Induction - Page 4

[Eman'smom]

Horray!!!
You know the 26th is the best day for birthday's, Dh turned 31 the same day.

[lorijds]

Another note of caution---

Be very wary of going to the hospital if you are not sure you are going to stay to have your baby. Of course you can leave at any time...but if your doctor does not officially dismiss you, you are leaving Against Medical Advice, and your insurance company does not have to pay for anything during that hospital visit.

I like the idea of scheduling the induction, and then simply not showing up. That's a good one!

[DeEtte]

Inducing labor -- cohosh, squaw vine, castor oil?

I'm approaching my due date and the doctor is discussing inducing me again (this is my third pregnancy). Although induction with the gel really wasn't that bad, I'd really like to go on my own. She suggested black and blue cohosh (one dropperful, three times/day) and tea brewed with squaw vine and red raspberry leaf three times/day. Has anyone used this successfully. In my previous pregnancies, I've tried all the other things -- sex, walking, nipple stimulation -- to no avail. Any other suggestions?

Also, what about castor oil? If I'm facing induction on the next day, I may just get brave enough to try it. Anyone know anything about it -- I've heard a tablespoon, but the nurse mid-wife at the doc's office says 4 ounces straight.

Appreciate anyone's thoughts or suggestions!

[glad2bemama]

Oh, PLEASE do not use castor oil!!! Terrible, terrible, terrible stuff-- I used it with my second and well, let's just say that a water birth was out of the question for awhile...yuck! Plus, they have now come out with a study in regards to the castor oil crossing the placenta. Apparently the baby is far more likely to have meconium in the waters if the mother has used castor oil. Not worth it.

As for the black and blue cohosh. Yes, I used it successfully with my second son. I was having trouble with pre-eclampsia and had to have an herbal induction( he was a homebirth ). However, I can tell you that it takes a great deal of knowledge of herbs and time. Find a midwife or someone who knows about the effects to monitor the dosage and you. For one thing, I had to alternate between the two remedies every fifteen minutes and use nipple stimulation in the between. It was work, but labor did kick in. My midwives were there the whole time with dh and I.

Oh, another thing...it can also cause nausea. So, be prepared with some ginger or whatever works for you.

All the hardships aside... these things definitely do work. But, I would still have patience with good ol' Mother Nature, if you can. Babies usually come when they are supposed to. But, if you can't-- give the cohoshes a shot-- NOT the castor oil.

Good luck to you and have a wonderful birth!!!

[DanishMom]

I agree with glad2bemamma, DO NOT use castor oil. It can make you sooooo sick which is the last thing you want just before labor.

A good friend of mine used black and blue cohosh with great success at both her deliveries. Acupuncture might also be helpful.

The best thing would be to wait and let labor start in its own time. I don't know the policies in the US but here in Denmark you wont get induced unless you are 2½ weeks past your due date.

Good luck, good luck, good luck.......

Love,

Anne

[jayasun]

hmmm- your last two babes were induced? at what week? do you think your gestation is just a bit longer than 40 weeks? how long will your doc let you go? how much say do you have in extending the waiting time?

as far as castor oil- i agree, it is not pleasant. however, it seems to be effective in starting labor. i know many people who have had little luck in other methods of inducing, and castor oil has worked. i took it two times attempting to induce. my midwives thought for sure it wasn't pleasant, but they were confidant that it does not cross the placenta (and when you see how it comes out you will be sure it couldn't have too ). is it possible that the study someone refered to showed meconium staining because the baby was so mature, not because of the oil? i had absolutely no meconium.

i think it's the lesser of evils that you will have to choose between. hospital inducement or castor oil? certainly cervidil or pitocin is much more dangerous than castor oil. no one would dispute that.

if you do do castor oil: i researched it quite a bit, talking with different docs, midwives and birthing center staff. they said to take 4 oz. i mixed it with orange juice to make it more palateable. if this does nothing in 2 hours, you can take 2 oz. more. plan to stay near the potty.

