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February 2015 Moms
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castor oil work to open cervix?

ula28ula28 member
in February 2015 Moms
I'm 39 weeks and 3 days. My cervix has been thinning for a couple weeks but nothing. I've done everything... spicy food...pineapple... eggplant parm... sex... relaxation... walking... you name it. My mucus plug won't go away. I'm in a lot of pain and my blood pressure shoots to 157... yesterday I was in the hospital to monitor it but it went down so let me go home. They said they will continue to monitor me every 3 days... I heard castor oil helps but read yahoo things and some say no its dangerous... or doesn't work if your mucus plug is still in place... any suggestions?? I'm a walking dying zombie here...
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Re: castor oil work to open cervix?

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  • cndupree15cndupree15 member
    Do not do this. It's a horrible idea
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  • HayleyBug55HayleyBug55 member
    Not just no but H*** NO! I know someone personally who lost their baby from drinking castor oil because she was too selfish and impatient to wait. Sorry, don't mean to be rude but this is a very touchy subject for me.
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  • lk2200214lk2200214 member
    Do not do it!! I took a shot glass of Castor oil with my first DS and not only was the taste awful and took hours to get rid of...the after math was even worse!!! Violent and I mean violent diarrhea while you're having awful horrible strong contractions. Then once your body is out of poop you dry heave from your butt (sorry for the gross description & TMI but I'm being honest with you). All that joy on top of sharp stomach pains with normal contractions/pain and I was lucky to not puke from what I've heard. Throw in back labor because he wasnt "ready" so he wasn't turned the right way....it was not enjoyable. Also I should mention I was a full week overdue and I've read that the castor oil only works if your body is ready to be in labor. If your body isn't ready it can put you into a false labor for 6-8 hours where you get to experience everything I did above and then your labor just stops and there you sit still pregnant for who knows how long. I ended up having an emergency c-section due to how he was positioned & I still beat myself up cause I always wonder if I would have let it happen naturally if he would have turned & delivered vaginally. I am very blessed it turned out the way it did and I had my healthy happy baby to hold at the end. Stay strong, don't do it!! You'll be holding your baby soon enough.
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  • tropicbreezetropicbreeze member
    DO NOT USE CASTOR OIL!!!!
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  • teitaniteitani member
    No way! Gives you horrible diarrhea and can cause severe dehydration. Wait it out momma!
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  • babykoz214babykoz214 member
    NO NO NO NO NO NO NOOOOO
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  • kelsielawkelsielaw member
    edited February 2015
    So I usually don't make or respond to threads because they get so out of hand BUT this caught my eye because I tried it this week. First - I read this study (and many others) before making a decision to try it. Here's the link if you have some reading time:

    https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Sahar_Abd_El-Gawad/publication/261437700_Castor_Oil_Safety_and_Effectiveness_on_Labour_Induction_and_Neonatal_Outcome/links/02e7e5344483cbda3f000000.pdf

    Here's a summary - risks can be mainly dehydration and meconium in amniotic fluid IF YOU TAKE TOO MUCH. If you're smart about it, it can bring on contractions within 24 hrs for almost 60%.

    I took 1.5Tbsp with orange juice in a big shot glass and 10 hrs went by with NO symptoms.. Nothin! So about 24 hrs later I took 2Tbsp and within 3 hours I vomited.. And then had a very loose bowel for two bowel movements but no uterine contractions (beyond what I was already experiencing). I had decided I wasn't willing to take a dose higher than 2Tbsp because that's when you start getting into more 'violent' symptoms and I just accepted baby wasn't ready, despite all the signs I was having.

    Just to give you an idea of the signs I did have prior to taking castor oil - I was 60% effaced and over 1cm dialted.. just had my membranes sweeped by my OB 48hrs prior and within those 48hrs had lost my mucus plug with strong long contractions that would go on for a while then end and then start up again.. I thought baby may just need a little help but it's been a few days since and me and baby are fine and just waiting.

    Hope this is helpful and helps you make an informed decision instead of just giving you my personal opinion :)
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  • em4iowaem4iowa member
    kelsielaw said:

    So I usually don't make or respond to threads because they get so out of hand BUT this caught my eye because I tried it this week. First - I read this study (and many others) before making a decision to try it. Here's the link if you have some reading time:

    https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Sahar_Abd_El-Gawad/publication/261437700_Castor_Oil_Safety_and_Effectiveness_on_Labour_Induction_and_Neonatal_Outcome/links/02e7e5344483cbda3f000000.pdf

    Here's a summary - risks can be mainly dehydration and meconium in amniotic fluid IF YOU TAKE TOO MUCH. If you're smart about it, it can bring on contractions within 24 hrs for almost 60%.

