I'm trying not to get all excited. But today the midwives are going to Sweep my Membranes. (Another excellent name for a band, no? And now, with their hit single Gush, we have the Membrane Sweepers!)
According to the National Institutes of Health archive of randomized studies (excuse me for a moment while I make out with the internet), this procedure is proven to help women give birth without going over 40 weeks AND is without adverse side effects.
In the states it's usually called "Stripping the Membranes" but that's just way too lawn-thatcher Freddy Kruger sounding so I'll opt for the more genteel brit "Sweeping". All it entails is a careful exam of the cervix where the doc sort of runs their finger around the rim to release the membranes from the wall. It's supposed to stimulate the area to produce their happy little hormones, just like the kid's head has purportedly been doing as it whaps up against the backside my most secret of secrets. He is also rather fond of massaging my bladder.
Sometimes it does nothing. Sometimes women notice changes or actually do go into labor within a day or two. It statistically reduces the need for medically intrusive induction (Pitocin, breaking bag of waters, all the way up to c-sections etc).
Wouldn't that be something??!!!???!!!! Progress. Real or imaginary, it's a beautiful thing.
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