Castor Oil - Has Anyone Tried It to Induce Their Labor?

Hi Jess, I think it would be healthier to let nature take its course. won't caster oil cause diareah and cramping? each 5time my mom was past due, she were start rearanging the furniture, and sure enough it worked. I personall have never taken caster oil. Let me knw what you decide, oh and congrtulations on your baby girl, you are going to have so much fun. J.

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If you are anywhere near Studio City, try Caioti Pizza Cafe on Tujunga Ave. They have what's called "The Salad" that is supposingly to be labor-inducing. I've heard about this and looked this up, but haven't tried it. Some think the secret may be the balsmatic vingriette dressing, but who knows. Good luck!

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You may want to try an enema. That can help stimulate things without the awful tummy ache of castor oil. Also nipple stimulation and sex are great ways to induce labor.

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I did it TWICE, with both my pregnancies! BOTH times it did NOT work and was the most miserable thing i have ever put myself through! The first time i just had really bad runs and cramps, not contractions...CRAMPS! It was obviously not bad enough to keep me away from it. I tried it with my daughter, my second pregnancy, and i was throwing up ALOT and the worst i have ever thrown up! It was NOT worth it!
I DID do prim-rose oil directly on my cervix and orally and after 3 days of taking it and using it several times a day i went into labor with my daughter 2 weeks early.
Good Luck. (sorry for TMI on the castor oil, i just would NOT recommend it for anyone)
although i know several people who have taken it and it worked, my sister took it for 3 of her 4 pregnancies and it worked all 3 times. SO there is a good chance it worked. I just know how miserable i was. I hope i am not bashing your decision, I hope it works out for you in the best ways! I do know that when my friends/family have taken it they did vigorous activity after taking it to help start contractions and keep them going.
Let us know if it works out! Good Luck Jess!

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Hi Jess!

With my fourth child, my water had started leaking but I was not dilating. My midwife had be take the castor oil. First of all, it tastes terrible. They advised me to "mix" it with something. It DOESN'T mix...it's oil! :-( I almost gagged but finally drank it. Unfortunately, all it did was give me tons of diarrhea and NOTHING else!

With my 6th child, I had my membranes stripped and it worked. A friend of mine had it done twice and it worked the second time.

Best of luck!

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I never tried it, but my sister did, and ended up being induced anyway.

This site has Natural ways to induce labor http://www.drspock.com/article/0,1510,5329,00.html

Hope something works for you! I HATED being induced at the hospital and will avoid it at all possible cost this time.

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I don't have any experience with castor oil, but I did want to suggest you try talking with your Dr. and asking if he would consider inducing you. It seems like an easier and more guaranteed method. Either way, good luck & congrats on the new one to be!!!!

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I tryed it to for my 2nd pregnancy. I was 4 cm and 80% efaced, but not contracting. I lost my mucas plug as well. I tryed the castrol oil and it did not work. I tryed it for 2 days. Not yummy, just gave me diareah! I asked my doc. what to do and he said some of his patients have had success with black locorice and cranberry juice. SO my hubs and I went to the movies and I ate a whole tub of the black licorice pieces from trader joes, and drank o whole bottle of cranberry juice (I like black licorice, so that wasn't bad, but I really don't like cranberry juice) Well needless to say that morning I went into labor! I did it with my other 2 pregnancys too, and it worked with my 3rd, but not my 4th. It does taste a lot better then the castrol oil did! Good luck!

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i haven't personally tried it, but i had a friend who did. it did nothing for her but give her diarrhea.

i too was at a point where i was more than ready for my child. after i got my membranes stripped i think it took about a week for my son to get ready. i also did A TON of walking.

so i say, try not to take the castor oil, and just be patient because it hasn't been a week since your membranes were stripped. hope that helps!

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I haven't tried it, but good luck! It's the one thing I've heard consistant success stories from- just thought I'd be supportive! And show empathy because I have been there!

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Hi Jess,
yes i have personally tried it. my daughter is now 5 months. it never worked for me. she just wasnt ready and neither was my body.
however i think that you have a great chance of starting labor, because of what your body has already begun doing. it's a taste you will NEVER forget. i found that doing "shots" of it then sucking on an orange was easier for me to handle in the gagging department. and if possible try to be extra active. you will be cleaning yourself out, so to speak. so the extra activity may help the baby drop...etc.
good luck to you and your family :D

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I think it's coincidence when castor oil works. It usually just causes gals to be miserable, though some will swear it worked for them. When your body is ready labor will start. Stripping your membranes is a good way to coax your body into contracting which in turn will dialate and thin your cervix. Intercourse will often assist as the semen contain prostaglandins that can cause contractions. Walking, in moderation is OK, but don't go walking for miles dehydrating yourself and making yourself miserable. I know you want to have your baby but the EDC is just an estimated date. Save some energy for labor. If you decide to take the castor oil keep hydrated as often it not only makes you cramp, but you go to the bathroom so much you dehydrate which causes more cramping but not labor.

