Castor oil stories

[MixedCouple2]

Just wanted to know anyones stories with castor oil especially 2nd / 3rd etc time Mums.

We are planning to use it at the end of 39 weeks if DS2 doesn't show up. I have done loooads of research and looked at the scientific studies and know the safe and tested amount (60ml). But just wanted to know how others induction with castor oil worked out and if you used the correct amount, and when etc.
Many thanks.

I recall that we are both due to give birth on the same date.

Haven't tried mysekf, but I've heard mixed reviews. Many swear by it, and others vehemently against it. Seems like what provokes labour is the laxative effect the oil has, which I guess others get from curries or spicy foods.

I may consider CO if I'm overdue like you, from what I've read it works best when body is good and ready to go already. (So then the question becomes maybe labour would have occur without it?).

For now though I'm trying everything else. Long walks, sitting on a bouncy ball and having partner stimulate intense orgasms etc. Last one seemed to move things along last time.

I'm hoping for VBAC, so getting induced would likely kill that ambition, based on the stats.

Good luck

One of the worst labours I've observed was with a friend who took castor oil. Spent her labour on the loo with awful spasms as well as contractions and became very dehydrated. Baby was then distressed and they struggled to get her into theatre as she running to the loo. 0/10 wouldn't recommend.

It's so ridiculously unsafe OP, you clearly haven't read stories about babies opening their bowels before they actually exit the birth canal, and then inhaling this, causing lung issues

I'm baffled that you're actually planning on doing this - do some more research, please

My mum took castor oil to get me out. I was supposed to be born before Xmas, but I wasnt. She took it and I was born a few days later ! This was 1964 tho. However, sometimes
' Old wives Tales ' had a lot of truth to them...

Please don't use castor oil, it's been proven to be really unsafe. Often causes horrendous diarrhoea and doesn't actually get people into labour, then babies can get distressed and aspirate on meconium.

Yeah don't do it. It's not safe.

The only person I know who did it had a very painful labour and baby in distress. 😳

Exactly. It’s a pretty horrible risk to do on your own baby.

Honestly just don’t do it. If you have researched then you will already know the risks attached to it so my question back to you would be why would you want to put your baby at risk?

Please don't! I used it with my third. It gave me hideous sickness, put me into labour but hours of contractions and no dilation.

I got a huge bollocking from the midwife when I told her.

Was at a birthing class this weekend. The midwife there said all castor oil (and spicy food) was good for is giving you the shits during labour. Which is neither pleasant for you or the midwife, should you coincidentally go into labour.

Why would you want to take something that at best(!?) gives you the shits before you potentially give birth and at worst harms your baby? Why are you in such as rush… can you not let baby just come when they’re ready?

Not me but an American woman I know who had a baby two months ago. Her husband is in the US military and was about to be called back to base before her due date so she took the recommended amount at 38 weeks and went into labour 7 hours later. Horrific level of pain, fairly long labour, both her and baby were in "distress", don't think her midwives/Obs were particularly impressed by what she'd done.

I was shocked when I found out, thought it was utterly reckless and stupid. I'd never do that, mainly because of the risk to the baby.

I'm an obstetric anaesthetic/recovery nurse (but help the midwives with the ladies on delivery suite if there are no ladies going to theatre) and I've not seen women have good labours when they've taken castor oil. Non stop on the toilet and often end up dehydrated, exhausted and in theatre either for themselves as needing an assisted delivery or c section for baby being in distress. This is anecdotal, I realise but the evidence is out there that castor oil is most definitely not recommended.

Very popular to take CO to start labour in the Asian community. I've never heard any good come out of it- in fact, those who I know who have taken it, have often had csection births because of baby becoming distressed, meconium aspiration, etc. don't do it.

Yes! 39w 1d!

Yes I did some more digging about and found the scientific studies said the women were 40w-42w when they took the 60mls. So nothing about pre 40weeks has been looked into and not recommended until after the due date. I am also going to wait now until 40-41 weeks after further consideration.

