here's the thing.

Some of you guys might walk around for three centimeters for weeks while others go from zero to active labor in an hour.

So dilation is not the main shebang.

Remember that?

I know you won't listen to me and I know you'll get in your head, but I want you to remember Trish said dilation does not matter.

Okay, so does a membrane sweep hurt?

It's not the most comfortable thing in the world, but honestly, it's really dependent on you, but it's also dependent on your mindset and your ability to relax your body, because tension will make it feel worse.

It can feel intense, it can feel crampy, and it can feel a little bit sharp, but it's usually pretty quick.

There are some things that you can do to make it easier, so here's what I recommend to make your membrane sweep more comfortable.

If you decided to go for a membrane sweep, here's how to set yourself up for success.

Number one, your body positioning, the position you're in can make a huge difference in how comfortable the sweep feels.

So here's what I want you to do When you get onto the exam table number one, put your fist like make two fist, put them under your bum.

This is gonna help tilt your pelvis up and forward, making it so much easier for your provider to reach your cervix without extra pressure.

Because one of the important things about when it's time for labor, your cervix is like a satellite and boop, boop, boop, boop, boop, it moves forward.

If it's not time for labor, they may have to, like I call it, dig to China to go back to get it.

So when you put your fist under your hips, it tilts it up and towards them.

Next you're gonna put your feet together, the soles of your feet together.

And instead of tensing up, I want you to relax and let your knees fall open.

This is gonna help relax your pelvic floor and allow your body to stay more relaxed.

The next thing.

Number two, a breathing technique tension makes discomfort worse.

And this is really good for you to start practicing now.

And I teach this along with 50 other tools inside of calm labor, confident birth class, and the VBAC Lab.

Because having tools in your tool belt is like the most powerful thing you can do, especially mindset, tools.

Labor is made or broken inside your brain.

I promise you on that.

Okay, so back to the breathing technique.

Breathe in through your nose for four seconds, hold it for two, and then moan out quietly for six seconds.

When you're moaning, that is going to relax your pelvic floor and make this whole process feel less intense.

If you're a little embarrassed, prepare your doctor.

It's coming.

But either way, who, who cares you do you?

All right, so mentally preparing for it.

After a sweep, you may experience some cramping, some spotting, and even irregular contractions.

That is normal.

That just means, hey, your body is responding.

You may also not feel anything, which is also normal, and hey, your body might be responding.

I always joke to my students that your body doesn't have to tell you what it's up to.

It just does it.

The key though is to combine your membrane sweep with some other natural ways to prepare your cervix, like walking, curb walking, stair climbing, mild circuit, red raspberry leaf dates, and all the things that I teach inside, calm labor, confident birth, or inside my induction workshop.

So if you're getting ready to have this baby via induction.

You don't wanna take the full class, which you probably should, and add on your labor bat signal.

You can always grab my induction workshop.

We'll have a link in the show notes.

So if you want a step-by-step plan, I actually go into how to naturally prepare your body for birth and for an induction, and then all the things you have to know about your induction.

Your provider will make you feel like, here's the plan.

This is what we're doing.

But you actually have a say.

You have a say, and there are choices, and I want you to know them.

That's why I do what I do.

All right, so how long does it take for a membrane sweep to work?

Everybody is different, but most people don't go into labor right away.

Now, if you were like on the brink of labor anyway, your body might, if your body's already preparing, that is, membrane sweep can trigger it.

Really quickly, but for most of you guys, it will probably trigger contractions within 24 to 48 hours if it's gonna work.

But mostly it takes two or three sweeps over a week or so to be effective.

If it doesn't work, it's not a failure.

Your body is still doing its job.

Your baby has the time already ordained to be born, and there's plenty of ways to support the natural process of labor.

But getting up in your head and getting negative is not one of them.

So let's final thoughts.

Should you get a membrane sweep?

Here's what I want you to walk away with.

You do not have to get one if you don't want one.

It's completely optional.

Wait until at least 40 weeks to increase the chances of it working.

You need to be a little dilated for it to be done.

but Trish always says dilation doesn't matter.

Your body doesn't need a heads up.

It usually takes two to three sweeps every week and a half to be effective, and your cervix does its own thing.

So don't get discouraged if you do choose to get one, use those positioning and breathing tricks I shared to make it as comfortable as possible.

That's from a 16 year high risk labor nurse and a mom who has given birth six times.

If you want even more evidence-based tools to get your body prepped for labor, without stress, without confusion, and a. Full support system.

I wanna invite you guys to join me inside Calm Labor, Compton Birth, or the VBAC Lab.

This is a full birth class where not only do I teach you how to prep your body, navigate labor, and feel totally in control of your birth experience.

I also support you with three.

Coaching calls, birth coaching calls.

We call 'em pregnancy.

Happy hours every month where we meet.

And I look you eye in the eye and I get to know you and your family and your birth wishes, and we walk through all the things that may come up.

Alright you guys, that's it for today.

Leave a review, let me know.

In the reviews, what you love, what you wanna hear more if you have questions about birth prep in general.

And as always, hit subscribe.

Turn on your notifications, and I'll see you again next Friday.

Bye for now.