XP on paif: membrane stripping? Evening primrose?

[turquoisequeen]

I'm being induced in 10 days due to a high risk condition and so far just at 1 cm for the past week. If I can get to 2 or more we can avoid going into the hospital the night before the induction for cervical ripening which would be fantastic.

OB offered to strip my membranes today but I chickened out after she said it could start labor. She said we can do it at my appt later this week if I want. Anyone have experience with this? Did it work? Painful?

She also told me to start evening primrose oil capsules to help. Anyone used these before?

[ampaints]

I'm not familiar with either, but I hope you have some progress.

The one thing I remember about membrane striping from my birth class was that the membranes can grow back if you're not ready to go into labor, so I would delay that until closer personally.

[luvboston]

I've seen membrane stripping go both ways. If your ready go for it if not wait. According to friends it either not painful or moderate.

[mrswillie]

No personal experience with either. I've heard the stripping is painful and it was split on whether or not labor started after it.

[MellyKnu]

Membrane stripping wasn't any more painful for me than a cervical check. It's the same concept- OB has to get fingers through the cervix before twisting them around to loosen the membrane. Whether it worked or not is hard to say. I went into labor at the end of the window they said the stripping would work in if it was successful.

[shytimes]

Hi friend! I have been in your shoes; it is no fun.

If I had been at all dilated, I absolutely would have tried a membrane sweep, but alas, it wasn't even an option.

Instead, I tried everything else: dates, pineapple, raspberry tea, squats, walks, stairs, acupuncture, spicy food, and Sex.

Eventually, my water broke but that was probably low barometric pressure as much as anything.

Good luck!

ETA: I tried evening primrose also. Who knows if it worked.

[Smootiepie]

I was at 1 cm for weeks when my OB stripped my membranes. My water broke 5 days later (which I'm pretty sure was outside of the window), but I was still at 1 cm when I was admitted to L&D.

It was incredibly uncomfortable, but I wouldn't say it was painful. It was done around lunch, and by dinner I was having awful contractions (that were clearly unproductive).

[nikiswimr]

I had mine stripped the am before I was induced (planned induction in the evening not to miss work). I went from a one to a two and was having contractions every 5-7 minutes after. Still had to have a Foley bulb placed (can't take other ripening agents) but things progressed quickly and I was complete 8 hours after I checked into be induced. Stripping didn't really hurt, the Foley bulb however, that hurt.

[leahb12]

I had mine stripped near my due date with DS2. It didn't really hurt that I can remember. Maybe briefly uncomfortable but nothing bad. I was 1 cm at the time and wasn't even that when I checked into the hospital for an induction a week later.

The induction was pretty fast and much easier than my first L&D experience though.

[turquoisequeen]

Thanks ladies! I'm hoping maybe I won't even need this but I'm willing to try it to possibly avoid an extra night in the hospital.

nikiswimr I have heard the bulb is AWFUL. Luckily if I do need ripening they use cervadil and my OB said I wouldn't be getting a bulb.

[disneykate]

I had my membranes swept at my appointment at 40w2d. It was about as painful as a routine cervical check. I was leaking fluid afterwards so I thought the midwife had broke my water but when she tested the fluid that had leaked on the exam paper it was negative. I went home and had soaked through the pad she gave me in the office and was still feeling little gushes when I walked around so I called the office back and went to L&D. They tested the fluid when I got there and sure enough it was amniotic fluid.

So if you have a rough midwife like me, the membrane sweeping ended up breaking my water and made it so I was induced. I started the pitocin the next morning at 1 am and had my baby at 12:52 pm, almost exactly 24 hours after she broke my water.

[4paws]

I had it done twice within a few days to try to avoid being induced. Neither worked for me. It hurt, I'm not gonna lie. But squeezing something made it quite tolerable. I would relate it to an overly aggressive pap. I'd do it again to try to avoid an induction.

Edited to add: I also used evening primrose and a bunch of other stuff. No big deal.

Also used the Foley Bulb which made me really sick from the pain (that's just how my body reacts) so I spent a lot of my labor in the bathroom by myself shaking and pooing like I was detoxing from a drug. I share this only so you can be aware and prepared. My H was of no help since I wouldn't let him come in.

[emmuffy]

My wife had a membrane sweep and did not find it painful. It also didn't seem to work (for her at least).

[gsancho]

My best friend had it done and she went into labor the next day. But I've also heard stories of it not doing much...seems like if your body is ready, it helps give it that extra nudge to go into labor. May be worth a try later in the week.

[Deleted]

I had mine swept twice to avoid being induced, but it didn't work. On the plus side I told my OB to push back my induction and they did. Thankfully she came on her own a couple days before my induction. I will say it was fairly uncomfortable when they did it, but not the worst thing.

[turquoisequeen]

Thanks ladies! I went through with it and it wasn't fun but at least it didn't last long. OB said if I did it I wouldn't have to come the night before for cervical ripening so I called that a win.