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i had my membranes stripped at 39 weeks. The doctor did it at 11:00 in the morning. About a half hour later I had some brownish red bleeding that lasted for a few hours. I also had some mild menstral cramps. About 9:00 pm I started having mild contractions that were about 20 minutes apart. I went to bed and was woken at 3:30 am by a very painful contraction. I did not want to run to the hospital, so I waited out the contractions until they were 5 minutes apart and unbarable. At 5:30, right before I left for the hospital I lost my mucus plug in the bathroom. The hospital was about 10 minutes away and my water broke on my way in. I had my son at 11:28 that morning. I don't know if I would have gone into labor anyway, that day but I do believe that stripping my membranes caused my labor to go very fast.

I dont suggest letting the Doctor Strip your membranes my doctor has already done it to me twice and it is very painful and is not affective

Hi, I had my membranes stripped yesterday. My mucous plug started coming out within hours and had some pretty bad cramping last night. This morning I had one big contraction, still bleeding a bit but nothing else. Hope this works! Good luck to you all...

i am 39 weeks and 5 days and i am 90% effaced and almost two cm diliated and i had my memebranes stripped do you think i will go today?? please reply thanks

I had my membranes stripped on 9/15. I went into labor on 9/17 and delivered on 9/18. I had contractions for 2 days and even went to the hospital and was sent home because I was not progressing fast enough. I believe I went into labor because the provider I had was really rough when doing the procedure. He warned me and he was right.

I had my membranes stripped when I was dilated to 1 and 50% effaced. I had a horrible long labor, lasting three days, where I dilated slowly (approx. 5 hours per each centimeter) but had contractions at a "nine" level. I, luckily, didn't have a c-section, but my memory of the labor is a terrible one. I had what was termed "failure to progress," which I've later learned is a common side effect of having membranes stripped. The body thinks it's in labor after the membranes are stripped, but it's often not ready (especially if the membranes are stripped under 4 centimeters) but will have contractions at a much higher level. I've read new research that says that stripping the membranes causes women to have long and painful labors, often ending in c-sections because of "failure to progress." I would NOT recommend this at all unless it's absolutely necessary and ONLY if the doctor does it after you're 4 centimeters and having a slow labor. Take it from someone who has been there and had the worst labor experience that anyone could have. It was a nightmare, and I believe that if I hadn't had my membranes stripped, it would have turned out much easier. My sister went into labor naturally (late, of course), and had her baby in 5 hours with no pain medicine. I, on the other hand, was induced at 41 weeks by having my membranes stripped before my body was ready (i.e. fully dilated) and had a 70-hour labor of the most excruciating pain with slow dilation and huge contractions. I will never, ever do that again. The body is meant to go into labor naturally, and there's a reason that stripping the membranes is so controversial. It is an unnecessary intervention that often causes a nightmarish long, drawn-out, painful labor for the mother. The newest research supports this fact. Think long and hard before submitting to this procedure.

I had my "membrane" stripped 2 weeks before I had my daughter. This is also called "reaming". It is painful. My mucous plug came out about 2 days later, but I never went into contractions. I went back to my doctor a week later, and he said I was 1 cm dialated, with no pre-labor contractions, but that my daughter was big enough to be delivered. If he let me carry to 40 weeks, I'd have to have a c-section, because she would be too big for my v____al ca___l. I went in for the induction a week later. (This is 2 weeks post stripping) Started on pitocin at 7:30 am, had my water broken by 10:00 am, had an epidural by 11:00 am, had a nap until 2:00 pm and had my daughter by 2:45 pm. She was the most healthy baby that could ever have been born. When she was placed on my chest, umbilical cord still attached, she picked up her head, and said to me with her eyes, "Whew, I'm glad that's over!" and then put her head back down. She didn't cry until they started cleaning her off. It is different for everyone, and every pregnancy. I guess you have to pick the route that is best for you. For those of you that are curious, your body goes into labor because the baby's lungs produce a chemical marker which they expell into the amniotic fluid to let your body know that the baby's lungs are mature enough to breath air. This chemical marker is called oxytocin, which is molecularly similar to pitocin which they give to induce labor. Sometimes the "reaming" can make the baby produce this oxytocin, but not always. It didn't in my case, but it certainly didn't cause me any abnormal pain or harm. It is one of the steps the docs take when they feel it is right to have your baby.

First of all, some may say that stripping membranes is painful (I think it depends on who does it for you...I have had different experiences)...however, the possible pain that you could experience while getting your membranes stripped does not compare to actual child birth so you might as well go for it. I am pregnant with number four and plan on having my membranes stripped at my next appointment for sure. It has worked each time I have had it done and have had the baby that same night. I can imagine that its effectiveness depends on whether the baby is ready to come also... I have been 75% efaced and dilated to a 3 for almost 2 weeks now...so, hopefully this will work. Good luck to all.

I read an earlier message about membrane stripping can cause longer labor.... while I have not done any research, that has definitely never been my experience. After four kids, my longest labor is 4 hours...start to finish. So, I believe that it has to do with your body, and how each individual body labors, not because of a result of having your membranes stripped.

This is straight from my OB's mouth. When I asked him if it would hurt, he said, and I quote "it only takes about 15 seconds. But about 5 seconds into it you will be questioning my heritage. It hurts like a sonafab___h." End quote.

Stripping membranes DOES CAUSE LONG LABOR if it is done before you are dilated to three centimeters. For those women who say their labors were NOT long after stripping, it is because their bodies were ready. However, if you are stripped too early, as I was, then you will be in for a long and painful labor. DO NOT LET YOUR DOCTORS STRIP BEFORE THREE CENTIMETERS AND PROPERLY EFFACED!!!! There is plenty of research to support this (as the other poster said), and if a doctor does it too early, you are in for a world of hurt. I'm just trying to help people avoid unnecessary torture.

im 39 weeks my dr. stripped my membranes last week and still nothing. i am 3 1/2cm dilated,80% effaced, and -2 station,im in the early stage labor just not progressing on my own.i guess it depends on the baby

as of today i am 40 weeks and 1 day i was scedualed to be induced but my hospital was full and i had to go see my docter and rescedual. when i went to the docter i thouht i would be the same 75% effeced and 1 to 1/2 cm dialted which i have been for two weeks. when my docter checked me today he stripped my membrains he had to strech me to 2 cm and so far i have not had one contraction, but now i am 90% effeced and 2 cm dialted he would rather me to go into labor on my own otherwise i will be induced wednesday october 5th. i think it is worth a try you never know. i have been in pain for almost a week with my back. i have tryed everything i even tryed castor oil did not work for me just made me sick.

I do agree with the stripping of membranes causing long labor theory. I was in labor for 30+ hours and ended up with a cesearan. But it was all worth my son and I would do it again.

I'm due in 2 day. My dr stripping my membranes when i was 36 wks for the first time. I was dilated over 1 cm. on my 37th wks she stripping me membranes again and dilate over 2cm and lost my muscu plug the next day and still no sign. Today i ask my dr to stripping my membranes again. althought it painful but I can't wait to see my baby. I hepe am going into labor on my our by this week. otherwise on Monday i will be induce. Good luck to all the women.

I'm now 39+4 and had my membranes stripped yesterday, the doctor said I was 3cm 80% efaced and the baby is at 0 station, I had alot of heavy bleeding and cramping after the procedure and today I feel fine. Is that a sign that it will not work?