- Most women go into labour one week either side of their due date
- If you haven't had your baby by 41 weeks your midwife will offer you a membrane sweep
- A membrane sweep is when a doctor or midwife places a fingertip just inside your cervix and makes a circular "sweeping" motion to separate the membranes around your baby from the cervix
- This stimulates the release of hormones called prostaglandins, which can help to kickstart labour
- If labour doesn't start, your midwife will offer you another membrane sweep or a date for you to have your labour induced (started artificially)
Being induced
- You will be induced at your local maternity unit using artificial prostaglandins inserted in your vagina as a gel, tablet or pessary (vaginal suppository)
- You may be able to go home and wait for contractions to start
- Induced labour is often more painful than normal labour so you may want to rethink your choice of pain relief
- If the first induction doesn't work, you will usually be offered a repeat attempt
- If that fails you will be offered a caesarean
If you don't want to be induced and your pregnancy goes beyond 42 weeks, doctors will monitor you and your baby closely as the risk of stillbirth increases after 42 weeks.