Castor oil vs. Mineral oil

[indiemamma]

So I walked all over CVS tonight looking for castor oil, and the pharmacists were busy. I finally grabbed the mineral oil, because it looked the same as the castor oil I took 4 years ago to induce labor with my first baby. However, now I'm worried to use it tomorrow morning, because it isn't actual castor oil. Anyone have any advice for me? I'm already 1cm, 50% effaced and -2 station. Been using EPO internally for two weeks and the full moon is this weekend, so I'm ready to get this little guy out!

So my question is, has anyone heard of or actually used mineral oil with the same results as castor oil?

[babymonster]

I'm pretty sure mineral oil is not edible...

[mwherbs]

mineral oil isn't going to have the same effect on your cervix- it will move your bowels because it is inedible and not easily absorbable so it irritates your intestines to the degree that they push it out- mineral oil is basically like drinking well filtered motor oil

[flapjack]

Yeah it is, it's sold as lactulose over here. And no, it's not going to have exactly the same effect as castor oil because it won't have the active ingredient (ricin, I think...) that causes the muscle spasms.

Being serious, the full moon doesn't mean diddly squat. Babies will come when they're ready and if baby isn't cooked, baby won't come out. You'll give yourself diarrhoea and risk baby passing meconium for absolutely no good reason whatsoever.

[kayabrink]

It is used as a laxative for medicinal purposes; and also in the making of some candies. However, I don't know if it would also induce labour, and it can lead to temporary loss of control over the bowels (the term "anal dripping" was used), which makes me think it might be a stronger laxative than castor oil. I don't think I personnally would want to try it, I'd go looking for some castor oil!

[melamama]

Mineral oil is not the same as Castor oil--mineral oil is a petroleum product and castor oil is a vegetable oil from the castor bean (seed). Mineral oil works as a laxative because it oils everything up, the castor oil causes cramping and works as a laxative that way. So like mentioned above, the mineral oil won't have the same action.

Also no offense to anyone above, but I've always head that "babies are born when they're ready" which is a great thing to say against blanket inductions, but really it is a complex interplay between the mother's body and the baby, and if mama is postdate, and mama is ready, mama should be granted permission to help things move along.

[grandma12]

I used castor oil with my first and prune juice with the 2nd. I think they had the same effect.

[kawa kamuri]

Get the castor oil or, better yet, wait for your baby to be ready 

Edited by kawa kamuri - 7/31/12 at 11:05am

[grandma12]

I agree with waiting til baby is ready.  When I took mine I was in labor - hard labor - for several hours (12) and my mother suggested the first time castor oil, the second time warm prune juice. after the first the doc said once in hard, serious labor for several hours it didn't hurt.  So I guess mine sped up the labor but my babies were large and healthy.

good luck with your little one - don't rush them - they grow up too fast!  (Grandmother of 12)

[Mariah Jane]

http://www.ehow.com/how-does_5414737_mineral-oil-work-induce-labor.html

[mwherbs]

Ehow has it wrong, castor oil has some prostaglandins that are part of its action. So different than prunes and Mineral oil . Mineral oil is an irritant and may increase your own prostaglandin production . Prunes are hydrophyllic and increase the fluid in the bowel, and the sugars are a bit irritant, primarily considered a fiber laxative though.