# Stripping membranes and contractions



## triana1326 (Aug 8, 2007)

For all you BTDT mamas - how soon after the membranes have been stripped do contactions usually begin?

I'm 39+2, 2 cm dialated, and "soft and squishy" cervix-wise, according to my midwife....


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## triana1326 (Aug 8, 2007)

Nobody? Really? Did I also mention that I'm facing a possible medical induction due to being pre-pre-eclampsia? Come on mamas - I know someone out there can help answer my question...


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## St. Margaret (May 19, 2006)

Well, I didn't have my mebranes stripped, and I imagine a lot of us avoid that, which is why you're not getting responses? Maybe? But it could certainly help get you going. I would imagine it varies a lot. For some it's not going to get anything going, and for others it's just what's needed to do the trick. Good luck!

BTDT moms chime in if you're here!


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## aslyn (Dec 12, 2007)

A few months back, a woman went into l&d while I was there for a UTI and she said her DR had stripped hers and she went walking around the mall all day long. I am not sure how much she progessed or whatnot but she said her ctx were about 10 min apart.

HTH


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## llfoster (Sep 16, 2009)

I started having very mild contractions about 3 hours after the S&S. (continued to have very mild ones until my water broke almost 6 hours later)

good luck!


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## poorlittlefish (Jul 20, 2008)

For me, pretty much immediately.
With my DD, I had an 11:30 OB apt in which he stripped my membranes, I bled immediately and began having contractions (which felt like period cramps) right away. I had my DD at 6:45 that night.

Good luck to yoU!


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## frolick16 (Feb 10, 2004)

I believe if it is going to work it usually does within the first 24 to 48 hours...I had mine stripped and my water broke 48 hours later resulting in baby 12 hours after that.


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## rhiOrion (Feb 17, 2009)

I had mine swept 4 times in about a week (was facing a medical induction for cholestasis). The first time I was fingertip dilated. The second time I was 1-2 cm. The third time i was 3-4 cm. but none of those times did i have any noticeable contractions. then i drank castor oil and was crampy that night. I know now that it was contractions. then i had my membranes swept one last time, and was at about 4-5 cm. that night i started having lots of cramps. i had to sit down at one point. they were regular. then they petered out. had i known at the time that those were contractions, i would've tried harder to get myself into labor. i ended up with my medical induction, but at least i went in at 5 cm.


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## MamaMonica (Sep 22, 2002)

Moved to Birth and Beyond


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## Magali (Jun 8, 2007)

My doc stripped my membranes. My water broke next morning at 4 am, but labor started hours later. I ended up on pitocin because my waters had been ruptured for so long. I have no idea if my waters broke so early because of the stripping, but don't want any stripping just in case that is what caused it. So basically my baby was born 35 hours after stripping membranes.


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## SublimeBirthGirl (Sep 9, 2005)

When that happened to me (sans consent), I was 39 weeks I think, IIRC. I had cramping and spotting very soon after. She was born at 41 +4...so guess it didn't do anything.


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## triana1326 (Aug 8, 2007)

We have already done three days of castor oil, blue and black cohosh, acupressure/puncture, massage, and relaxation. I had my membranes stripped yesterday at 1pm. I've bled a little bit, lost a bunch of mucous plug, and had a few contractions, but since about 6pm last night until now all I've had was some very light brown spotting, no cntx, nothing, nada. I feel like my uterus is like a watched pot at this point and it's never going to boil. I'm very worried about getting to the point where my HB is out the window and I'm facing medical induction. My mw was really gentle and I'm wondering if I should ask to have it done again a bit more aggressively, or if I should just wait.

I just am so frustrated and discouraged and tired of waiting for something to happen.


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## MegBoz (Jul 8, 2008)

I had my membranes stripped at 41W 4D because their hospitaly "policy" was to induce at 42W 0D







. One of my MWs (CNM) actually said (indirectly) that she didn't have a problem with me refusing, but I felt pressure & thought I'd give it a try. It was totally my request.
She said I was about 3 cm, went to 4 cm as she did the stripping and while she didn't give me a % effaced, she said it was, "a perfect cervix. Really perfect! I think this will do it!" I asked about coming back in the morning to have it done again (since some studies show it can be effective to do it repeatedly if the 1st try doesnt' work.) She said, "I really don't think you'll even have to worry about that! I think this will do it."








she knows her stuff! I bled a bit & felt crampy immediately. But not coming in waves & not through the uterus - just crampy feeling in my cervix. But actual ctrx started 2 hours later. That was early labor & it got going more heavily 1 hour after that - I was all though 1st stage in under 5 hours for those first ctrx.


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## CherryBomb (Feb 13, 2005)

I had my membranes swept a few times with my OB for dd3 and it didn't do anything. But I think that's because she wasn't very aggresive about it, it didn't even hurt.


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## St. Margaret (May 19, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *triana1326* 
We have already done three days of castor oil, blue and black cohosh, acupressure/puncture, massage, and relaxation. I had my membranes stripped yesterday at 1pm. I've bled a little bit, lost a bunch of mucous plug, and had a few contractions, but since about 6pm last night until now all I've had was some very light brown spotting, no cntx, nothing, nada. I feel like my uterus is like a watched pot at this point and it's never going to boil. I'm very worried about getting to the point where my HB is out the window and I'm facing medical induction. My mw was really gentle and I'm wondering if I should ask to have it done again a bit more aggressively, or if I should just wait.

I just am so frustrated and discouraged and tired of waiting for something to happen.



















Maybe there is some visualization you can do, too? I know Hypnobabies has a "baby come OUT" script to help in situations like this. I hope that baby is ready and comes soon for you!


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