Stripping the membranes? Eeek

[ice_chick]

So at my MW appt today, she said that next week they would start massaging the membranes. Is that the same as stripping the membranes? I am planning a VBAC & the hospital doesn't let you go past 41 weeks & they won't induce with drugs so this is the only option. I don't see the need to do anything since I have never gone past 39 weeks & am worried about all the things that can go wrong with stripping the membranes, if that is what they want to do. Will it only work if my body is ready to go into labor anyway? What are the odds that they accidentally break my water? Is anyone else having this done or had it done in the past? If it does work, how soon does it take? All my appts for the next month are on Fridays & I know I can't plan it, but I really don't want my baby born on a Friday or Saturday. Any info on the subject would be appreciated.

[turtlemama77]

My doc stripped my membranes last time, and I suspect it did have something to do with my water breaking (which led to pitocin because my labor didn't start right away...ah, what I wish I had known last time...). I understand not wanting you to go over your "due date" but it seems kind of early to start messing around up there. I think before I let anyone do anything, I'd ask the midwife to explain the pros and cons and exactly what takes place with menbrane massage. You can always ask at your next appointment and then decline so you can think about it or do some research on your own.

As far as induction, aren't there other natural options? Perhaps someone can speak to that better than I.

[violetbutterfly]

I've never heard of "massaging" the membranes. I have a sneaking suspicion it's the same thing. There's no way I would let someone mess with that until I was close to 40 weeks. You're due at the end of July...you have plenty of time until you need to start "worrying". I did have my membranes stripped with DD and it didn't put me into labor and I was past my due date.

[Mama Poot]

Originally Posted by violetbutterfly

I've never heard of "massaging" the membranes. I have a sneaking suspicion it's the same thing. There's no way I would let someone mess with that until I was close to 40 weeks. You're due at the end of July...you have plenty of time until you need to start "worrying". I did have my membranes stripped with DD and it didn't put me into labor and I was past my due date.

It is different. I was just reading about this very subject yesterday. When they massage the membranes, the goal is to separate the bag of waters from the cervix, but NOT break it. This stimulates the cervix to produce prostaglandins ( hormones ) that help thin and dilate the cervix. I had my water broken halfway through my labor because the epi stalled it. In that case, breaking the water helped-however when the contractions resumed they were much more painful.

[Gabe_n_Pippas_Mum]

I had my membranes swept today and it's about 10 hours later...I've had some spotting/bloody show and some crampiness but not much else. I'll be due on Friday. I've just done a lot of reading about it...for me it seems that it decreases the chances of having to be induced another way which I really want to avoid. I'm having it done again in 2 days. It didn't hurt that much but I've been 3 cm for a while now and also had 8 hours of false labour a week or 10 days ago.

Just my .02.

Beth

[JenMidwife]

Originally Posted by Mama Poot

It is different. I was just reading about this very subject yesterday. When they massage the membranes, the goal is to separate the bag of waters from the cervix, but NOT break it. This stimulates the cervix to produce prostaglandins ( hormones ) that help thin and dilate the cervix. I had my water broken halfway through my labor because the epi stalled it. In that case, breaking the water helped-however when the contractions resumed they were much more painful.

MamaPoot, what you're describing IS stripping the membranes. W/ stripping the membranes (or massaging them), the goal is not to break them (though that is occasionally a side-effect).