I was wondering if anyone had experience with this procedure? I'd rather not be induced medicinally because I've heard that the contractions are more intense and stay intense longer than with natural labor, and I'm not going to have an epidural.
At my appointment this morning, I was only 1cm dilated, and I'm due in 2 days. I've not had any real contractions, but I had a round of false labor a couple days ago. (Mildly to not at all painful contractions every 5-10 minutes for 1.5 hours that stopped when I laid down.) Basically, it doesn't look like she's going to come anytime soon. We went ahead and scheduled induction for the 20th, because I wasn't comfortable with inducing this week. I want a little more time to see if she comes on her own; however, I'm thinking of calling my doctor to see if we can do the membrane stripping and get natural labor jumpstarted.
Any information or personal experience stories would be greatly appreciated!
We did do the membrane stripping, but I wasn't very dilated... It had no effect. Went in Monday night (the 20th) to be induced, and they had to give me the intra-cervix meds to help me dilate before they would look at starting Pitocin. The Cervadel(?) ended up kicking me into active labor within about 5 hours, and my baby girl was born Tuesday morning at 6:15am. She's gorgeous and healthy. Came out 8lbs and 20.5 inches. We left the hospital this morning (the 23rd) and are resting before Thanksgiving dinner. (Yes, resting to me is catching up on all my email! :P ) Thanks again everyone for all the advice.
I did not have this done, however my best friend did. She had her membranes stripped at 11:00 am. She went to the hospital right before 7pm and had her baby that night. She said it was one of the most uncomfortable things to have done, but it did the trick. Good Luck!
The doctor started doing this on weekly visits during the last month. Not painful at all but did produce some bleeding. My son was still a week overdue and they started labor by breaking my water. I don't think it's worth making a special trip to the doctor to do. All my children were overdue and I had to be induced. I've been told that it is not healthy to go beyond 41 weeks. By the way, I walked every mall, park, and neighbor and it didn't help! Babies come when THEY want!
I had it done with my daughter 9 years ago and it was one of the most painful things I have endured. The process did not work, although it tore a hole in my amniotic sack and I did not know. The pain did not last long, but the short end of this is that it did not work and they had to enduce me a week later. This could all be different for you and I hope it is. I have heard of it jumpstarting natural labor, but in my case it could have caused a potential problem as I did not know that it had put a hole in the sack and could have caused serious problems.
On the whole, my daughter is turning nine this coming Tuesday. However she came into this world, I am sure glad that she is here and treasure her every single day.
GOOD LUCK!!!!!
I am more for the "natural" and membrane stripping seems to work ( so does having sex). I have not had the procedure done but i know 3 people who had and within 2 days had their baby. good luck! I just had my son 11-2-06! (via section). also with induction, c-sections are a higher rate.
Well...I had this done with both of my girls. The first child the nurse practioner did not even tell me what she was doing, she was suppose to just check if I was dialated (1 week before my due date). I didn't realize exactly what had happened until I started spotting and about 12 hours later started having contractions. I asked the doctor to do it a week before my due date with the second one (very uncomfortable pregnancy) and he obliged, but nothing happened. He did it again a couple of days later and then my water started leaking about 12 hours later, again. I was in labor for a total of 12 hours with the first and did it without any pain meds and the second one was a little stubborn and because the contractions were not close enough and we were approaching the limit on having the bag broken that we decided to us some pitocin. I had her two hours later. I would recommend not having an induction it was so much worse than the first birth I had. I still did not use pain meds, but it was much more stressful for me it was sooo fast that I couldn't catch myself. I am sure others will say I am crazy, but I prefered the 12 hour labor to the 2 hour. I was glad I had the birth experience with the first because the second I felt a little robbed. I wish you luck! Trying it natural is a wonderful experience!!
My doctor just went right to breaking my water and it wasn't painful at all and it ensured delivery that day. I hear membrane stripping is pretty uncomfortable.
I have never had that done, but if you are dialated ask them to induce you by breaking your water, I did have that done...
I was induced because my water broke and I wasnt going into labor, they made me wait for 12 hours to get an epidural. I had conractions every minute and they lasted a minute and a half. If you do have to be induce just remember..... your not going to get any special prize for doing it without pain meds, your still going to go home with the same baby. I was hellbent that I wouldnt do meds bc my Mom had all 4 of us at home without meds and I thought I could do it too. My sister in law had her membranes stripped and it worked in a couple of days for her, but she was still induced because her water broke too. With your first baby your labor is longer (usually) because your body is opening in places its never opened before. I would try it, but it is a painful process I hear. Its awesome that you want to do it natural, but you want it to be an amazing experience for you too. Seeing your baby the first time is the most amazing feeling in the world. Im due with my 2nd in April and I absolutly refuse to be induced again (as if I have any control :) ) But I will request meds a lot sooner!!!! Good luck to you and I wish for you a safe and glorious delivery!
