membrane sweep/castor oil induction

[lovebeingamomma]

Please share your labor story if you induced with a membrane sweep and castor oil (I would do both, sweep, than a little castor oil)  I have this option on Wednesday and I'm trying to decide.  I will be 40w5d.  I went into labor naturally with my other two at 37w, and 40w.  I KNOW I will go into labor eventually, but I'm trying to weigh my options right now because I'm barely able to care for two children because my sciatica is so bad.  Midwife said it would most likely work (she only does a sweep once, when she thinks it will work, and has a very high success rate), but it would probably be an intense, messy labor.  What was your experience?  I'm not asking for the risks, I've gone over all that information with my mw, I'm just looking for labor stories.  Will I be happy to get it done with, or will I regret not waiting and having a more "beautiful" labor?  That is the question...

[bethany42309]

I had my membranes swept twice and neither time did it work for me.  I never got brave enough to try castor oil.  My cousin used it for both her girls and it worked both times within several hours.  I ended up having to be induced in the hospital b/c my fluid was low.  I received cervadil the night before and that was enough to get my going several hours later.  My water broke at 4 am and I had my little girl at 2:30 pm that same day. 

Hope that the induction and labor/delivery goes smoothly for you!

[HeliMom]

I had a membrane sweep at 41 weeks 4days, I delivered in less than 24 hours. It was an intense labor. At the time of the sweep I had been in prodromal labor for 2 days. My mom took castor oil with me, but she said all it did was give her terrible diarrhea. I was born 21 days late vaginally with the help of pitocin. We are slow cookers in my family.

[Rylins mama]

I have done castor oil twice. With my dd I did it at 40+4 days and barely took any. Went to sleep feeling fine and woke up at 4 am in labor with contractions 2 minutes apart for 5 hours before she came. Don't know if my body went into labor on it's own or if it was the castor oil. With ds I took 2 tbs at 1 pm contractions started hard at 3 and he was delivered at 420. That was really a fast and furious birth but I was also 10-17 days over depending on which due date. I'm now 41 weeks tomorrow and will try it only if he's not here by 42 weeks.

[northcountrymommy]

My castor oil story is in our DDC (May).

[starling&diesel]

I was induced at 38 weeks with a concoction of oil of verbena, castor oil, almond butter and apricot juice, which was recommended by my midwife.  I left out the castor oil because I already had loose bowels.  That was followed by a membrane strip, and dd came less than six hours after that.  However, I was already 6 cm and 70% effaced by the time we did the sweep, but we had to bring baby fast due to pre-e that was getting worse.

I don't think I'd recommend the castor oil from what I've heard.  Oil of verbena was bad enough, and now makes me want to hurl whenever I smell it.  Blech.

Good luck, and come on baby!