Castor Oil - Would you??

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I wouldn't take it til I hit my due date (11 days to go, bloody fed up now!), but if I am late I really don't want to be induced unless really necessary so will try anything I can get my hands on. I've heard the oil is minging but really can work, but just interested to hear of other peoples experiences of it. Thanks

Doesn't it just give you the shits? I wouldn't do it personally. I went 14 days over with DS (was induced in the end) and tried everything from pineapple to raspberry leaf tea to sex to acupuncture. Caster oil was about the only thing I didn't try as I felt so uncomfortable, the last thing I needed was to be stuck to the toilet too!

Talk to your midwife before you try it.

No I wouldn't.Definitely wouldn't want the squits in labour.
I'm 39 weeks and totally fed up.As hacked off as I am there is a limit to how long it'll go on,and as it's already been 9 months what's another couple of weeks?

Yeah I knew it gae you the shits but I thought you had an episode of feeling "shitty" then contractions started. Clearly I dont know what I'm talking about! If the shits continue through labour then noooo thank you!

No I wouldn't either, if you were poo when you pushed surely the squits might spray everywhere.

[puts lunch to one side]

I did it. I was due dc2 on xmas eve and was booked for induction on 2nd jan. I was huge and sooo uncomfortable. I walked miles, RLT, sex, acupuncture and nothing worked. My midwife told me to try the castor oil. New years eve I took dosage as per my hypnobirthing book, and got awful diarrhoea (sp?) for about 4/5 hours. I went to bed exhausted and woke at quarter to four new years morning with really strong contractions lasting 45secs coming every 5 mins. Labour was quick and baby was born at 8.30. I'd do it again. For me it was preferable to induction and I was at my wits end. Good luck whatever you decide

i did it with my first at 3days over (on the advice of my dear old nan!) - didn't taste good but wasn't really expecting it too. About three hours after that i had the most shocking diarrohea for about an hour which cleaned me out totally and then the contractions started very strong and Ellie was born 6hours later....

NB: do not take castor oil and then leave the house in a swimming costume and tracksuit to go for a walk of any length.....don't ask, just trust me!

Can't it distress the baby though? Having the runs will just irritate your uterus (hence contractions starting with some people) and if baby isn't ready or they start strongly then you may end up with an unhappy baby and possibly a c-section if the baby isn't handling it well.

I wouldn't personally. Have you tried nipple stimulation?

I was told not to do this under any circumstances by the MW she said it can cause distress in the baby and result in them passing muconium before they are born which can make for a very ill baby post delivery. Please think long and hard about it first baby will arrive when he/she is ready.

I took it before having both of mine and it had no effect! Maybe I didn't take it in a large enough quantity, but it really made me gag drinking it so I took as much as I could manage (I think I filled one of those little medicine measuring pots).
Before both of mine what really got everything going was a really good sweep, done by the midwife. Will DS it was really painful but contractions started right away and I barely waddled out of the hospital! With DD it wasn't quite so sore so I went on a long walk after and then labour started all out.
So if your desperate I'd say leave the caster oil and ask your midwife for a membrane sweep (Mine will do it from 39weeks!) DS born at 39 and DD at 39 +3.

Definitely no. As others have said, it could have same effect on baby as on you and cause meconium in utero. Don't take the risk, please.

"NB: do not take castor oil and then leave the house in a swimming costume and tracksuit to go for a walk of any length.....don't ask, just trust me!"

I know you said don't ask, but WHY WOULD YOU DO THIS???!!

I wouldn't take castor oil, for same reasons as everyone else. Baby will come out eventually whatever happens, and speaking as someone who was induced for her first labour, it was a much more positive experience than labour + the utter shits.