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Non-clicky Poll: Stripped membranes?
Because I'm bored this morning, and I'm still holding out hope of giving birth in the next couple of days, I got to thinking, and now I'm obsessed with figuring out my likelihood of going into labor this weekend (which yes, I realize is impossible, but humor me, please!).
Background: At my 39w appt wednesday, Dr stripped my membranes. I was 3cm dilated, 80% effaced, and he told me my cervix was "very anterior" (which was a new term to me but he said means it's "right there where it needs to be for delivery"), and my bag of waters was also "right there and bulgling". In fact he joked that if I had a crochet/knitting needle handy I could probably take care of breaking my water myself. So then he swept the membranes. So far I've felt no difference except spotting the rest of that day (which is normal) and today it feels like baby has dropped even more, which I didn't think was possible without him sliding out!
So, if your doc swept/stripped your membranes, what effect did it have? Do you think it put you into labor, and if so, how long after he/she did it did labor start for you? Please tell me your experience, to keep me occupied?
(FWIW, with DS1, my dr swept my membranes at 39w4d and I was barely 1cm. It had no effect at all, and was induced for medical reasons exactly 1 week later, with no further progress and not one single contraction).
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Re: Non-clicky Poll: Stripped membranes?
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I had it done on Wednesday with DS and Friday I woke up with contractions 10 mintues apart. I don't think it will start labor unless you're ready for it, but I think it can help with progressing more, baby dropping lower and getting some contractions going. That's what it did for me anyway.
He was already really low, so it didn't feel different in any way like that for me. My contractions definitely picked up after that though, and by Sunday I woke up at 2:30am no longer able to sleep through them and they were 6 minutes apart.
I had mine stripped at 40w and I was already 3 cm and 40% effaced. Less than 12 hours later, I was having real contractions and about 20 hours after having them stripped, I had DS. I think I've read that medically speaking, it can help induce labor in 50% of women, but anecdotally speaking, I think it can definitely help your body if you're ready to go into labor!
My thought is, that with all of the pre-labor you've been having, once the real thing starts, you're gonna go fast!! I hope baby decides to come soon!!