Castor Oil

[AmyGirl28]

MamaFern- I heard you say you were thinking of trying this.

I was wondering if any other mamas were. Also wondering if you have heard any stories of it working. From what I have ready it only works if your cervix is ripe... and mine isn't. But I am getting close to trying anything.

[MrsMoe]

It works as a laxative. I have heard enema is the same thing, without the horrid taste and vomiting castor oil can cause.

What happens is the laxative effect can cause intestinal cramping, which can trigger uternine cramping, in turn triggering labor.

I would personally skip the castor oil and go for an enema.

[flapjack]

I don't think it's a case of only working if the cervix is ripe: I think it only works if baby is ready to come, which is slightly different.
I'd take castor oil in preference to cohosh, homoeopathy in preference to either: unless you're having problems with constipation. I used it with Alex, smooth textbook labour, found the bottle and threw it away (out of date) the day before Isaac was born: smooth textbook labour apart from the positioning problems (waters broke) and have tried it this time. I'm still pregnant.
One study suggests a 60ml (4 tablespoons) dose is 60% accurate at starting active labour within 24 hours in women between 40 and 42 weeks.

[PicnicBear]

I don't have any experience with it but I have read a lot on-line lately about induction etc. and I have found some people warning against castor oil because it would also go to the baby and could cause her to pass meconium.

I have NO idea if this is acurate, if they have already passed meconium at that age anway, etc. Just thought I would add the info hear and would be interested to hear comments.

I'm 12 days overdue today and still not considering it. We'll see how I feel after 14 days.

Why couldn't one just use another laxative or does it have to be castor oil?

[Godiva]

I used castor oil about 2 weeks before my baby was born. It didn't work, but Caia had no meconium in her water even though she was severly overdue as well. As for the taste, DON'T mix it with anything. I tried it first with oj and I nearly puked after one sip. After that, I just poured it into a spoon and took it like cough syrup. It doesn't have a bad taste at all like that, just feels a bit oily. It is so much easier to take straight. (plus there is less to take) It didn't work for me obvoiusly, but it didn't make me nasueous or make me go to the bathroom too horribly. If you want to try it, I'd say go for it, but don't get your hopes up.

[flapjack]

Plagio, post-dates babies are more likely to pass meconium in utero anyhow, due to their mature guts. Something to bear in mind if meconium is one of the things your midwife always transfers for, whether or not you take the castor oil.

[PicnicBear]

OK, I had read that, but then I read that they were no more likely to aspirate the meconium, which is the important thing (as far as I understand). My MWs work at a "birth center" in a hospital (so it's like being in a hospital but with nice rooms and nice MWs) so I shouldn't have to transfer.

As for the taste, I would probably go like you, Bailey, since I take cod liver oil on a spoon every night. On a side note, one reason I took the cod liver oil was that it helps prevent preterm delivery . . looks like it works pretty well, eh?

[MrsMoe]

BTW - Watch for Blue Cohosh if you have blood pressure issues, as it can elevate BP.

[MamaFern]

ive done a LOT of research on it the last few days and my feeling is that its pretty safe. i just talked to my doula and she tried it on her EDD with her son ( after a very difficult pregnancy) and it didnt do anything for her but make her really sick. but.. she took way too much she said and wasn't at all dialated or effaced to begin with..anyways.. now that im 10 days past my EDD and ive been patient as i can be i feel like it will be okay to try it and if it doesnt work then it doesnt work. ill only try it once. and as for the meconium thing i agree.. there really isnt any correlation that i can find. babies pass meconium in totally natural births, castor oil or not.. i did find a study done on 100 woman..52 given castor oil 48 not and a huge percentage of woman given the oil (40 or so..) did go into labour and only 2 or 3 in the other group did.,.. im trying to find the data.. ill post it when i do.

