Contemplating Castor Oil

[Ianthe]

OK.. Has anyone done this? I really don't want to have to go this route, but I am willing to give it a shot. It's a huge dilema! I have my NST on Weds, and if anything is shown to be wrong, I will have to get an induction at the hospital- I DON'T want that! So, I can take castor oil tomorrow or Tuesday before the u/s and NST just in case, or I can just hold off and take my chances.

If I do take it.. how much to take?

[LilMamiBella]

I think I read somewhere online that taking castor oil doesn't guarantee the baby will come.

[darsmama]

nak

Not a fan of castor oil induction, but 2 tblsppons in 8 oz of juice or however you choose to ingest it, is a safe way to start, good luck!!

[Ianthe]

I know it doesn't guarentee anything, but I have run out of options. I've done everything else, except eggplant parmesean! I have the permission of my midwife and the support of my doula to try the castor oil... soo....

One more thing, Where do you buy it?

[momto l&a]

You buy it at drug stores.

I dont see why you have to have an induction if anything is found to be wrong. If there is a problem then go home and do the castor oil should you choose to do so.

How far along are you?

[sarabrynn82]

I don't have the book in front of me, but I think in Spiritual Midwifery, Ina May reports good success with doing a tbsp in juice with breakfast, then again an hour later, and once more an hour after that... I *think*.

I know that my mw will sometimes recommend it to help a slow starting labor, not sure about getting it started altogether though.

But I understand where you're coming from!!! I've been monitored like a hawk for the past 5 weeks and now that I'll be 38 weeks tomorrow, I feel like the smallest alarm will send me to the hospital for an induction, so we've been trying everything (epo, nipple stim, sex, walking...) to get things going and my babes are just too cozy to budge yet.

Best of luck and hope all turns out just as you'd like!

[EFPookie]

I took it with #2 because they were threatening to induce. DTD, took the castor oil, water broke that night.

HOWEVER, with #3 I followed the same procedure and NOTHING HAPPENED. Tried other stuff for about a week and tried again. NOTHING HAPPENED. (well, you know, THAT happened and made my hemorrhoids that much worse, but not what I wanted to happen). Ended up getting my water broken after walking and walking and walking all night got to about 4-1/2.

I didn't even try it with #4 and will NOT try it this time. Not worth it to me now, but it was with #2 because at the time I knew I didn't want to be induced but probably wouldn't have said no. Now I would (and did with #4) just say no.

[kdtmom2be]

They gave me castor oil to speed things up last week with some success. It was 2 tbsp in a juice/almond paste concoction. The almond paste helps it to mix a little better. Try making a peanut butter smoothie or something similar if you choose to go the castor oil route. (and my labour had already started, we were just trying to speed things along, I still didn't dialate paste 6cm, so YMMV!)

[groovynaturemama]

i drank castor oil. nasty stuff, but it got my labor into the active phase after about 3 hours! my water broke, and 4 hours later baby was here. ugh, it was like drinking salad oil, even in a smoothie, but i'm sure it helped. oh and the next day (get ready for TMI)...poo'ing wasn't a problem at all. it was like i had a delayed reaction to it in that respect. i sure was glad, because pushing was not something i wanted to do the morning/day after i gave birth

[Ianthe]

Ok, I am going to do it. I am buying some tomorrow and I'll take it in the early afternoon. I figure; if it works GREAT, if not- it's just not time. Wish me luck!

[darsmama]

Good luck LizzyQ! Hopefully little Sebastian is finally ready for your sake!!

[Sunflower223]

good luck lizzy let us know how it goes. I caught myself checking it out at the drugstore today when I went to check my bp, I was so tempted to buy a bottle but I am holding out until due date. My mom and grandma both used castor oil successfully, btw.

[Meg_s]

I used it the night before and teh day of my birth last time.. nothing bad happened bowel wise. I took about 4 oz each time (just drank it in a cup of water) and had a normal bm each day and then no pooping during the labour which was nice. I have no idea whether it "worked" but I was 6 days late, also constipated the entire preg so nice to have a normal easy bm. Oh, birth was fast and easy, came absolutely without warning and lasted 2.5 hrs total. I'm thinking of trying it this pregnancy too just because I didn't have any NEGATIVE effects last time and I don't know.. it didn't FEEL to me like it was much more than a placebo.