Stripping My Membranes

So your Doctor is recommending to do this because you are uncomfortable and your daughter moving around causes pain? But you are 38 weeks pregnant. At this stage it is uncomfortable anyway.

It is usually done to trigger, labor.
Why is your Doctor wanting to do this?

I had that done... but it was because, at 38 weeks I went into labor, but had complications. My daughter was not coming out, I was NOT dilating despite Pitocin and other things etc. And this was done by my Doc, as a last effort... but I ended up having to have emergency C-Section.

My doctor did that to me without telling me... it kinda hurt. She just said "oh by the way I just stripped your membranes that's why the exam felt a little more aggressive than usual...". It was the week of my due date Anyway so I guess she didn't think she needed to run that by me or anything! I started having contractions the following afternoon I think, or it may have been 2 days later even.

I'm not that familiar with the practice of it, I hadn't heard of it till my Dr did it to me.. why would it be done as early as 38 weeks... when babies have 2 more weeks to develop ideally?

Essentially they put something akin to a zip tie (plastic serrated edge thingy) up your vagina and pull it back out...it is uncomfortable but totally do-able.

I have had it done and it was NOT a big deal...especially when you are at the stage to be DONE with being pregnant!!

My sister had this done twice. It was painful. The first time she went into labor that night. The second time, it was still 5 days before she went into labor. The first time she was 4 days past her due date, the second time it was done 4 days before her due date. After the first time she said she would never do it again. She wanted to go into labor naturally with no assistance. That went out the window when she was in so much pain she couldn't move.