[PicnicBear]

Something us Americans might want to think about is Turkey Day -- probably better to take after we gorge ourselves, rather than say take it tomorrow and have to keep interupting the gorging with trips to the bathroom. I hope the runs stop after 24 hours (or less).

[candipooh]

I read all I could on castor oil and felt good about taking it. I was only one day over but there was other reasons that I wanted her to come. I felt she was ready and I *knew* I was.

Mix it with icecream! It isn't so bad.

It did work! I took one doce and nothing happened for 3 hours so I took one more. Within 30 minutes my water broke. Baby was born 9 hours later.

gentlebirth.org has a lot of great info about it.

The thing about it working is if the baby is ready!

I did have the runs badly. I know that with elimanating so much that I might get dehyderated so I made sure that EVERY time I was on the pot I drank water.

What was NOT fun was that during transition when I was in the birth pool I threw up and it came out both ends! You know...come to think of it, that happened with my labor with my 2nd and without castor oil. Except that it came out in a different tecture. Nothing like having your dh use a fish net to scoup your poop.

[PicnicBear]

I am leaning towards taking it -- soon. Maybe I should have DH bring some home with him today. I am 41 weeks, 5 days, 1 cm dilated, 60% effaced, "ripe" (is that different than effaced, I forget), and cervix position is posterior, baby is very low (gone from measuring 39 to 36 weeks).

Wow, that's a lot of stats. I hope that I am a good candiate.

On my list of things to try from the MWs they say: 2 oz. castor oil mixed with 4 oz. OJ, add ice cream of 1 oz. vodka (your choice), blend

they say to take it only between 7-11 am and follow with lots of water. I guess they don't want you up all night. But I have a MW appointment at 10 am tomorrow so that wouldn't be geat timing, hmmm maybe I will be naughty and just take it this afternoon.

[flyingspaghettimama]

My husband talked with MW today and she suggested something a little more gentle than castor oil if you have a sensitive gut (I do) called Swiss Kriss? Has anyone heard of this? I think it sounds hilarious, so I might try it. I wonder if it tastes like Swiss Miss chocolate (i.e. plasticized chocolate) with a cute little blonde girl on the front of the box...using the toilet...

If you have a sensitive gut anyhow, I was just wondering if I could down 4 decaf eggnog lattes and at least get diarrhea from something that tastes sooo good going down.

[PicnicBear]

Originally Posted by flyingspaghettimama

If you have a sensitive gut anyhow, I was just wondering if I could down 4 decaf eggnog lattes and at least get diarrhea from something that tastes sooo good going down.

I wondered that, too. I used to be lactose intolerant for a few years so rich ice cream would have worked. Strangely, my gut/digestion/elimination has been awesome during pregnancy so it sucks that I'm going to be throwing that out of wack.

[PicnicBear]

I just took it

OK, I just took 2.5 tablespoons (the MWs directions were to take 4, but I am a small person). I took it with some cherry soda and it was no problem to get down in a few gulps. It was 3:00 central time. Bring on the sh@ts baby!

I'll keep you posted!

[MamaFern]

good luck!! thats going to be me tomorow
im going to take it right after my midwife appointment.. let me know how it goes!

[*Amy*]

Originally Posted by plagio

Bring on the sh@ts baby!

Good luck, girl!!

[AmyGirl28]

Plagio & MamaFern- You will have to keep us posted on this thread if it works for you. It will give me something to look forward to besides obsessing about when my own baby is going to get here. I still have a few days before I start to take drastic measures. Good luck!

[zjande]

Do you guys happen to have any idea how taking castor oil would be different from taking olive oil? DP seems to think they'd be just the same. He's used olive oil to do cleansings & stone removals & such.

Also, where does one find castor oil? Is it like a regular cooking oil you'd find at Safeway?

[MamaFern]

i think you would find it in the pharmacy. i got mine at the health food store.. it was with all of the other medicine stuff.. i dont think olive oil would do the trick.. otherwise im sure the MW would reccomend that it works because its a laxitive.