OK..just took Castor Oil

[dukeswalker]

Well...I thought I would put up a post regarding my experience with this stuff. (For anyone who might be interested) I took 1 Tablespoon over the last 30 minutes. I put it in the belnder with some milk, ice and some really yummy mocha frappe mix that I LOVE but don't drink when I'm pregnant. I figured I could splurge a little since I'm going to be getting rid of it so quickly. :LOL I feel completely fine right now and if things haven't started moving I'll take another 1 tablespoon in an hour and see how things go!

I'm just shy of 41 weeks and a VBAC. At my MW appt. today I was dialted to 2, cervix was soft, posterior to midline and about 50% effaced. We both talked about the chance this may not get things moving due to the unfavorableness of my cervix but I figured it couldn't hurt to try!

Oh - and for those of you wondering why I'm trying to get things moving? Multiple reasons...to avaoid another c-section (last time my little guy was a wee too big!) - a pitocin induced labor - husband is off next 4 days (I know, silly) - Mom is in town for next 4 days (shes a flight attendant and our ONLY babysitter/dogsitter) and in-laws are in town for the next 4 days....

I'll keep you posted!

[Dreaming]

Good luck and I hope it works for you!
BTW- Make sure to maintain fluid intake so you don't get dehydrated.

[clewal]

I believe you are going to need more that a tablespoon an hour. I took it in 2 oz increments over a period of two hours, I ended up with a full four oz.

Eat light and drink as much water, juice, etc as possible. I stayed hydrated by eating a lot of watermelon and drinking water. It will make you a little sick to your stomach.

I was also on the clock when I had my vbac. I was 40 weeks and they were going to do a repeat at 41. I came within an inch of doing castor oil which I swore I wouldn't do again. I'm sending you labor vibes.

[dukeswalker]

You know - I've had a few people tell me that I would need to take more - but My midwife (whos been practicing for 30 years) swears this is enough. Its also the recommended dose by Ina May Gaskin - a VERY highly regarded Midwife...we'll see! Thanks for the labor vibes!!

[Artisan]

Hope it works for you! Couldn't hurt to "get busy" to get that cervix softened up. You might also use some evening primrose oil internally. Wishing you a safe and speedy delivery!

[applejuice]

Good Luck and Happy Baby to you!

[Mom2baldie]

Good luck with your VBAC! Let us know what happens!

[Kim2002]

How are you feeling today? Did it work for you?

[saintmom]

Hi! I took the Inamae dose with Joy but it took two days to get going! Happy laboring hope your birth is wonderful

[lorijds]

Our birth center recommends one ounce at 8 am, with an additional dose at noon. No others, no larger doses (can anyone say colon-blow?). If it doesn't work, wait a couple of days and take again. If it doesn't work, that is because you aren't ready (and by that I don't just mean that your cervix isn't favorable, or that you aren't mentally ready; remember that the baby is involved in the labor process, too).

We have *great* results with this. And, though the ideal would be to simply let things happen on their own, the standards of care of our area (the standards to which we are held; doesn't matter that this area is completely backward in its medical care) and the rules of our accreditation mean that if a mama with a firm due date doesn't have her baby by 42 weeks, she has to transfer to the hospital.

Typically if it is going to work, you are having a baby that evening, or at least well into the process.

Dukeswalker, I hope you have a GREAT VBAC. And we are all anxiously awaiting your birth story.

[dukeswalker]

UPDATE:

Well - it was an interesting evening/early morning...I took the dose of 1 oz around 1:45pm. By 5 pm I had gone to the bathroom - but it was all pretty normal, no horror stories and definately nothing to write home about...just a good ol' normal bm (pleasant huh? ) Then about 10-15 minutes later I began having pretty irregular contractions. Around 8pm they were coming every 10 minutes and some were getting a little uncomfortable. DH and I hit the hay (and took a roll in it ) around 11pm and they were still coming pretty regular- but now about every 7 minutes - They came ALL night and were waking me up because they were getting pretty darn uncomfortable. I woke up multiple times rubbing my tummy and I flipped and flipped and flipped trying to "find" a comfortable position to keep snoozing. Well....the last time I woke up was 5 am and after that I slept like a baby....So, apparently they stopped.

