Can anyone share positive castor oil induction stories?

[Taryn237]

I will most likely be inducing with castor oil on Sunday (41w4d) if labor doesn't start before then.  I am not looking forward to another induction..

DS was a failed induction (over 10lb big baby card played.. he was 8lb13oz) turned unnecesarean at 41w6d which I think was actually only 41w1d in retrospect.

DD was an induced VBAC after PROM a couple days before my EDD (I had been pumping once a day since I had a low supply with DS), labor didn't start so at 14 hours we induced with castor oil, nipple stim, and finally pitocin, she was born 44 hours past PROM.

My MW is concerned with the hospital's policies if I have to go for the postdate ultrasound on Monday and would like me to be in labor or have birthed before then.

So anyway, I want to stay home as long as possible so I feel like starting with castor oil is my best option.  I'm feeling super depressed about the whole situation so I would love to hear some positive stories.  I don't think I can emotionally handle a birth like either of my others.

[sissah]

My son was 42w1d, and I tried everything to get him out before the induction. Drinking castor oil did nothing but cause misery for me, however, one of the main things that caused me contractions was a castor oil compress. Rubbing castor oil on the belly, then putting hot steamy towels over it. It doesn't make any sense, but everytime I did it, I would end up contracting for quite a while. I don't think anything I tried actually caused my labor, however, other than waiting until he was ready, but I did get contractions from the hot compress. Good luck with everything!

[homebirthing]

My daughter was 42w3d and I induced with castor oil because we were facing having to have a BPP and I didn't want to go that route. It worked. I didn't have any complaints, it did just what I thought that it would.

I don't recommend it for any families that I work with though. It is a very last resort.

[Chavelamomela]

My ds1 was 40w5d and castor oil worked for us.  (2 doses, 1 tbsp each, 4 hours apart).  The side affects were not pleasant, but my body was ready and started contracting shortly after the 2nd wave of purging subsided. Labor progressed thereafter with no problems.  It was otherwise an non-intervenionist birth. (no IVs, no epidurals, I gave birth on the birthing stool).

[sharita]

Well, I used it twice. One not so good experience, one possibly worked.

 My 1st time was my second pregnancy and i was a week overdue.  All it did was give me horrible diahreah and contractions that were regular and very intense but wouldnt dilate me.  They did nothing for my cervix and hospital sent me home.  I went another week overdue and was induced.  Guess she just wasn't ready.  She was still covered in quite a bit of vernix and the nurses asked how early she was.  I told them two weeks late and they were shocked.  So, I guess it just wont work if baby isnt ready.  They must have had my dates wrong.

Now with 5th baby, I was ony 3 days past my due date and my water broke.  After 30 something hours of ruptured membranes and labor wasn't starting I took some.  It caused no diareah but an hour later, contractions started.  Two hours later he was born.  Very quick labor if you only count time I spend contracting and not after water broke.

Who knows if it was the castor oil that last time though or just coincidence but he was definately more ready than last babe I tried it with.  That was after an hour on the treadmill, nipple stimulation and orgasm (no sex since water had broken) all didnt work.  My midwife says it very well could have been the castor oil that

  I think it may work if baby is ready and all your body needs is that little push.  If not, probably will just make ya miserable. 

Some women swear by it though so I dont dismiss it all together. 

[sharita]

Originally Posted by sissah 

My son was 42w1d, and I tried everything to get him out before the induction. Drinking castor oil did nothing but cause misery for me, however, one of the main things that caused me contractions was a castor oil compress. Rubbing castor oil on the belly, then putting hot steamy towels over it. It doesn't make any sense, but everytime I did it, I would end up contracting for quite a while. I don't think anything I tried actually caused my labor, however, other than waiting until he was ready, but I did get contractions from the hot compress. Good luck with everything!

My midwife swears by this and actually recommends castor oil only in this method she doesnt suggest orally though she leaves it up to the mom if they are really wanting to try it.  She says she has had just as much success with castor oil compresses and massages if not more. 

[Italiamom]

My water broke and... nothing.  By about 24 hours later, I was starting to get nervous.  So I did do the castor oil (orally, ick), and had my son within the next 20 hours.  Whether it was the castor oil, the acupuncture, or just my body kicking in on its own...  Who knows.  But at least there wasn't anything left to poop out 20 hours later when I was pushing out my son

[Taryn237]

Feeling a bit better after yesterday's appt. Baby should be arriving tomorrow. I am 3cm, very soft, and 'VERY favorable' to castor oil so my midwife thinks I just need to get labor going and I should be holding baby 8-13 hours after the first dose of castor oil.  She said she rates using castor oil on a 4 point scale: 1 pt if you are past your due date, 1 pt for being dialated more than 2cm, 1 pt if this isn't your first baby, and 1 pt for ruptured membranes.  So I have 3 of 4 right now.  With DD I only had 1 so that may be why it took so long.  And I only took one does that time.  I'll take two tomorrow. The kiddos are at my parents so I should get a good night's sleep and I plan on having my castor oil, OJ, vanilla ice cream smoothie for breakfast.  The end is in sight!

[Italiamom]

Originally Posted by Taryn237 

The kiddos are at my parents so I should get a good night's sleep and I plan on having my castor oil, OJ, vanilla ice cream smoothie for breakfast.  The end is in sight!

Good luck mama!!  May the contractions be swift and easy!  Enjoy your chapstick smoothie   Ugh.  I'll keep my fingers crossed for you though!!

[elisheva]

For my first VBAC (HBAC), my water had been broken for 36ish hours - I had an acupuncture appt (induction) then went home and took a castor oil cocktail recommended by my MW - castor oil, verbena, almond butter, and apricot juice (something about these combined are reputed to work "like a hot damn"). Anyway, it did. Or the acupuncture did. Within an hour of taking the cocktail, I was in crackin' labor and baby was born 4.5 hrs later. I never had the typical castor oil consequences many talk about, though...