oh the castor oil debate.

carecamp · February 2011

Don't kill me for thinking about taking castor oil...I know a lot of women consider it when they go past their due date. I have googled it atleast 5 times and can't seem to come up with a clear answer on whether it works/doesn't work or is harmful/not harmful. Opinions? Experiences? Anyone find good information about it (All the personal accounts I seem to find are from women who seem uninformed or impatient and tried it at like 37/38 weeks)

Hm...I just don't know what to do. I DON'T want to be induced. I don't want to deal with pitocin.
Which is worse, a small amount of castor oil and maybe #2ing for a few hours or Pitocin labor?

misskassielynn · February 2011

bethy84:
I would never do it. It can cause the baby to have a bowel movement, which can cause even more trouble and lead to more interventions during labor.

Baby having a BM and possibly breathing meconium is SUPER scary stuff. I can understand not wanting an induction, but the castor oil scares the ever living crap out of me.

ETA: Wow the poop pun was totally unintentional!

pkate98 · February 2011

I wouldn't. I think it would be worse than pitocin. I had a good experience with pitocin.

christyp80 · February 2011

Do what is safest for your baby. If your doctor tells you to drink castor oil, go for it. Otherwise, it seems that most doctors have determined that pitocin is a much more effective and safe way to get labor going. There is a reason why doctors don't prescribe castor oil regularly, and I wouldn't risk the health of my baby in order to try to avoid medical interventions.

carecamp · February 2011

bethy84:
I would never do it. It can cause the baby to have a bowel movement, which can cause even more trouble and lead to more interventions during labor.

This is a concern of mine. The only thing holding my back from doing it, really. BUT- there is not any REAL evidence that the Castor Oil causes the meconium in womb. Baby's bowel movement is more likely to occur when you are overdue. My mom did not use Castor Oil and had this happen with my brother. ........ Huh?

MallratsMom · February 2011

I would do it again any day if threatened with Pitocin (aka the devils brew). I took 2oz in a shake with DD and had 3 rounds of diarrhea and labor started. I only did it with the OK of my midwife. She told me my cervix was favorable (70% and 3cm) and she stripped my membranes as well. Not sure if it was the combo or the CO either way I had my daughter just under 12 hrs of taking the CO

simo7079 · February 2011

2 of my sister's swear by it. Both took it and the next day went into labor. AND my one sister says it's why she didn't poop on the table, b/c she had nothing left to poop! However it's a decision only you can make for yourself. Ask your dr, then make an informed decision.

Jada_5479 · February 2011

I was over 40 weeks, 90% effaced and 2cm. I drank 2oz. Castor oil in orange juice. I proceeded to have painful cramping (not contractions) and diarrhea for almost 12 hours. I never went into labor just felt super sick. Like I said in my other response, I would just go for the pitocin if it were me. I held off for as long as I could, got the epidural and felt great. GL!

johannaknip · February 2011

I would not do the castor oil.

I also heard a horror story on 3rd Tri about the castor oil and "pooping" on the table. It ended up being a "spraying" on the table situation. Hells.No.

I feel that all OWT are a wee bit of a waste. If you are going to go into labor you will and then you "swear by it." If you are not going to go into labor you won't and will "swear it's a crock."

Cristina306 · February 2011

My vote would be a nah on the CO.

I've heard so many women being so sick from it and nothing happening. I was given pitocin with my first and had a totally fine experience with it. In fact until I read this I wasn't aware that other women had bad experiences with it.

Did you Dr say that maybe they could sweep your membranes? Maybe next time you have your appt you will be more far along than you think:) i will think good thoughts for you!

Best of luck!

cuadrakaren · February 2011

i'll be 40 weeks tomorrow. i had my membranes stripped earlier and had eggplant parm for dinner. my doctor actually told me to try caster oil. he said a teaspoon would do the trick or to take a teaspoon and mix it wit orange juice then freeze it like a popcicle. i'm still on the fence on whether or not to do it because i'm having men in my apartment all day tomorrow putting down new flooring. my fiance is all for it and i won't be surprised if he comes home with it in a bit.

LisaMarisa · February 2011

I had such an easy induction with DS! Try not to be scared of an induction if you end up needing it. It can be difficult but so can labor without pitocin, it's just how your body reacts to it. Dont do the castor oil.

carecamp · February 2011

So please don't look down on me for those that said no, but I took it. I took two small teaspoons at 6pm cst. The recommended online recipes mostly say 2oz so I didn't feel as worried about taking the small amount.

Its been an hour and a half. No runs, no #2 (knock on wood) and I've held everything down. I am having more severe cramping/contractions than I have had previously. They are still nothing major at all though, so we will see where this takes me.
I got the odorless and flavorless CO..the texture alone made me want to vomit though. It was like eating lip gloss or something.

I do agree that with many it may just be pure coincidence that OWT worked. But I had nothing going on previous to taking it and now Im getting some action so hmmmmm.

I do no have another appointment before induction so membrane stripping isn't an option..I asked about it before but at that point he had said I wasn't thinned enough yet to do it, so I just let that go.

Fingers crossed for a baby soon and for more daddy/baby time before Sunday!!

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