Stripping Membranes

MyBabeMaddie wrote: Has anyone ever had their membranes stripped? When do they usually do this and does it do anything?

PS... Are there any "home remedies" for bringing on labor that have worked for you?

PrairieMom replied: we had sex, but all it did was bring on contractions for me, not actual labor. Maybe walking? I have heard castor oil works, but I have also heard that its very dangerous.

ZandersMama replied: as far as i know stripping the membranes involves getting the cervix ready to deliver............it helps bring on labour by thinning everything in there but im not sure how. I know some say sex brings on labor(worked for me ) and walking alot is said to as well. GOOD LUCK!

MyBabeMaddie replied: Wow that was the fastest responce ever, lol... I don't think I know what sex is anymore thats definitely out of the picture (he's really freaked out about it)... I'm too afraid to try castor oil and I have walked my butt off for the past couple weeks, we moved last weekend and everyone was like oh take it easy or you'll put yourself into labor so I worked as hard as I possibly could - still nothing!

I know they say its the prostaglandins in semen that help labor but what about the "big O" could that possibly jump start these contractions?

luvmykids replied: I had my membranes stripped with my last one, I went in to labor that night so for me it worked but I've heard it doesn't always.

kimberley replied: they did the "stretch and sweep" with me and it didn't work the first time. baby comes when baby wants to come lol.
nipple stimulation and walking will bring on cx but never anything more than a couple of hours for me. hang in there.

CantWait replied: My membranes were striped with my last baby right at 40 weeks. I barely left the doctors office and I was feeling a difference already.

KingMom replied: I haven't had my membranes stripped or anything but I know how you feel! I'm so ready, though I'm going in on Monday morning at 6am to have my water broke if I don't go into labor over the weekend.

All I've heard is to have sex and that's what my doc told me to do Sunday night! My DH is scared also to have sex while I'm pregnant (was like that with both pregnancies) so it should be funny Sunday.

Keep moving and definetly try to have sex and see if helps keep those contractions coming.

I'm not staying off my feet either, cleaning, and all trying to put myself in labor.

Good luck

MyLuvBugs replied: Oh gosh. there are so many things that people say "work wonders", but honestly stipping the membranes and exercise were the only two that worked for me. Here's a list to try:
-Walking/exercise (with in reason.)
-Sex (make sure you both have an O )
-Castor Oil (be careful b/c this can also cause the baby to have a BM in utero)
-Spicy food (Yummy!!)
-Blue & Black Cohosh (since this is herbal, you'll need to really do some research on it first)
-Nipple Stimulation (Let your DH have some fun! )
-Raspberry Leaf Tea & Cinnamin Stick tea (Calming and can help bring on contracitions)
-Evening Primrose Oil (Comes in a pill form)
-Acupuncture/Acupressure points
-Stripping Membranes

I tried Castor oil once and nearly threw up. I'll never do that again, and it didn't work anyway. I tried walking/exercise....all it did was tire me out, but I'm sure it helped with labor. We did acupressure points which was fun b/c DH would also massage. Not sure it helped, but I did go into labor about a week after starting to do it each day. And then at 39wks and 4 days I had my membranes stripped....which caused me to spot bleed for three days and then I ended up in labor right on my due date.

Definately give a couple of these a try if you think you really need to get things started, but just remember....baby's will come when they are ready.

huggybugboy replied: I had my sister-in-law paint my toenails for the doctor. Miles came the next day, two days early.

Cece00 replied:
Stripping my membranes never did anything for me (of course they only did it with my first, he's the only 1 I had any labor with) and personally, I dont believe those home remedies worked. I tried all the safe ones...personally I would SERIOUSLY discourage anyone trying castor oil.

Bamamom replied: I don't know about anyone else here but I WILL NEVER LET THEM TRY TO STRIP THE MEMBRANE AGAIN! It hurt SO BAD! That pain was worse than the labor, delivery, and recovery combined. It was awful. And it was 3 more weeks until little man decided it was time to arrive.

Try sex and spicy food - neither worked for me but get them in now. If you're breastfeeding spicy food will be out for a while and sex is gone for 6 weeks PP.

ashtonsmama replied:


Good luck and KUP!

Mommy2Isabella replied: I drank the Rasberry Leaf tea and it just tastes like DIRT.

I talked to one lady who drank castrol oil, it put her into labor, but what it is supposed to do is "Clean Your Sysytem" if you get me!

Walking just helps the baby get lower in the pelvis which is good and can bring on labor but HOW MUCH WALKING it will take ... WHO KNOWS

Sex, hasn't worked forme yet! < they say it only works if you haven't been active throughout your pregnancy

I don't know about the others though ...

HTH ... KUP