Thanke for eveeyones response. All those with negative stories or views. It is interesting becuase when used correctly the scientific evidence shows no correlation between meconium staining or aspiration or distress so no negative outcomes are listed that are harmful when used correctly. These are peer reviewed studies. If you read the papers a group were given a placebo and they had "bad" outcomes as you outline such as distress and meconium staining or aspiration nothing to do with castor oil as they never took it. They had a placebo only!
The science shows efficacy and safety at 60mls when used correctly at the correct time.

Maybe the women you talk about took a concoction of things such as Cohosh which is very dangerous and not recommended or the whole bottle as I read one lady had a whole 500ml bottle in one go!!!! I have read soo many stories wnd seen love vlogs of women taken castor oil amd recorded the outcomes in detail. There are good and bad stories.
Antidotes of its use is mixed (but there is no control or monitoring of correct use) but the science is clear as the studies were controlled and there were no adverse side affects. Some nausea some vomiting some loose bowl movements - can be normal for some at time of delivery anyway.

Medical inductions are shown to have what was described above - distress, Meconium staining, failure to progress and ECS. A forced induction when the body is not ready or the baby should I say will be risky medical or natural. Just becuase your in a hospital doesn't mean you are free of risks from interventions. It is still drugs.

I did. Have you read my OP? I looked at scientific papers a lot! The science proves efficacy and safety when used correctly 60mls as stated.

Could you please link papers that are peer reviewed stating unsafe and dangerous?

Anyone else please link scientific peer reviewed papers - genuinely curious as every paper I have read says it is safe to use.

Of course

Silly me

There was me thinking about you and your baby and the potential outcomes of taking something that isn't recommended (see above - a medical professional telling you it's a bad idea)

You do you though. You asked for opinions and you got them.

Best case scenario is it gives you the shits?
Not what I'd want during labour!
Can't you just let the baby come when it's ready? Without any diarrhoea involved?

But why are you so desperate to force your baby out before it’s ready?

Medical inductions are shown to have what was described above - distress, Meconium staining, failure to progress and ECS

@MixedCouple2 This is a compelling point. I had a medical induction, which led to distress and ultimately an EMCS. I'm not sure why inductions are frivolously handed out given adverse effects they routinely cause.

Would certainly risk caster oil than induction this time round.

I took the 60ml recommended in the studies having read the same literature. I went into labour that eve at 38+4 and had my baby the following day at 38+5. I had one episode of diarrhoea but that was it. Definitely didn’t have the shits all labour.

Yes I been reading on MN all the horror induction stories and all over the internet and why so many women are refusing to go down that route again with 2nd and 3rd pregnancies and would rather try natural methods.

My Birthing center gave me all the statistics at the start and said inductions can head down a slippery slope real fast. My BIL is also an OBGYN and he isn't about inductions especially when no medical emergency or urgeny. I ran it by him this evening and he said no studies show or prove that Castor oil is Dangerous and the most that would happen is loose stools and vomiting but that would subside quickly if that was to happen.

I tried the Flaxseeds this evening a tablespoon soaked in water and downed that. Flaxseeds have similar properties to castor oil but not so potent. So just dipping my toe to see what's happens.
I will be 40w Monday so well review and try Castor Oil then. The 60mls just once and see what's happens.
I already had some MP come away in the week with on and off contractions so I assume things are starting - slowly.
If I get to the end of 40 weeks will try some Reflexology. I need to relax more that's for sure.

Thank you.
Did you have after a meal or with a meal or on an empty stomach. Thats the only thing I have founs so many differing suggestions not outlined in the atudies when it was taken. Does the time matter? Etc.

Some women swear it worked better on an empty stomach and some swear it worked better on a full stomach and it night. Hmmm

Why you would want the shits during labour is beyond me.

Just have some rumpy pumpy. If your bodies ready to deliver the prodding of your cervix will release the hormone to trigger labour. No stomach cramps and diarrhea then.