    I took 1.5Tbsp with orange juice in a big shot glass and 10 hrs went by with NO symptoms.. Nothin! So about 24 hrs later I took 2Tbsp and within 3 hours I vomited.. And then had a very loose bowel for two bowel movements but no uterine contractions (beyond what I was already experiencing). I had decided I wasn't willing to take a dose higher than 2Tbsp because that's when you start getting into more 'violent' symptoms and I just accepted baby wasn't ready, despite all the signs I was having.

    Just to give you an idea of the signs I did have prior to taking castor oil - I was 60% effaced and over 1cm dialted.. just had my membranes sweeped by my OB 48hrs prior and within those 48hrs had lost my mucus plug with strong long contractions that would go on for a while then end and then start up again.. I thought baby may just need a little help but it's been a few days since and me and baby are fine and just waiting.

    Hope this is helpful and helps you make an informed decision instead of just giving you my personal opinion :)

    This just shows that your body knows best and that babe will come when ready. Let him or her be and just trust your body and doctors to know when it's time.

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  • ula28ula28 member
    To everyone being rude I'm not being selfish... it's why we have these chat rooms to help each other out. If I was selfish I would I would have just done it and not gave a shit. Obviously I ready that this was a natural way they did it back in the day and people have been suggesting it to me so I wanted to see others experience with it before I talked to my doctor. Which I did and she didn't say it was dangerous only that it tasted gross and that she's inducing me in a couple days so not to do it. To everyone else thank you for your answers i really appreciate it after reading your personal experience with it it's definitely not worth the risk I'm glad I asked. Till then bed rest for this mama it's going to be a long few days...
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  • JessicaH1020JessicaH1020 member
    ula28 said:
    To everyone being rude I'm not being selfish... it's why we have these chat rooms to help each other out. If I was selfish I would I would have just done it and not gave a shit. Obviously I ready that this was a natural way they did it back in the day and people have been suggesting it to me so I wanted to see others experience with it before I talked to my doctor. Which I did and she didn't say it was dangerous only that it tasted gross and that she's inducing me in a couple days so not to do it. To everyone else thank you for your answers i really appreciate it after reading your personal experience with it it's definitely not worth the risk I'm glad I asked. Till then bed rest for this mama it's going to be a long few days...
    I don't think anyone was being rude.  And I don't see where anyone directly called YOU selfish.  You asked and got people's opinions.  I'm sorry if you don't like the opinions you got, but it is what it is.  And it seems that your doctor is on the same page with everyone else that posted here by saying it's unnecessary and not to do it. 
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  • ula28ula28 member
    Well somebody posted saying a women was selfish by drinking it and trying to rush it... obviously I'm on here asking how I can speed it up... if you haven't tried it and have useful advice please don't comment your response was useless
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  • HayleyBug55HayleyBug55 member
    ula28 said:

    Well somebody posted saying a women was selfish by drinking it and trying to rush it... obviously I'm on here asking how I can speed it up... if you haven't tried it and have useful advice please don't comment your response was useless

    Yeah I said that. Cause the girl was selfish. She was tired of being pregnant and instead of toughing it out like a big girl she drank castor oil and now her baby is not here. She had to burry her baby because of her selfish decision. I never called you selfish but you seem jumpy over. If the shoe fits wear it? And you can't tell people not to post.
    Look, I completely understand being uncomfortable and tired and having blood pressure issues and not wanting to be induced. I was just induced Wednesday due to developing preeclampsia. It was horrible. I wouldn't wish it on my worse enemy. All labors are different though, I just happened to get unlucky and have a really bad one. Give your body time. It knows what to do. You've made it it this far you can go farther. I know sometimes it doesn't seem like it but you can.
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  • pattie26pattie26 member
    I am 40 weeks with history of induction with my 3 past pregnancies. So after working on getting a jump start on labor on my own and nothing working, last night I decided to take castor oil. Took 1Tbs (as adviced by a few) @6:45pm. At 9:45pm (3hrs had passed) I did have to go diarrhea twice and right then I was getting pretty regular contractions, I was happy that something was finally working! That lasted till about 2:30 am. When I woke up around 9am I was back to my self (a bit disappointed) went about my morning...no pains! So I thought well maybe I'll take a 2nd try and see if it works. Well @12:10pm I took 1.5Tbs, time went by...here I am expecting a similar process as last night, but nothing. So I have realized My baby will be here when she's absolutely ready or when I am induced, which I am probably going to be scheduled for the 19, as per whatmy doctor said at last weeks appt. That's my story. Everybody is in fact different! Good luck on what you choose to do!
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