Update: No baby here yet - ready to try castor oil...

[firstbaby]

update: I'm thrilled to announce that baby BOY is here! After reading through your suggestions, I decided to try accupuncture and then the castor oil :) Well, two hours after I made the appt for the next morning, the contractions started back - and didn't stop. The story is a little crazy - I'll give the whole story once we get settled later today...

I'm between 41 and 42 weeks and induction has been scheduled for 3/16. Really really hoping it does not come down to that. I'm 3 cm dialated and 70% effaced. For days, I'll have a couple of hours of great contractions and then it just stops...OB swept my membranes yesterday but was only able to finish one side before I told her to stop. I just couldn't stand it for another second - I think having DC2 with no pain meds was more comfortable than that.

I had a NST yesterday that the OB was happy with, but I understand the concern past 42 weeks, so I scheduled the induction.

I've tried walking, squats, being friendly with DH, eggplant parm and pineapple. Someone recommended on another thread I started to try castor oil. So, I think that's my next try.

Can you share your experience with castor oil if you tried it? I really don't want to be sick to my stomach or get myself dehydrated but I REALLY don't want to be induced. Also, is there a time of day that may be better than another to take it? TIA!

[kellij]

No experience with that, but have you tried nipple stimulation? It was the only thing that worked for me. Dr. said I was 100% effaced though, so my body was super-ready for labor. I was going to be induced on 3/17 last year because of high blood pressure. I wasn't fired up about it and my doula asked if we had tried nipple stimulation. Despite having read about it, I had totally forgotten about it. I got everything ready for the hospital in the morning and then told DH we needed to try it for 30 minutes. Not too long after I started having significant regular contractions. Like every 2 or 3 minutes. Baby was born 5 hours later. It can't hurt and there is no question that it definitely worked in my case.

[MamaMolly]

I wouldn't do it.

I think castor oil works like an enema, and unlike an unmedicated enema you won't be able to poop it out and be done with it. I would be concerned about lingering effects and dehydration.

[Melanie]

Okay. So I did it. It wasn't fun. I wouldn't do it again unless it was a last resort.

I would recommend you scoot on down to the local acupuncturist - even if you have to pay cash b/c your insurance doesn't cover it.

But my BTDT story:
I was against any form of induction b/c I'd read it can bring on premature membrane rupture (which I had with my first) and most providers then start the clock ticking at wanting baby born within 24 hours (or nearly). I like to say letting them rupture your membranes is Step one towards a c-section, so I certainly didn't want to do anything that I thought would increase our chances of taking that step.

However, despite no induction 'tricks' whatsoever, with my second my water did break first...again. sigh. Labor was slow, not doing much (lots of nice naps though). Finally after 12 hours or so, my midwives said they wanted me to be "on my way" somewhere by 24 hours, especially since I was receiving regular does of IV ABX for GBS. I think I was prob. 1 cm dialated at that point, no regular contractions.

I requested they find me a local acupuncturist (we weren't in my town where mine was). The soonest they could see me was another 5-6 hours. So I relented and drank the of Castor Oil, mixed with something...sprite? orange juice? I think two bottles of it (but don't take my word for it!). Anyway...I just remember choking it down...barely keeping it down...and them saying "don't throw up, you'll have to start over." It was the most vile thing I've ever consumed. It was awful. I wouldn't do it again until it was a very very very last resort. Then I went off to a hilly park to walk up and down hills for an hour (gets it through your system faster) as quickly as I could manage.

Then back to the birthing center. And the castor oil hit me. TG I made it back in time. I still wasn't having any more intense or regular of contractions (or 'surges' as we Hypnobirthing people like to call them. :)) After a while I felt I could leave the bathroom so we started out to walk to the acupuncture appointment.

I barely made it there in time to use their bathroom for an embarrassingly long amount of time. I was SOOO glad they were pretty much closed and no one was in the office but the doctor.

Acupuncture isn't new to me and I don't mind it. Even people with needle issues...you hardly feel them, and if you do it's still not that bad. They left them in for an amount of time (I forget now...30-45 min maybe).

He took them out just in time to dash to the bathroom again. Blech.

