Luck with Castor Oil?

julieruns15

I am 8 days late as of now (with my first baby). My midwife scheduled an induction for next Monday night (would be 13 days at that point). I do not want an induction and as of this week my NST and ultrasound/fluid levels are fine. We have been trying natural methods to induce labor for the past few days with no luck. I have not tried the castor oil yet...anyone have any experience with this? Thoughts?

AnaKat405

I haven't tried it, and based on the experience from those I know who have tried it, I never will.  How does your MW feel about it as an alternative?

One of my friends induced using castor oil and said her labor was the worst pain she'd ever experienced.  This was her second child.

My MW is adamantly against the usage of castor oil to induce labor because that was how HER MW suggested she induce.  She said it was the most painful experience she's had and if someone wants to induce that way they're better off with pitocin.

I could go on, but thus far, I haven't spoken with anyone who has used castor oil and had a positive experience with it.

kristin7701

Personally, I'd try evening primrose oil or acupuncture first. Hope you go into labor soon!

julieruns15

Yeah we've been doing acupuncture nightly since last Friday (my husband is a licensed naturopathic physician). All of the other "natural means" don't seem to be working. We'd kind of chalked castor oil up to a "last resort" ...like a 41.5 week last resort...but it may be coming to that

daisies916

I hope your LO decides to make an appearance soon!!

FWIW- If you're going to use castor oil, mix it with something you already don't like. My mom can still taste it in her oj almost 31 years later. :P

cdelbove

 I used it after my water broke and the contractions had not started on their own after 24 hours. It made my contractions start within two hours, unfortunately it made me have to go to the bathroom frequently and caused my intestines to cramp very painfully during most of the labor. It was very inconvenient, but it allowed me to have my home birth and I didn't have to go to the hospital.

Kristinmo

I was induced with DS 14 days late and I may end up being induced again this time.  In the meantime, I am trying all natural induction methods.  However, castor oil is the ONE thing I will not try.  To me it sounds like contractions are as intense as with pitocin but with nasty stomach problems to go along with them.

Personally, I would rather just be induced.

sunflowergrl

I feel so strongly about this topic, because I feel as though CO gets such a bad wrap.   What makes a drug, Pitocin so much better than taking a more natural CO? I was looking at an induction with my MW's also, but their policy, is to try CO before they give pit.  They'd rather keep everything drug free. 

FWIW, I had a 10 hour med free labor with DD1, that I brought on following my MW's CO instructions.  If I face induction again with this LO, I will surely be doing CO before going with PIT.  Nothing about it was too unbearable.

here's my birth story.  I was told to take it with ice cream like a milk shake so the ice cream would coat my stomach better than something like OJ. 

anyway, GL to you, and with all that I've said, definitely talk to your MW/OB before doing anything.  )

jf1211

I heard lots of positive stories on women going into labor after having sex... having the orgasm contracts your uterus and Ive heard it works!

melrrr

I did it with my first. I made an ice cream shake with it in the morning. Yes, I had diarrhea, but I wasn't living on the toilet. I started having contractions around 1:00 and went to the hospital around 5:30 when they were about 3 minutes apart. I delivered just before midnight. I did cave into the epidural around 8 cm though because I had back labor that was just too much for me to handle.

By the time I got to the hospital my body was cleaned out, so there was no pooping during delivery. BUT, I was crazy dehydrated despite my attempts to drink as much as I could, so they actually had to call in the anesthesiologist to put in my IV.  The nurse couldn't get a vein.

Will I do it again? No, but only because there was meconium. I was only a few days past my due date (I was charting), but my doctor had scheduled an induction two days after that. I know meconium is often blamed on deliveries well past a due date, but as mine was close I just can't know for sure. Luckiliy she had no issues and was back with me quickly, but she did have to be taken to the nursery immediately after delivery. 

 

 

cyprissa

I did it (2 oz mixed with 2 oz juice spritzer) and it worked. Took it at 11 and had my baby at 2:45AM. It put me into a sort of prodromal type of labor from 1-7 and then active labor started at 9:30.

romiepeaches

Caster oil not only causes you to have bowel movements, but also your baby. When your baby stools in the uterus he/she can swollow it and have issues once delivered. Not a good idea at all. Can't even compare it to pitocin. Not the same thing.