Tomorrow is my due date, so this morning I went for my
routine antenatal to discuss my 'mode of delivery'! Everything looks fine in terms of signs of
pre-eclampsia (there are no signs which is encouraging). But the midwife did suggest she try a '
membrane sweep' on me... I was fine with this as I know what it is (the midwife basically sweeps the top of the cervix with her fingers to separate the membranes - this releases hormones called prostaglandins and can kick-start labour), but I wasn't prepared for just how painful it was. It was agony! I know it's nothing like giving birth and only lasts for about 40 seconds, but I felt like begging for a
caesarean there and then.
So now I am at home waiting for something to happen. My books (and gurgle) say that labour can start within 48 hours of a 'sweep', but it can also do nothing. Now I really am a cat on a hot tin roof, i'll keep you posted...