Then we walked back to the birthing center (5-10 minute walk at my waddle pace). I had a 'surge' so strong come on while crossing the street. I barely made it to the other side. I hadn't had one of those since a few that I had in the hour after my water broke. By this time that was about 18 hours earlier. Labor progressed surprisingly rapidly from then on out. After several more embarrassing bathroom trips. Within a couple of hours I was holding my waterbirthed-baby. 22 hours after my water had broken, about 3 since the acupuncture visit and probably 5-6 since the castor oil.

The midwives like to say it was a combination of both that kicked things into gear. I think it was the acupuncturist and that would be my FIRST stop next time! There were no miserable after-affects from the acupuncture.

Having said that, at least it didn't cause painful stomach-cramping. Something about the part of your intestines that it affects...it was just...gross.

Good Luck! And find an acupuncturist! Also there are pressure points on the feet, too. A good foot massage can help.

ETA: And in my case...yes it was pooped out and done with by the time baby was born. I had no long lasting ill after affects...except no BMs for a few days. But I am still not recommending as anything but a last resort before hospital-induction!

[Pinky]

I personally wouldn't try the castor oil... the last thing you want is to be really sick with all the "other" effects from that stuff. I've heard a breast pump can sometimes help too.

[JBaxter]

Caster oil is WICKED Just plain WICKED. I'll take induction anyday over those cramps.

[citymama]

Full moon sighting anyone?

This is deja vu - 5 years ago, I was at nearly 42 weeks sched for induction on 3/16 and my well-cooked DD was born the day before I was scheduled. It was a full moon night! The ides of March are a great day for a birthday. May the force be with you! Come on baby, mama's ready!

[AnnieW625]

My sister was born on July 8th, three days before the full moon at just about 42 weeks also (she was due on my 10th birthday so I was happy she wasn't on time.....he he!). My cousin who was pushing 42 weeks had her daughter (at home) back on May17th this year which was a full moon.

Just did a google search for full moon schedule and found this link:
http://home.hiwaay.net/~krcool/Astro/moon/fullmoon.htm#04

[cckwmh]

@ 41 weeks, my OB gave me a list of things to try. I tried it all, including castor oil. All it did was make me cramp and sh*T my brains out. no help in progressing the labor. my water eventually broke after having my membranes stripped for the 3rd time, induction was scheduled for 2 days later. i ended up with a c section due to late decels. i feel like the castor oil was a waste of time.

[MSWR0319]

Do you have access to a whirpool tub? If so, take a warm bath, turn on the bubbles, and let them stimulate your nipples.

[WolfpackMom]

I swear by foot massage/pressure points and pedicures. Pedicure will be nice for you too....

[rachelh]

I vote no for the castor oil. I did it and while I didn't have crazy stomach problems from it, it was the nastiest thing I have ever tasted. Would enever do it again!

[AngelaS]

I was 4cm dilated, 0 station and SO ready to have a baby. My midwife said I could go at any time but that a castor oil cocktail might speed it up. I made a cocktail of 4 oz. castor oil, 1 ice cube and 1T oj concentrate in the blender and then drank it, drinking a glass of oj as a chaser (the midwife said I'd need it and she was SO right). Seriously, it's the most vile thing I've ever drank and I'm about to dry heave at the memory.

Since I was hoping it'd put me in labor, I drank it in the evening and went to bed. I woke up 2x during the night to go. In the morning, I um....was poopin' out straight oj. :P

I didn't have a single contraction the entire time. It did not put me into labor. It did clean out my bowels, but it was three days later when my baby finally showed up. :) Oh, and she's the only one of my babies to have had meconium in their fluid. I'm thinking there might have been a connection....

[wendibird22]

I had my membranes stripped with DD2 and was in active labor 12hrs later. Here's hoping that 1/2 attempt gets things going. I would not do castor oil.

[m448]

the start and stop of your labor sounds more like malpositioned to me. I would figure out where baby is right now so you can rectify his position. Not just head down but completely head down (vs asynchlitic) as well as where he's facing. An asynchlitic baby like my second who was jammed at an angle into my pelvic area does not provide the needed full on pressure for dilation. My midwife friend plated my belly, determined the issue,gave me homeopathic pulsatilla then told me to stand on my hands using my bed as an anchor for under a minute I believe then immediately into a squat. three hours layer I was in the second stage of labor.

[essnce629]

Here's my castor oil regimen. It has a 100% success rate so far (I and 8 other women I know have done it). The ice cream disguises the taste of the castor oil and I had no problem drinking it.


