Stripping Membranes to Start Labor

Updated on September 07, 2010
L.C. asks from Duluth, MN
16 answers

Hi ladies,
I am a week overdue and today the dr. stripped the membranes in hopes of starting labor and avoiding induction. Since, I have been crampy and have an achy back. I am having contractions but they are irregular and painless.
Has anyone had this procedure? Did it work and how long did it take to start labor?
I hope it works for me!!!
Thanks!

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So What Happened?

Well stripping the membranes did not work for me! I was scheduled to be induced 5 days later at 8:45 am. Well, I went into labor naturally and arrived at the hospital at 8:00- had my baby boy at 11:50 am at a whopping 10 pounds 5 ounces! Hooray!!

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M.S.

answers from Omaha on

I had my membranes stripped with my first. It was done about 8:30 am and I went into labor about 12pm.

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J.C.

answers from Lincoln on

I had it done at a week overdue, no luck. Had to be induced a week later. I had the spotting and cramping, but that's it.

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C.W.

answers from Austin on

My doc stripped my membranes a couple days before I was due (didn't want my pregnancy to drag on too long because of the size of my baby)... A week later I went in for an induction, after 10 hours I was sent home. Went into labor on my own 2 days after that... so for me it was 9 days from getting stripped when I finally went into labor.

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S.B.

answers from Redding on

I was in labor for a long time and this procedure was done at the hospital and things really got rocking and rolling after that. My daughter was delivered just hours later.
I'm glad my doctor did it.
I'd been in labor for days.

It works.
Best wishes.

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E.O.

answers from San Francisco on

Hi,
My doctor did that on a Friday appointment in his office. On Saturday around dinner time my water broke.

Good luck to you and hope you'll share the good news when you can! :)

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E.G.

answers from Minneapolis on

I had mine stripped at 38.5 wks at 9am. Afterwards I had spotting and maybe slight cramping. Literally 24 hours later, the contractions started and delivery went perfect!

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C.D.

answers from Omaha on

I had this procedure done and it was about 2-3 days and then I started labor... Good Luck!

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A.J.

answers from San Francisco on

At 39.5 week my OB stripped my membrane at about 10 am, labor was full blown by 10pm, I went to the hospital at 12am @ a 7.5 cm ,had my son 5 am that morning....Basically my OB said if I was ready to go into labor the stripping would work...If not I'd have a bunch of cramping that wouldn't progress..For me that was the hardest part, I kept questioning whether they were 'real' contractions... this time around my contractions barely hurt compared to my 1st.. Good luck I was soo glad I let my OB do it...

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E.M.

answers from Johnstown on

Yes, they started me at 10:30 in the evening because "this only works with 2% of the women we do it with, so we'll get this done and then start the other proceedure around 8 in the morning"...well, I'm apparently in that 2% minority because by 5 a.m. I was in full-force labor...and my daughter was born by 7 a.m. Very quick.

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K.T.

answers from Philadelphia on

Hello,
My doctor stripped my membranes 2 years ago with my daughter. The procedure was done on a Monday afternoon. I was scedule to be induced Friday morning, I had my baby grl Friday 8:30 p.m. Shockingly everything was very painless, the doctors we're very comforting:) good luck with everything. God bless you on your new edition.

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J.L.

answers from Bismarck on

keep walking that will help you progress faster. hope you have your baby soon

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T.T.

answers from Davenport on

i had this done with both of mine, i too was overdue and unfortunately it didn't work for me, i had to be enduced. best of luck and congrats on your new arrival!
~T. t. :)

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K.D.

answers from Dallas on

I hope it works for you too!! I had it done also, but it didn't do a thing except make me bleed a TINY bit. It was done on a Friday afternoon, and I was induced on Wednesday afternoon. I would be willing to bet that some OB's have a magic touch, maybe yours did, because for some moms it works. I guess all it really comes down to is your baby being ready.

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T.L.

answers from Milwaukee on

i had it done on my due date and I had to be induced 5 days later. If it works, I think it is supposed to work in 24 hours or so. Good luck!

A.G.

answers from Pocatello on

My doctor did it 1. days before my due date because he thought I was ready. That night I was just crampy and had some spotting but by morning it was gone. Then around 6 that night (while out to dinner with friends) my water broke! I went into the hospital and had her the next morning by c-section because of other complications. But that night he strip my membranes I went on a long walk, did squats for a while at home and had sex that night in hopes that that would get things going. I worked for me :)

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L.L.

answers from Topeka on

Yes I had it done twice the last Ob visit I started labor 24-48 hrs later never had to have an induction.Baby will be here soon!!!

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