A cervical ripening balloon catheter is a gentle and effective labour induction method used to help your cervix — the neck of your womb — soften and begin to open in preparation for childbirth. 🩺 What the Procedure Involves During a vaginal examination, a midwife carefully inserts a soft silicone tube (catheter) through your cervix. At the end of the catheter is a small balloon, which is then filled with sterile saline (salt water solution). As the balloon fills, it applies steady, gentle press

That’s an IUPC - intrauterine pressure catheter. They aren’t used TOO often and I’m not preaching they you should have one, but they can be important and needed sometimes and you should know about them. The IUPC is the only thing that can really tell the team how strong your contractions are, NOT the tracing. Big or small “hills” on that contraction strip, we can’t really look at that and say what’s going on in there. You can also lay your hands on a belly and feel things - for sure. But that al