it was recommended by all to take it in the morning, so that by night i might be in labor, and so i wasn't up all night pooping. if you take it, i wouldn't recommend doing it right before inducement. you don't want to be on the pot at the hospital. do it a couple days before. drink plenty of water, and take acidopholous to replenish all that good bacteria you are washing away.

would't it be great to go into labor without intervention? i hope you can find what works, and maybe it will happen spontaneously. but good to think about all your options and research what your doc is willing to do.

many bright blessings

[glad2bemama]

No, the study showed that the castor oil absolutely crossed the placenta regardless of age and actually, my son did have meconium in the waters post castor oil. He was born 4 days early-- he still had a heavy amount of vernix on him. Sorry, not to be contradictory, but I would hate for others out there to read this and believe that castor oil is perfectly safe.

Search "Mothering" articles and "Midwifery Today" for the studies that have been done proving the connection between the castor oil/meconium link. You might want to venture over to the midwives forum to ask this question. Also, most midwives that I have spoken with ( I am friends with quite a few ) do not believe that castor oil is successful in inducing labor. In my cases ( I tried it twice ) it absolutely did not induce.

I agree with jayasun in that you may very well carry your babies longer. Is this possible?

At any rate, good luck to you and happy birthing!

[Rozilla]

Have you tried Evening Primrose Oil? # capsules daily for up to a week to soften the cervix. A wonderful wonderful book that all pregnant moms should have is, "Wise Woman Herbal Childbearing Year" by Susun S. Weed.

It covers everything and then some. Mine is well thumbed!

Rose

EDD: 9/10/02

[clewal]

I did castor oil three times trying to induce labor. Actually on the third try, I poured most of it down the sink, I just couldn't do it again. My son had no meconium staining what so ever.
The midwives I'm using recommend it as a last resort. The dr that oversees my midwife doesn't really believe it works, she thinks it was just coincidence.
You don't actually have to drink the stuff, I've read somewhere that you could rub it on your stomach and cover it with warm towels. At least that way, you won't be sick to your stomach for hours on end.

[jayasun]

i'm glad for the clarification on the studies linking meconium and castor oil- its always good to know what you're getting into with remedies. i haven't yet looked up the studies...

but- castor oil taken internally and externally are two different things. internally, it stimulates the bowels and can therefore stimulate labor. used externally- as edgar cayce recommends in his writings- it is good for the liver, etc. it is soothing to the skin and supposedly helps circulation, etc. i use castor oil packs myself, and as you say, they are applied with towels and heat. this does not serve the same purpose as taking it internally to induce the bowels/ labor as far as i understand. i'm not certain if there are any containdications of packs while pregnant- whether or not applied topically it can cross the placenta.

[glad2bemama]

Well, I am not very good at posting links, but there were some discussions regarding the studies in the November archives here.

My apologies to everyone for just throwing this out there without any links. I have GOT to learn how to do that...

Oh, I had forgotten... evening primrose oil taken after 36 weeks is helpful in softening the cervix and some midwives ( I believe ) will actually put it directly on the cervix. Ask about this-- not certain.

Isn't this great to be able to all share our ideas and experiences with labor and birth in regards to natural induction? I wish that I had had this when I was pregnant with my two. Well, maybe next year I will be coming over here to ask my own questions for baby #3...

[organicmama]

I am 13 days overdue now & my midwife is telling me to do castor oil. I have heard horror stories & I have a very sensitive bowel. I got a reprieve this morning. The midwife called & she's been up all night at another birth so asked me to hold off taking it today.

I don't know what to do! They "stripped my membranes" Wed. & then sent me home for sex. I contracted all night then they stopped the next morning. Then they stripped & stretched me yesterday & I did a fleets enema. I had a few ctx last night but nothing interesting. I started ctx around 4:20 but they are 5-10 minutes apart. They are mild-strong & around 30-60 sec.

I REALLY don't want to take castor oil but don't want to start non-stress tests in the hospital Monday. What do I do!?! HELP!!!

[3boysmom]

A good long walk up plenty of steep hills did it for me the last two times!

[Rozilla]

Rides on bumpy roads, black/blue cohosh, visualization, nipple stimulation, sex.