Stripping membranes?

FirstTimePregnancy

I have read a number of posts that mention having your membranes stripped, but none of them have said anything about what this means.  I am a FTM and am finding that there is still so much I need to learn.  Can any of you more informed ladies tell me what stripping membranes means and why this would need to be done?  TIA!

EllePost

also called a membrane sweep- basically IF you are dilated the dr can 'sweep' the  membranes with their finger that connect the bag to the inside of your cervix and If you are already close to delivery it can speed things along. I have had this done three times already and am still very much not in labor lol 

EllePost

or separate bag from uterus..at any rate Google will probably give you a more accurate answer than mine, lol, but you get the idea

Melanie.Brown

PP said it.  I had it done with my first at 40+ weeks.  2 days later my water broke.  But there is no way to know if it's because of the membrane sweep or not.  I had an appt today and Dr. said I was 2cm (big improvement from 1/2cm last week!) she asked if I wanted it done.  I said yes, she did it and then said "Okay, now you're 3 cm!"  Woot!  We'll see if anything happens over the next few days.

92405bride

I just had it done today - so far nothing yet

The idea is that doing this can release some hormone causing the cervix to dilate more or something.