@alyssamarie315, it's just a way to "help" speed things along. Sometimes it doesn't do anything but it can help (it did for me) sometimes it breaks the water too.
well, then there's no need for it you have your baby I believe when my OB did it that's what got me started in early labor cause my son came right on his due date shortly after that appointment.
They do it at 38 weeks or later. They take their fingers and sweep out the membrane surrounding the wall of your uterus. It helps bring the baby down a little bit more. Let me see if I can find the pic my L&D nurse friend gave me