33- Stripping the Membranes

Transcript:

This is episode 33. Over the next several episodes we’re going to continue our series on informed decision making and take a closer look at several different medical interventions you might encounter in your pregnancy and childbirth journey.

Today we’re talking about Stripping the Membranes.

But before we jump into that I want to tell you about the preparing for childbirth community that will be starting in June. This is for mamas at any stage of pregnancy. Maybe you just found out you’re pregnant and want to make the most of it but it’s too early to take a full class yet. Maybe you’re struggling through that first trimester because of morning sickness. Second trimester is speeding by? Join the preparing for childbirth community for weekly encouragement, monthly journaling prompts and live co-journaling time, links to resources, and a place to ask questions and connect with other moms. If that sounds appealing to you, follow the link in the show notes for more information.

Ok, today we’re talking about Stripping the Membranes.

This happens when your care provider reaches in through the vagina and loosens the lower segment of the amniotic sac from the cervix. Let’s think about how to use your BRAIN, B.R.A.I.N, to decide if stripping the membranes is a good option for you. If you’re not familiar with the BRAIN acronym, I encourage you to go back and listen to episode 31 to learn more about that. I’ll put a link in the show notes.

So we can only speak in general terms here because we’re not looking at a specific scenario, but in general here are some of the benefits to consider…

Stripping the membranes may improve chances of spontaneous labor and reduce the risk of having a formal medical induction. And it’s a relatively simple low cost procedure. Stripping the membranes when you’re in early labor could also work to speed up your labor.

Some risks include an increase in the risk of your water breaking before labor. And you need to know that the water breaking puts you on a time line for baby to be born. The procedure can also be really uncomfortable and causes cramping, bleeding, or spotting.

It is important to note that many OB/Gyns assume that this procedure is a given, and do not ask permission. You might need to be proactive in communicating to your provider whether or not you want this procedure – especially if you don’t want it.

Ok, so what are some alternatives?

You could just be patient and wait for labor to start on its own or try natural forms of induction first. I’ll share more ideas along those lines in an episode coming soon.

Or if you’re in early labor and wanting to speed things up but have not reached at least 4 cm, meaning you don’t want to risk your water breaking before your labor is well established, you can use things like movement and nipple stimulation to try to crank up the contractions instead.

Ok, We’ve talked about the B – benefits, the R – risks, and A – alternatives.

Don’t forget about the I in the BRAIN acronym. It stands for Intuition & I always encourage that to be prayer informed. Spend some time praying & asking for the Lord’s guidance in your particular situation. Think about your circumstances and your preferences. Think about how stripping the membranes might line up with your preferences or how it might lead away from them. Talk with your husband or another support person, then make your decision.

And the N in our acronym stands for Now? Or Never? This is a reminder that now may not be the right time. If the need for induction isn’t imminent, then perhaps it’s a good idea to wait until 40 weeks (for a first birth) or 41 weeks (for subsequent births) before you allow your care provider to strip your membranes.

As you’ve heard there are some good reasons to avoid stripping the membranes as well as some good reasons to use it. You get to make the decision about what’s best for your situation.

If you’ve enjoyed today’s podcast or found it helpful, I hope you’ll share it with a friend, and I’d love for you to leave a rating and review.

It is my prayer that these podcasts will help you grow in confidence and peace as the day draws near for you to meet your little one. I'm so glad you tuned in today.

And if you’d like to go deeper or have some help along the journey, I encourage you to check out my Growing in Confidence and Peace childbirth course or the preparing for childbirth community. There’s a link in the show notes where you can find more information about either of those.

Show notes:

In this episode we talk about Stripping the Membranes including benefits, risks and alternatives. You can find the transcript at preparingforchildbirth.com/stripping-the-membranes.

Connect with me:

Preparing for Childbirth Community information

Growing in Confidence & Peace Childbirth Course

If you’re local to Nairobi, Kenya, this is the link for you!

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