Here it is, 8:30 am and I'm sipping on a fruit-yogurt-castor smoothie with 1 oz in it...Again, I figured it can't hurt anything!

I'll let you know how it goes!

[Dreaming]

:

I'm curious to know if it worked since it's been about 12 hours. I hope you're in labor right now!

Be sure to keep us posted sometime over the next few days.

[applejuice]

:

Keeping an eye on you also, Artist Mama, due May 31, 2004.

Good luck to all of you expectant mamas!

[Smithie]

I just chugged the 2 oz castor oli / vodka/ orange juice cocktail, and let me tell you it was nasty. DH contributed a 30-minute cervical massage, which at least has gotten him familar with my inside parts , and I've been taking black/blue cohosh tincture for a couple of hours now.

The problem is, my chosen castor oil cocktail was sooooo nasty that I know I can't repeat it in one hour as per the instructions. I will have to try something else. The vodka comppnent is recommended by many practitioners, but it is SO vomitous, esp. after all these months with no booze.

[lorijds]

I wouldn't take the vodka. Alcohol is a known muscle relaxer--that is not what you want!!!!

[Smithie]

Well, I sure won't be taking any more vodka - maybe ever! It was supernasty.

I'm thinking I might scramble another dose in eggs, as Ina May suggests.

[dukeswalker]

2nd Update:

OK - so here I am - still very much pregnant! After taking the 1 oz dose this am I ended up having very regular contractions all day long. The effects of the castor oil weren't a problem..Nothing nasty like I've heard from other moms. Around 8 pm I hopped in the tub with my dd and they stopped...Nothing!

So - everyone will just have to wait! I gave it a whirl and obviously she will come when she is good and ready.

I'm supposed to go in for a NST (non stress test) tomorrow (I'll be 41w) but I think I'll play hooky. She is moving and jamming so much that I have no worries.

Thanks for all the good wishes!

[Smithie]

Sorry it didn't work for you!

I'm having some painful contrax (as opposed to the painless BH I had all along), and I just started blue/black cohosh to try and keep them going. I was not able to take another dose of castor oil though - despit being hungry and eating a good dinner, I am still nauseous from the first dose. I think I am actually going to throw up at some point, which will hopefull get things going or stop things definitively. I did not get the castor oil out of my system the other way, don't know why...

[rachel]

I just wanted to share my experiences with castor oil.

Castor oil will only work if your body is ready to go into labor. I've taken it to "speed things along" for 3 of my pregnancies. I should mention that I usually have a long prodromal(sp.??) labor, I have many hours of contrax 10-15 min. apart off and on for about 4-7 days and finally get sick of it and take castor oil to get contrax regular. I also insert evening primrose oil capsules to help soften the cervix. So.....the first time I took the 1 oz in the OJ concoction (no vodka), brought on horrible cramping and a lot of diarrhea, and then strong contrax about 5 min. apart an hour later. The second time I took 1 tablespoon in OJ, brought on slight cramping, 1 diarrhea run, and strong contrax 5 min. apart about an hour later. Third time I took 2 tablespoons, (I wanted to take what I had taken the time before, but couldn't remember if it was 1 or 2 tbs. so I took 2 to make sure and boy, did I regret it!!) horrible cramping, lots of diarrhea, and contrax 5 min. apart about 3 hours later. All 3 labors were 6 hours start to finish (I didn't take anything with my 1st pregnancy/labor).

After doing a lot of research on castor oil and its use for bringing on labor contractions, for this, my fifth pregnancy/birth, I will not take castor oil again in any dosage, I think it can definitely pose some risks to the baby (I know, my last three babies were perfectly healthy, but, why take chances?). I will however take evening primrose oil, internally and inserted/externally and some blue/black cohosh if I get really impatient again, oh and I drink lots of rasberry leaf tea (made by Traditional Medicinals) throughout the pregnancy, I really believe it is helpful, especially during the recovery period. (Oh, and I walk lots & lots...... at the park, up and down stairs, around the block, at the mall, etc. ..... when I start getting all those contrax at the end of the pregnancy!)

edited to fix mistakes

[Greaseball]

I don't get it...why does it work? If it works by causing diarrhea which irritates the uterus, couldn't something else a little more pleasant be eaten, like lots of dried fruit and juice?