self induction - castor oil

boyohboyohboy wrote: I was reading in one of my books that mid wives and dr's used to (and some still do) use castor oil to bring on labor.
has anyone heard about this or tried it?

moped replied: I have heard of that but YUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

How about

Sex
choclate cake
a beer

boyohboyohboy replied: sex is not working..
and i dont think choc cake or beer will help.
although it might make the castor oil go down easier!

Mommy2BAK replied: My bestfriend did it with both of her pregnancies and it worked FAST!!! The only problem was that with her second child (the two are only 10 months apart so I think that could have been part of the problem... having pregnancies that close together) she took it at what she THOUGHT was 37 weeks and come to find out after she had the baby, the docs were off on her due date 4 weeks and she delivered WAYYY to early (33 weeks) so he had to stay in the hospital for a little while.

Laxitives never do anything for me otherwise so I doubt they would while I'm pregnant either. (I have issues as you can tell)

Mommy2BAK replied:


Let us know if you try it!

boyohboyohboy replied: so she took it with both babies, and both times it did send her into labor?

i am considering it, since they are talking induction next week anyway....
it seems like less medication to add to my system, and it says it does not enter the babys at all.

but the way it sounds like it tastes, i am not sure i can get it down, and you have to drink a lot of it...

but the web sites did say it works well, and fairly fast.

i am not sure if i have the guts to try this

Calimama replied: If you try it make sure to drink a lot of water to stay hydrated.

TheOaf66 replied: none of those work, it will happen when it happens...at least none of em worked for us

PrairieMom replied: Be careful if you do do it, I have heard that it is dangerous.

lovemy2 replied: I am pretty sure that you should leave any kind of unnatural bringing about of labor to an MD - JMO.....

Kaitlin'smom replied: my sister tried it it did nothing for her but taste awful, that was her last resort. sometimes nothing will work but time, other times things work. walking/riding around the mall in a wheel chair did it for me, or maybe cause I kept telling her any time after the 27th was fine....

Insanemomof3 replied: I tried it and it made me feel so crappy!!! It didn't work either, just gave me gas. LOL

boyohboyohboy replied: everything i read said its only dangerous if you are not near your due date because the baby could be born to early, and we are being induced soon anyway, but with pitocin, which i think would be worse then castor oil..it was horrible the last time.
i havent really made up my mind yet if we are going to try it..

Hillbilly Housewife replied:
It's not only dangerous for that reason...it's dangerous because it's a LAXATIVE. It can make the baby poop in your womb, and if the baby inhales the meconium in the amniotic fluid, he\she can DIE. That's why it's dangerous. Pitocin really only causes some contractions, since it's a synthetic version of your natural Oxytocin, which is released during labor. I've had Pitocin, twice. They make the contractions come a lot stronger, and a lot faster... but it doesn't always necessarily make things progress faster.

If you want to go the natural SAFE route, try inserting some Evening Primrose Oil capsules up inside, near your cervix. And I mean, like 2 or 3 at a time, every couple of hours. It will help your cervix dilate, and help to thin it out.

Also try some red raspberry leaf tea. It not only strengthens the uterine muscles to help you push.. it's tasty!

Fresh pineapple. Until your tongue hurts. Usually 1 will do it. lol

WALK WALK WALK WALK WALK

Take the kids for a long walk aorund your local mall. WALK WALK WALK.

boyohboyohboy replied: i actually just saw an article on this, that said that the castor oil is not absorbed into the mothers system so that it does not cause the baby to have a bm in the womb, it does not enter the baby system at all.

it could cause dehydration if you dont drink enough while it cleans out your system though.

pitocin is just a guessing game and the dr's raise it and lower it depending on how the uterus responds...

Hillbilly Housewife replied: Well then if that's what you do end up doing, good luck!!

HuskerMom replied:
I heard that you don't have to drink alot bc it doesn't take much. Dh told me about this guy's wife that he knows. She drank alot of it and when they got to the hospital the baby was already coming out.

jacobsmama replied: Dehydration is the main concern with it.

Working in labor and delivery I only kmnow 2 patients who came in and said they did and it worked. the others just said it gave them diahrrea or vomitting.

Good luck.

My3LilMonkeys replied: Personally I never liked the idea of trying to induce labor myself - I feel if the baby's not ready to come out yet, it must be for a reason.

Good luck if you do try it though!

Sam & Abby's Mom replied: Ask your doctor and see what he/she says about it.

I remember reading it was dangerous,,,,,,,,,,,but for the life of me I cant remember WHY it was dangerous.


Wishing you the best of luck, though.

MyBabeMaddie replied: I bought a bottle at the end and I was sure I was going to chug that thing but i took one tiny sip and I almost puked... Go for a LONG LONG LONG walk thats when did it for me...