Castor oil - I'm armed and ready. help me decide!

[2bpeaceful]

40.2 weeks, had a non-stress test today and the baby is fine. I had one contraction during the test, and I've been feeling tiny cramps that I guess are contractions--nothing regular.:
Just got back from the OB and I am 2.5 cm dialated and 70% effaced but the baby's head is still fairly high. Had my membranes stripped, barely (because he couldnt get in very far b/c of how high db's head is).

So...do I use the castor oil or not? I'm mentally ready for the baby, somewhat logistically ready, and I think I'm physically far enough along. I would love to hear from those of you who have used it.

Please let me know 1) how far along you were and your effacement/dilation if you know it 2) how much you took and in what medium 3) what happened and when! 3) would you do it again.

Thank you SO much. Im off to take a walk, have some sex, use some EPO, and perhaps...drink some castor oil!

[Peppamint]

Seems to me that a lot of moms who take castor oil end up starting labor with the runs and their water breaking... maybe not a good thing if your baby is still up high (possible cord prolapse). I'd hang in there awhile longer, hard as it is!

[2bpeaceful]

cord prolapse???? now you're scaring me. OB never mentioned anything about this. Pls. explain.

[Marlet]

Please let me know 1) how far along you were and your effacement/dilation if you know it 2) how much you took and in what medium 3) what happened and when! 3) would you do it again.

1) I was over anywhere from four days to 11 days. There was some dating issues. In the end it was about a week over.
2) I took the whole bottle. I made a shake out of it and just downed it.
3) I woke up with my first contraction at 2 am. I had finished it at about 10:30 that night. Labour stalled during the day until our employees went home and then at about 9 pm it kicked in again. I didn't get the runs and my water did not break. Call me lucky there.
4) Would I do it again? NO! I had my reasons for doing it and I regret them now. My babe was face up. I feel that had I gone with my gut of her being born on the 22nd (she was born on the 18th) she would have had time to spin. I rushed things so she wasn't able to get in a more optimal situation. It, IMO, also facilitated my going in for pain killer. The contractions from castor oil can be hard core. Pair that with her presentation and the pain was more than I thought I could handle. AND I fell it sped my labour up big time. From the start of actual labour and not the random ones throughout the day I had a 7 hour labour for my first baby. I wish I had waited. I was lucky that I did not have a prolapsed cord or meconium in my water. I think had either of those happened it would have been alot more difficult once we went to the hospital than it was.

I say wait it out. And if you really do need to do this for some reason choose something else. Castor oil is a pretty harsh way to start labour, IMO.

[iamama]

Pls wait! I was miserable on CO! Your baby will come out I swear! Soon enough. I know how you feel a year ago I was 11 days over my due date. Longest 11 days of my life. You could try some Evening primrose oil on your cervix...or some sex is always a good idea!!!

[NYCVeg]

Castor oil is one induction method I (personally) wouldn't try. I had to do a "colon cleanse" with Fleet's Phospho-soda (a medicine similar to castor oil) before a colonoscopy, and it was deeply, deeply unpleasant--not an experience I'd repeat unnecessarily. I've heard of lots of mamas who just end up with 24 hours or so of horrible stomach cramps and diarrhea...and then either didn't go into labor or did but were totally exhausted from the castor oil side effects. I'm not trying to be alarmist--there are many people who have used it and liked it--but I do think you should be aware of possible risks.

My Bradley instructor (who does recommend blue/black cohosh, evening primose oil, and other naturopathics) said to not use castor oil unless baby was engaged and your cervix is VERY ripe--otherwise, you're likely just to have icky castor oil effects but not go into labor.

I dunno...I would at least do some more research; maybe search the "I'm Pregnant" and "Birth and Beyond" forums for more threads on castor oil

[guestmama9906]

Please let me know 1) how far along you were and your effacement/dilation if you know it 2) how much you took and in what medium 3) what happened and when! 3) would you do it again.

I would wait, you're barely overdue. I only did it b/c my son was very overdue. He ended up not coming out for another week (due 2/21, showed up 3/6). I don't know how effaced/dilated I was, I was only going to the midwife once a week still at that point. I took the whole little bottle with OJ over ice. It did NOTHING. Except really nasty diarrhea. Would not do it again, and I would not recommend it. It is seriously gagariffic. My husband almost puked watching me take it

[delicious]

i concur, wait a bit. i did do castor oil at 42 weeks, and while my experience wasn't as bad as others, i have heard bad things. i also woke up in the middle of the night for the next two days having to, um, 'go.' nothing worse than being in that postpartum haze wanting to just snuggle up to my newborn dude and having to get up for THAT. bleh.

it wasn't that awful during labor, though. but still. wait if you can. i know that last bit of waiting sucks.

[nova22]

Originally Posted by 2bpeaceful

cord prolapse???? now you're scaring me. OB never mentioned anything about this. Pls. explain.

If the baby is not engaged into your pelvis, there's room below his head for the cord to slip out if your water breaks. Our daughter wasn't engaged when my water broke on its own and I was fine, but it does happen.

I saw your other thread about trying acupuncture instead but I still wanted you to know the answer to this question.

[maxmama]

Please don't, or seriously consider waiting. I see so many moms who have been miserable from diarrhea and the cramping, but who aren't changing their cervixes and get sent home to rest, but instead have more diarrhea and cramping. Very hard to rest on the potty.

[darsmama]

I second, third it. Give it time mama.

[darsmama]

Go to a movie, Try to learn knitting or crocheting, Pick up a book and read, read, read.

Try to get or give yourself a pedicure or manicure, or pluck your eyebrows. ANYTHING THAT IS ALL FOR YOU

You won't have time to do those things once labor starts and the babe is here.
Enjoy your last day or two even though it seems like the waiting could go on foreeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeever..
It won't. I promise.

[Hevyne]

I was just medically induced due to losing fluid and my son was still up high and the cord became wrapped around his neck b/c he was too high. It was very scary!! Plus I found out they were wrong about my due date and I was only 37 weeks not 39 wks. 5 days. He is such a tiny peanut and he really should have been allowed to cook a little longer. And yes my due date was calculated thru multiple ultrasounds and missed period...and they were still off. I tried the black and blue cohosh as well as evening primrose oil for 5 weeks orally too. I knew they were going to induce me medically so I tried to do it naturally...it still didn't work. I did not even tink about castor oil due to it can make you have REALLY bad cramping and SEVERE diarrhea and even if you do go into labor you will have major diarrhea throughout the labor and delivery..yuck!! I would wait and go eat some eggplant parmesan!!

[thismama]

Another vote for don't do it. It's one thing if they have you scheduled for an induction in three days that you can't get out of (I've seen mamas post with that situation), but you are only two days "overdue!"

Castor oil, as pp's have said, is not the ideal way to start labour.

Wait it out!

(My daughter was 13 days late, so I know how it is to wait).

[boingo82]

I have never done castor oil, however, I was put into labor this time by a case of the stomach flu, which I guess may be similar.

I would say DON'T do it. The last thing you want while in labor is even more weird things going on in your guts! Plus, there are risks. But purely from a comfort standpoint, I think it's something you should avoid.