Castor Oil?

[spencersmommy]

So, have any of you taken castor oil to induce labor? I am 39 weeks with #3 and feeling heavy and ready!!! I actually took a tiny bit of castor oil in applesauce with baby #2 and he was born the next morning...but I never told my doctor...is it "bad"? I also know it doesn't necessarily work. SIL took it and didn't have the baby for over another week or so. She just had bad cramps.
Anyway, just wanted to see what you all thought! :-)

[scoop22]

heavy and ready i know the feeling.. i am very interested to hear what others have to say.. i was told today about raspberry tea. the herbal kind. not lipton.. so i am thinking i might need to make a run to the store.

sending you labor vibes mama!

[wendmatt]

I was 41 weeks, took castor oil and thought I was in labor but it was just bad cramps! I drank lots of raspberry tea, did ankle massage and took some other herb someone recommended! DD was just too comfortable in there and didn't come until I was induced at 42 weeks. I don't know if it's bad but if it worked for you last time and you feel ready I don't see the harm. Believe me, if the baby's not ready to come, it won't come!

[SnuggleBuggles]

I wrote this up for my old labor board:
-Castor oil. The biggest risk is dehydration from excessive bowel movements. This can decrease the amniotic fluid levels and cause maternal problems as well. It can also cause cramping which is unpleasant and possibly mistaken for contractions. Hemmorhoids as a result of the bms can be unpleasant. A really rapid labor is a possible result too, especially if you take more than "recommended." There have been no conclusive studies indicating whether it can cause baby to pass meconium in utero. Some moms take that to mean it won't happen; others take it to mean that it could happen. One possible reason for a connection is that moms try this when they are post date and baby is already at a greater risk of passing meconium. Impossible to know if it would have happened with or without the castor oil. Meconium would probably be more a result of a fast labor (more stress to baby) than the castor oil. Castor oil can also not be undone if problems arise. Finally, if your cervix is not favorable, you have very few prelabor signs and you haven't hit your EDD yet then the odds of it working are not too high. If you are right on the verge of labor then it might cause some activity. Weigh out the pros and cons before proceeding. If you still want to try it then stay safe by drinking plenty of sports drink.


It was about the only thing I ddn't try w/ ds1 even though I got to 42 weeks.

Beth

[SnuggleBuggles]

heavy and ready i know the feeling.. i am very interested to hear what others have to say.. i was told today about raspberry tea. the herbal kind. not lipton.. so i am thinking i might need to make a run to the store.

sending you labor vibes mama!

nak

rasp leaf tea won't induce labor. it can help to tone the uterus and make contx more efficient when they happen.

Beth

[ha98ed14]

No personal experience, but I have a friend who has had 3 children and with all three pregnancies she has been past 42 weeks when her midwife told her she had to do castor oil. It was the only thing that has worked for her and the placenta was starting to age on the last 2 pregnancies. It works for her every time.

She is a wholistic medicine type; all her kids have been born at home. I am the opposite and ws induced with pitocin and ended up with a c-section, but I was actually ok with that at the time. But I have been impressed at how well her mdwife knew her body and what would work with her.

[AngelaS]

I tried it w/number two and while it cleaned my system out completely, it didn't start labor.

FWIW, that was the only one of my babies to have meconium.

If I were giong to do it again, I'd take about 1 T every 3 or 4 hours instead of all at once. :P

[asha]

It will definitely clean your system. You will probably end up having lots of loose bowel movements accompanied by tons of cramps.
In India, I have seen people use it on kids when they are constipated. Works everytime without fail.

Asha

[Melanie]

I wouldn't do it. My water broke first with Dd and labor was quite stalled over 12 hours later so I downed the castor oil and went for acupuncture. I wouldn't wish castor oil on ANYONE. Blech. Go for the acupuncture instead if you must. I worried about natural inductions causing my water to break first but since it did on it's own I had to give up and do something to avoid the hospital (it was a birthing center birth). The Midwives think the castor oil helped, but I think it was the acupuncture.

[spencersmommy]

Thanks for all the interesting replies! I think I'll wait a little longer...my due date isn't until Tuesday anyway. I guess I'll try walking, had spicy food last night, etc...my sister is hereand leaving on Sunday, really wanted to have the baby while she was here! Oh well!!!

[1964pandora]

I very reluctantly did it with two pregnancies, as my midwives really twisted my arm both times. If I were ever pregnant again, I wouldn't do it. It didn't help, made me sick during labor, and overall I just hate it. It's not the worst experience in the world, but as for me, I just don't think it's a good idea. I realize that for many it is a last resort, but I tend to believe that any induction method, even a "natural" one like castor oil is still induction. If I were to go post dates next time, I wouldn't use any induction method, even castor oil. Good luck! Been there, done that, it all works out!