Thread: Stripping of the membranes ?

Originally Posted by Spacers

Please look into this yourself and don't just take your doctor's word for it. Pitocin has been proven safe in VBAC situations where labor has stalled -- when it's used with caution. Augmenting with a bit of Pitocin is a much safer option than moving straight to RCS if labor stalls. The VBAC protocol is to start low, go slow, turn it off when a good pattern gets going, and don't go too high. My hospital's VBAC protocol is to start at 2 milliunits/min and increase by 2mu every hour, and they wll not go above 10 milliunits/min unless you have an internal fetal monitor *and* you're making progress. The problem is that too many hospitals have a standard "Pitocin protocol" which is to start at 2, up it to 4 after 30 minutes, and then up it by 4 every half hour, so you'll be at 20mu in 2.5 hours, and they just refuse to do it for VBACs instead of having an alternate protocol. If your labor stalls & you aren't comfortable with moving straight to RCS, remember that the doctors & nurses work for you, so tell them you won't consent to RCS without at least trying a bit of Pitocin. But watch the dosage, whenever anyone comes to tinker with your IV, ask what they're doing! Good luck to you!

Thanks Stacey ! I'll make sure to look into that.

I had my appt. this morning and I've made some great progress since last week. I'm now 2 centimetres dilated and 70% effaced. She asked if I wanted her to strip my membranes to speed things along, but I said no. She was very supportive of my decision to wait until I am past 40 weeks (if I get to that point). I've started feeling a lot of cramping and pressure, so hopefully baby will be here soon.

Glad your doctor was supportive, and I hope things move along for you with no interventions needed! I started having my membranes stripped after 40 weeks...wouldn't have done it even then, except that I only had one week to be "overdue" and still eligible to birth in my birth center, so once I was full term I did all the "natural interventions" I could to help ensure that I would make it and not "risk out" to the hospital. None of them did anything for me, though, except blue cohosh. THAT finally did it...with mere hours to spare. I probably would have gone naturally in the next day or so anyway, though, and my labor was super long because of trying to push it, I think.

(Stupid deadlines.)

Thankfully she's been very supportive of my wanting a VBAC and hasn't given me any deadlines, but I have a feeling if I make it pass my due date that she may start talking about a repeat c-sec. due to my history of big babies. I've been having a lot of lower back pain and AF type cramping ever since yesterday, so hopefully that will lead to something soon. My first was born vaginally at 40 weeks, 1 day, so at least I know that my body is able to do it.

I don't know anything about stripping membranes, but I think I know what my answer is to that if it comes up. KUP on how are doing and good luck over the next few days. I'll be excited to hear about your birth experience.