Castor Oil

KellyScott04 · August 2013

I created a post earlier this week about being a first time mom and needing some words of wisdom and encouragement to pull me through my plans for natural child birth. From the discussion a lot of women were telling me to read Ina May Gaskin's Guide to Childbirth which I have begun reading. In it, during one of the birthing stories, the midwife offers castor oil to the mother as a way to speed up the labor process as she had stalled and wasn't opening. I've been sitting at 3 cm dilated and 60% effaced for almost a week now and at night it literally feels as if someone has kicked me down there. It just feels achy and swollen. Walking is no easy task now either. I feel like I have to walk with my legs just a wee bit apart, lol, it's so awkward. Would anyone recommend attempting to consume castor oil to induce labor or is this just NOT a good idea and not worth the risk? Thoughts/opinions?

barista411 · August 2013

Ina May talks more about castor oil in the second half of the book, on page 216. She gives specific directions on how to administer it properly.

I also believe that most of the natural ways to induce only help push you over the edge in to labor they don't take you to the edge. Basically your has to be ready on it's own and this would be a little nudge to help.

SarahinMD · August 2013

I've mostly only heard bad things from women who tried it. There are many other methods to try first. How far along are you? I don't know I'd even try it to avoid med-induction, honestly, given the stories I've heard.

atcwag · August 2013

Castor oil wouldn't be the first thing I'd try due to the not-so-fun possible side effects - gastrointestinal upset, diarrhea, etc. Have you tried any other methods?

KellyScott04 · August 2013

I'm going into my 39th week. My midwife said that I was more than ready, as determined from my last internal exam, to opt for the membrane sweep if I wanted as a means of natural induction before going into week 40. I definitely am trying to avoid medicinal induction at all costs which is why I'm trying to read up on more "natural" routes. And yes, the side effects that I've read about castor oil do not seem to be too appealing, lol. I don't want to rush things either so I planned to wait to ask my midwife about the castor oil during the membrane sweep appt (on Fri 8/9). I just hate that my body is sitting at 3 cm dilated and 60% effaced. I'm having contractions but nothing consistent. Apparently my baby boy is too comfy in there!

atcwag · August 2013

LOTS of walking, squats, bouncing on an exercise ball, SEX!.....

I would say to add in nipple stimulation after 40 weeks (or if Dr/Midwife starts talking induction)....

24karat · August 2013

I was told by multiple people to use castor oil only after everything else had failed.

My friend used it (after over 2wks' of regular painful contractions and 3 L&D trips) and had her baby the next day. It was successful in inducing but, long story short, she had her baby less than 10min after getting to the hospital and had severe tearing.

lindsey1427 · August 2013

I'm also considering castor oil but I'm going to wait until after my Wednesday doctor's appointment. I bought a small bottle of it and it's sitting in the kitchen. Every time I walk by it I give it the sideways glare. It's like some sort of scary, ominous presence!

KellyScott04 · August 2013

lindsey1427 said:

I'm also considering castor oil but I'm going to wait until after my Wednesday doctor's appointment. I bought a small bottle of it and it's sitting in the kitchen. Every time I walk by it I give it the sideways glare. It's like some sort of scary, ominous presence!

So funny. Well, I definitely do NOT want the side effects of what others have seemed to experience with it so I will wait to talk to my midwife at this week's appointment. I'm SO miserable right now though and am more than ready for baby to be here. I'm doing everything I can aside from the castor oil from walking nonstop to squatting throughout the day. I'm 9 days away from my due date so I would LOVE for baby to get here without having to talk about being medically induced. THAT scares that crap out of me.

tokenhoser · August 2013

Well, the "side effects" ARE what makes it work. If you're not crapping yourself, you haven't stimulated the colon enough to cause other cramps.

You're 9 days away from your due date. Most places don't induce until at least 7-10 days past. You seriously need to just find some distractions and chill. I'm now a day passed due and there's really nothing to do but wait at this point.

abirdd9 · August 2013

As much as waiting stinks, I agree with tokenhoser.

KellyScott04 · August 2013

I'm not trying to rush things. I'm just attempting to avoid being medically induced. The midwives already told me they'd wait til around 41-42 weeks before even talking about being medically induced. I was just curious to see what experiences people had with castor oil since it was talked about in Ina May Gaskin's Guide to Childbirth is all.

Sawyerplus1 · August 2013

I agree that I'd wait until 40 weeks at least. My MWs make up a cocktail called Lemon Verbena. It's a mix of castor oil, apricot juice, lemon verbena (an essential oil), and almond butter (I think...). Anyway, the combination of ingredients is apparently VERY effective at inducing labor but also at reducing the negative effects of the castor oil, so most women end up in labor without the cramps, diarrhea, etc.

And FWIW, the only woman I know that did actually use castor oil did go into labor and didn't experience the negative side effects (though I think she did a little bit after birth).

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