Has anyone taken castor oil?

[itsazoohere]

My midwife recommended it and the chemist is getting it in for me. Is taking it as terrible as it sounds?

[moondog]

No,but I've always wondered how it is supposed to work exactly.

[mears]

I am surprised your midwife recommended it to you TBH. It works by causing smooth muscle to contract ie you get diarrhoea due to bowel contracting. Theoretically the uterus might contract which will make labour start. The baby's bowel might contract which will cause meconium staining in labour which will result in continuous monitoring if your waters are broken. Not sure it is worth it TBH.

[itsazoohere]

As far as I know it has a violent laxative effect and the contractions of your bowel trigger contractions of your uterus. I'm quite scared as to just how violent it really is!

[mears]

interesting info

[mears]

Why not just wait. Baby will come eventually. How overdue are you?

[itsazoohere]

oops, x post mears. I had heard something like that. So if contractions started but my waters didn't break for a while, the baby could be in distress and I wouldn't know?

[ShinyHappyPeopleHoldingHands]

No, don't do it. It's just as Mears said.. and worse. If the baby inhales meconium it can cause all sorts of problems. (CP for instance! )

DIY orgasms to start labour. [YAWN at myself because I tell pg people this weekly!]

[itsazoohere]

And again! only 2 days, but had v. bad inductions before due to pre eclsampsia and don't want to run risk of it happening again.
Booked for homebirth and want to keep it that way!

[mears]

I would wait another week at least before resorting to castor oil TBH. Homebirth will still be a goer up to 42 weeks.

[TeeCee]

Yes, twice, worked twice too.

First time I downed the whole bottle and went into labout 3 hours alter with only 1 poo inbetween.

2nd time I did the first half a bottle in the am, and nothing. So did the 2nd hald before I went to bed, had terrible upset tummy, gave myself piles, went to bed with a sore bum woke up a few hours later in labour.

Would have got piles anyway but not a great way to go into labour but even so it was v effective and I'd do it again.

I know about 8 castor oil kids!

[mears]

Baby does not necessarily get distressed when there is meconium, but if your waters break with meconium present you would need to be transferred to hospital just in case of inhalation problems at delivery.

[itsazoohere]

Thanks, Mears and TeeCee, it's good to know both sides. Just got a message from hosp. saying am booked in for induction next fri. Hope something works before then.

[lulumama]

agree with everything mears has said

a lot of chemists will not sell castor oil to heavily pregnant women!

the article mears has linked to also references the gentlbirth site..that has fantastic tips for natural induction,i do recommend that site a lot


itzazoohere....i know you are desperate to avoid induction..may i suggest something?

stop worrying and torturing yourself

conciously relaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaax

do some deep breathing

visualise baby coming , all in good time, all unhurried and calm..

try to push the desperation out of your mind

let your body go, as it were, just take the pressure off, and relax......

2 days over is nothing...

[itsazoohere]

Thank you Lulumama, will try. So far today have
had emergency gas man out, phone call from dd1's school re persistent "missing" homework, dd2 1&1/2 hrs late for sch and now faced with
2 halves of a dead mouse on my bedroom floor. Will try visualisation tonight when all is calmer.
I KNOW I sound stroppy and impatient (and to be fair-I AM) but hospital admitted mistakes with Dd1's induction/birth/aftercare were serious. My family was told at one point to make me name the baby asap as wouldn't make it through the night. So really, really want to get this one right!

[Ceolas]

I took it on my mother in law's recommendation when my first baby was 8 days 'overdue'. Would never do it again.

It was disgusting to take, gave me cramps and diarrhoea.

I never knew about the meconium thing until now, but there was meconium when my waters broke. Ended up with every kind of monitoring imaginable including a probe on baby's head. Delivered with the help of rotational forceps. Very scary indeed

[lulumama]

itsazoo..no wonder you are desperate to get it right ! piling pressure on yourself can be counter productive...

now, auntie lulu says...

tonight, get DH to sort out the kids and the supper if poss, while you get on the serious business of relaaaaaxing and getting ready for baby to come........

ceolas..the castor oil might not be responsible for the meconium.... i had meconium in my waters when they went, and i had gone into labour spontaneously x

[Ceolas]

Yeah I know it can happen for all sorts of reasons. Just had never heard of the link with castor oil until now...

[littleducks]

took it, to try and establish labour as having on and off contractions, terrible upset stomach helped a bit with contractions, my waters never broke and no meconium

but suggest you follow mears advice as she is the expert

[ScoobyDooooo]

I done it with my 1st labour, i was 10 days overdue & was due to be induced the next morning so i decided to take matters into my own hands & my last resort was castor oil

I had about half a bottle but split into 2 i had some in the afternoon about 1ish then some a few hrs later, nothing happened then at 4am i woke in the morning with period pains & stood up & had a show, so it worked for me, i did however sit on the loo for about half an hour but nothing to terrible just like a clear out, i went to hospital at 10am & ds was born that evening at 8.26pm.

I decided if i was overdue with dd i would do it again but went into labour on my due date so no need.

I say if you have to do it only do it for last resort, can't believe your mw suggested it though

Also chemists are not supposed to sell it to pg women, i sent dp in to get it for me he said it was for his nan