My doctor did it to me and told me that it probally would not work but it did! I really didn't think it was all that painful. I was dilated to 3 at the time, not sure if that makes a big difference or not. Good luck!
Hi M.,
I was pregnant with my child and dialated to 1 about like you, and my contractions were relatively easy..when I went in to the doc that morn they offered to do the "stripping" of my membranes and I figured I had nothing to lose....so they did that was about 11 am and by 4 am the next morn she was here. Hope this helps yes its a little painful but its worth it all in the end
C. L
Leave her alone. If she is gonna come she will come when she is ready. I had 3 out of 4 kids insuced. Not the best feeling in the world let me tell you. lol. Take a long walk do some extra house cleaning. Take your time. You will never get it back. Relax and just let her come. I would not let them strip my membranes. No way. It may feel like you are in labor and you may not really be. I heard it is really painful. No thanks. I will have a late healthy baby first. The due date is also just a guestimation. Take it easy. She will be here in no time.
HELLO M.,
MY NAME IS A. HOOVER. I AM A MOTHER OF 4 CHILDREN AND I HAD MY MEMBRANES SCRAPED WITH ALL OF THEM BUT MY LAST ONE. I USED TO HAVE TO GO IN LIKE EVERY 3 DAYS AND THEY PERFORMED THAT PROCEDURE. IT IS A LITTLE UNCOMFORTABLE, BUT NOT THAT BAD, AND IT ALWAYS PUT ME INTO LABOR AFTER A FEW TIME OF GOING. HOPE THIS HELPS. ALSO TRY GOING ON WALKS IF YOU CAN, LIKE UP STEEP HILLS WHICH I DID ALSO. PLUS WITH ONE OF MY CHILDREN MY MIDWIFE TOLD ME ABOUT BLUE KOHOSH. (YOU COULD ASK YOUR DOCTOR ABOUT THAT ONE FIRST.) BUT I TOOK IT ABOUT 15-20 DROPS IN MY DRINK AND WITHING A DAY OF DOING THAT I WAS IN ACTIVE LABOR. I WOULD SUGGEST TALKING TO YOUR DOCTOR BEFORE GOING TO A HEALTH FOOD STORE AND PURCHASING. HOPE ANY OF THIS ADVICE WORKS. GOODLUCK WITH YOU PREGNANCY AND LET ME KNOW HOW EVERYTHING IS.
first off congrats on baby number 1. I know it will sound a little weird, but get a pedicure... there is a trigger point just beside your achillies tendon that i have had some experience in successfully inducing labor with, and generally gets massaged during a pedicure. and its a great alternative to the extremely painful induced labor (so i've heard)
Hope that helps.
I went into labor within a few days of sort of having my membranes stripped. He started to do it and I freaked because it was so painful. Either it worked or she just wanted to come out. She was born ON her due date. If you're planning on getting an epidural, you may NEVER have to feel the pain of real contractions if you so choose. You can get the epidural right after they induce you, before the meds even kick in for contractions to start. However, keep in mind, after you get the epidural, you can't move from that bed. No matter how badly you want to, your legs aren't going to move. So I personally, would wait till I felt some pain. No matter what you decide, good luck and I hope she/he comes on his/her own.
J.
The more active you are upright the more gravity will work for you. I didn't have this done, but I ended up nesting the day I went to the hospital. I realiezed I was leaking fluid and when I got to the hospital they told me yes, I was, and when they checked me I was not dialated and in a -1 station. Then my water broke. I started with pitocin and it does make it stronger I think. I wanted to go natural too, but after 10 hours of labor and still just being 2 centimeters and contractions hard, I gave in for the epidural. You barely feel it...compared to the contractions, it was like nothing. I was a happy camper throught the rest of my 23 hour labor. And this was my first. But just so you know, I didn't know this when I went in, I hadn't ate anything more than a bowl of cereal at 9:30 on a Friday morning, I couldn't eat until Saturday after noon. Ice chips all they way when you get epidural. That is one thing I wish someone would of told me. Good luck with the first!
hi M.
i have four kids and two of the four was induced my frist and my last . the frist one was alomost 17 yrs. ago and that did hurt like you no what but i was also only 17 when i had her. but when i had my last one only four yrs. ago it was a breese and if you are going to have an epidural then i wouldn't realy worry about it because your not going to feel any thing any way. i don't think being induced is as bad as every one says it is . hang in the it almost over . hope every thing gos okay for you good luck . let us know when you have the baby .