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I'm not going to bash you either, but I will say that I think you're making (or made) a huge mistake. You're so close and the baby is likely to make his/her appearance very soon. Castor oil will cause severe cramping and diarrhea. I know I wouldn't have wanted to feel that way when I was full-term, no matter how anxious I was to finally meet my son. I just wouldn't have traded one full day of misery (and potential dehydration) for him to get here one day sooner.

Another thing is that while it's true that any induction method (natural or medical) works better when you're already dilated, none of them are very effective if the baby is still very high up. What station was the baby at? That would have a lot of bearing on the success.

No matter what you do I wish you and easy, smooth labor and delivery.

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I tried it and it worked for me. My situation was that I was 5 days overdue and my waterbroke at 5am, but no labor. I had planned a homebirth and all the doctors I had seen for my prenatal care said I had to come in if my water broke and I didn't have the baby within 24 hrs. I spent all day walking and trying to get the labor going, I also tried doing the same thing that got the baby in to get the baby out (that was my mom's suggestion). Nothing happened, I had contractions but couldn't feel them, I'd just feel my belly get hard on the outside. My mom's dear friend, and the same midwife that delivered me, had flown in from out of state for my birth, so I was blessed to have a midwife in the house with me. She suggested first taking the castor oil and using it as a massage oil and rubbing it directly on the outside of my belly, this didn't work for me, but I'm sure it sometimes works or she wouldn't have mentioned it, you can try that first if your leary of ingesting the castor oil. Then around 8pm she suggested ingesting the castor oil. She put 2oz castor oil in a glass of orangejuice. Within 20-30 mins I had to poop (expected) sorry for TMI but we're talking about castor oil here so here it goes... It was diarreah and I was on the toilet for a while, but it did work. I was in active labor withing 1 hr of taking it, and my baby was born at home healthy and happy the next morning at 10:42am. Let me know if you have any other questions, I'd be happy to answer if you want to e-mail me. I check my e-mail fequently, ____@____.com

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According to my doctor, his preferred method of induction is nipple stimulation or a breast pump. Because it's your 2nd baby, things tend to go rather quickly and smoothly. If you do decide to rub your nipples, be sure you're ready to go the hospital quickly because those contractions are STRONG! Perhaps you, like me, have some anxiety about caring for a newborn and another small child (totally understandable). I would list all the ways you can handle the situation when your mom does leave, and perhaps get some things together with her help before she has to leave if you still haven't delivered. Perhaps your "nerves" are a factor in your delayed labor, and also the fact that you're not even 40 weeks. I know from experience - I've had 5 kids and had labor start and stop for days with a couple of them. It is miserable. I'm pregnant again and feel so much more confident and trusting with my new doctor and am going to enjoy the rest before the storm that a new and precious baby will bring. I would spare yourself the misery of castor oil. God bless you!

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It will give you a mean case of diarrhea on top of it all. I'm not bashing I'm just asking if you really wanna be running to the bathroom between contractions?

My aunt told me to vaccum and then scrub the bathtub or do it vice vesa (that part did'nt really matter). So I did that on Friday night and Saturday morning at 4:30am I was in labor. Why not try just one more thing? ;)

Good luck!

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I totally feel for you. Sounds like my last pregnancy. I was sent home from the hospital 3 times! Just try to relax, that baby will be here soon. Also, the best thing I did was stay at the hospital an extra day. I was totally ready to tackle a newborn and almost 3 year-old and I really think that extra day helped. CONGRATULATIONS!

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I won't bash you, hopefully nobody will. Obviously castor oil has worked for some. For me and friends who have tried it, severe cramping and diarrhea was all we had. Huge huge regret on my part. I had my baby about 9 days after I took it, so it did not work for me. Personally I think it is just a coincidence when it does work, like anything that "works". Baby will come when she is ready - which in your case, sounds like that will be soon! Someone posted here once about a maternity salad that induced labor for many! I can't recall the name of the restaurant but if you google it, it may come up. Best wishes to you! Please keep us posted!
M.

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I don't have any comment about castor oil, just don't know anything about it, but I used to be a massage therapist and can give you some pointers to possibly help. (A friend of mine went into labor two hours after I massaged her). It would help if someone else could do it but you could very well reach these points.

Rub in between forefinger and thumb, rub at the oxiput just at the base of the neck, lots of foot massage, esp around ankle, do very gentle, circular vibration on belly welcoming baby into the world.

I didn't want to be induced either so I did acupuncture and that helped but I think my "problem" it that it was purely psychological: I wasn't ready until I was ready: )

Very best to you!!

J.

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I did castor oil, hated it! Severe cramping and horrible diarrhea. Not worth it. You are on your second pregnancy, why won't your doctor induce you? Most OB's will induce you at 40wks with your second. Some will induce 7-10 days early. If your are so desperate share your feelings with your OB, they should be more understanding...

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Go get a labor inducing massage and an adjustment from the chiropractor. That worked for me twice. My water broke at home that very night a week before my due date. Pressure points in the ankles can also get immediate results.
Good luck.

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