Castor Oil Regimen

Put 1oz (2 tablespoons) of castor oil (CO) in the blender with ice cream and a little bit of milk to make a shake. Drink. Take a long hot shower (this relaxes you). Proceed with 1 hour of nipple/breast stimulation-- apply oil to one breast, massage the area around the nipple/areola in a circular motion for 15 minutes (you don't have to actually touch your nipple), then switch sides. Only massage one breast at a time (15 minutes each side for a total of 1 hour). Wait for contractions.
If after 2 hours, you are having NO contractions at all, take another 1oz of CO in a shake and do another hour of nipple/breast stimulation. Wait for contractions.
If after 2 more hours, you are still having NO contractions, take a final 1oz of CO in a shake and do another hour of nipple/breast stimulation. Wait for contractions. If this doesn't work-- your body truly isn't ready.
Most women will be in labor after the first or second dose (it took me only one dose and I never had any diarrhea, stomach cramping, or nausea). DON'T take more than 3 doses (3oz total).

[Melanie]

First of all, you must have an Iron Stomach!!

But, isn't the point of the CO that it starts cramping (contracting) of your intestines, which are near your uterus in hopes it will get the idea and join in? Am I totally wrong here?

[essnce629]

I think women usually have negative results with castor oil (nausea, lots of diarrhea, and cramping) because they take too much. I've seen stories online where women take 4oz which is 4 times as much in my regimen (and all at once)! I can definately see how one would get explosive watery diarrhea after all that. I have one friend who used my regimen and she started having contractions after one dose. Well, she wanted to just "make sure" it was working even though the directions say not to take any more unless you are having no contractions at all. So she took a second dose and ended up spending the whole first half of her labor on the toilet and then pooping all over herself after getting an epidural. She should have followed the directions and stopped after the first dose. Plus, with my regimen, the hot shower and then the breast massage really keeps the contractions going so a second dose is usually not needed.

The castor oil stimulates the intestines, which produces prostaglandins and nitric oxide, which then causes uterine contractions. Studies show that it may be the ricinoleic acid in the castor oil that also has something to do with it starting labor. In one study, women who took castor oil, had an increased chance of going into labor within 24 hours compared to women who did not take castor oil. Another study showed no difference in c-section rates, meconium staining, or apgar scores in women who took castor oil vs those who did not.

Castor oil is also undetectable when scrambled in several eggs. You just can't drink it straight-- bleh! That makes me want to throw up just thinking about it!

You can also do a castor oil massage on the belly if you can't stomach taking the castor oil orally or if you're already feeling nauseas. My best friend needed to take a second dose of castor oil since the first one didn't cause any contractions. She didn't want to so I volunteered to do a castor oil massage on her belly. Her water broke during the massage!

I found this explanation on why a castor oil belly massage probably works:

"One of my midwifery faculty claimed that the reason she figured it worked was the uterine stimulation caused by the massage. She said that the amount of effort that it takes to massage in castor oil (which is very heavy and viscous compared to, say, olive or almond oil) will rub up some whacking contractions. The "seal" created between the hands and the abdominal skin is quite considerable with castor oil, so she says."

Castor oil is super thick and it's does take a lot of effort to rub into the skin. I rubbed a full ounce in her belly-- the same amount that she would have taken orally.

[Cam&Clay]

I think castor oil works only if you are on the verge anyway. DS2 is a castor oil baby. I drank it with OJ around midnight. Woke up a few hours later to go to the bathroom. By morning, my contractions were strong enough to go into the doctor's. He was born that afternoon.

[hopeful_mama]

Congratulations! :yay: I hope you're both doing well! Yay that you didn't have to go through all the castor oil unpleasantness too!

[SkyrMommy]

:bighand: Congrats!!! Welcome to the world little one :heartbeat:

[lmh2402]

congrats :yay:

[WolfpackMom]

Yay! Congratulations! Welcome baby boy!

[Melanie]

Congratulations!! I guess baby was finally ready. ;)

[MamaMolly]

YAY! Congrats, mama.

[blue]

Congrats! Welcome baby boy :boogie:

[MoJo]

Welcome, little guy! Congratulations, Mama!

[ThreeofUs]

Congratulations!!! Welcome to the world, little one!

[crl]

Congratulations!
Catherine