Is Castor Oil the Answer for a Safe Induction?

Yes, in my family we have used this for several overdue babies-1 large spoonful.You could also try rasberries,anything with them in it. Squatting and the final, Sex-I have a friend who swears by it! lol! Good luck!

You can try walking; that might help.

I now have 3 childern and working on my 4th im 26 weeks now and I know how u feel ! ! it's hard, But all can say about that Castor oil is going to do is make you go to the bathroom and bad and alot, it not a fun feeling ! ! But I would say help me along is walking ALOT and try to keep your day busy, no laying around ! And Sexs it does work too, Thats what it took for my 2nd ! :) But good luck and hang in there ... ANd congz on the baby girl !

My friend used 2 evening primrose pills (vaginally) and it broke her water for her. I have never used it but alot of my moms on other mommy board that I am have done it too. Good luck

I never did it & I dont think never would try it. I would walk if I were you. I went shopping the night before Raymond was born & I was to the point to where I couldnt even stand. Then I knew it finally worked. It took me 11 mintues to have my son. I would never reccommend a quick delivery too it hurts more then a regular couple hour 1. Good luck & congratulations.

Hi M.- I had the same issues, but never heard of Castrol Oil. I always had sex with my hubby and went into labor the next day. They always say to get a massage and let them hit all your points to go into labor, but sex always worked for me-Good Luck and happy baby day!

I had hot wings the night before my son was born! We still joke about it 4 years later!

Good luck!
Kim

I used castor oil when I was overdue with my daughter. The Drs in the practice were arguing over my due date because of one of the ultrasounds in the beginning, despite the fact that I knew exactly when my last period was, when she was concieved and what several more ultrasounds showed they wouldn't induce me for awhile. (I think I was the lucky one that got caught up in the middle of a power struggle between the Drs) It did work for me. I drank it mixed with orange juice and it is seriously nasty. I couldn't even drink it all. I drank it around 1:00pm and the diarreah started not long after. I stayed in the bathroom for quite awhile. I took a nap around 3:00pm and woke up about 5:00pm having contractions. We were at the hospital by 8:00pm. My daughter was born several hours later.
Even though it did work for me I'm not sure I would recommend it. It was super, super nasty and the diarreah was awful. My bum was soooooo sore. I was extremely paranoid about pooping on the Dr the whole time. Luckily that didn't happen because everything had already been pooped out. Definitely try all the other methods, especially tons of walking, before deciding on the castor oil.

I am 36 1/2 weeks pg with my 5th baby. I have never use Castor Oil and never will!! I haven't heard anything good about it. Perhaps your baby will come but the poops that come with it don't fly with me!!

With my first, we had sex and my water broke. With my second, he just came when he was ready no matter what I did. My third, we went and ate Mexican...I ate a load of Jalepeno's...I mean a lot!! With my 4th, I just waited it out, I was in no rush to get him out but he came a week early.

I have heard eating Black licorice can help but I never tried it. I am in no rush with this baby to get her out, either. I may be a bit uncomfortable but I am not ready for her to be here yet!! Good Luck. Let us know what you decide.

I can empathize with you. I had serious pain issues while pregnant with my daughter, and I had a 20-month-old daughter to care for at the time.

Castor oil often causes diarrhea, so you may want to keep that in mind. I would not want to have to deal with diarrhea while in labor! Natural things like walking and sex often help labor along, too. Just a thought. Good luck!

Hi M.,
I feel for you but I do believe that babies come when they are ready. I have 5 children, my 1st came by herself 10 days early, then I was my pregnant with my son, I was sooooo huge and miserable, I tried everything except castor oil. I drank the tea they said, walked, sex, then starting having braxton hicks contractions for a month before he was born every night so every night I was in horrible pain and no baby. Then they admitted me and started an induction with cervidel and it still didn't work so I got sent home being told maybe he wasn't ready we were gonna wait another week. FINALLY when he was 10 days overdue he came. I had 3 after him and at the end of every pregnancy I would walk and try things to start contractions and all 3 of them had to be induced. My advice would be to try and stay patient ( I know its so hard) otherwise you will be more impatient and stressed trying to start your labor. A few weeks seems like a lifetime now but in reality your new baby will be here soon for you to hold her. Good luck!!!!!

hi M., I hope your feeling well. I personally didn't need castor oil. My son came at 36 weeks and thank god b/c he was 7lbs at that point. I did a lot of walking and played alot with my 9yr old sister. I do have a friend who tried it and she said that she drank like 1/2 the bottle and went to bed and woke up in the middle of the night in labor. She was also around 39 weeks also. I don't know if it really works, but it will not hurt you or your baby to try. GOOD LUCK

I don't know about castor oil but I drank really strong hot rasberry tea. That worked for me with my 2nd and 3rd. Just be careful with anything you do at home to induce labor because they could have adverse effects on your baby and give you very strong or painful contractions. My dr told me this when I asked about inducing myself by home remidies.

Good luck and congradulations on the baby.

I had a friend that was preggo and was her due date and still no sign of labor, the mid-wife used primrose and she started to be in labor 2 days later and only in labor for 3 hours. But I would recomend to let ur doc do it, so they know whats' going on.

well i am no doctor but i used castor oil for my last 2 children went into labor about 12 hours after i took it and i was only in labor for about 4 hours.

Hi M.,

I used castor oil to induce my second, although the taste is awful ( I mixed it with Root Beer) and Root Beer never tasted the same again, it did the job, but it took almost 12 hours, 12 very uncomfortable hours. Unlike some of the horror stories you may have heard I did not get nautious, nor did I have horribly bad cramps, just alot of diarrhea, like 12 of hours of it. I would recommend a less drastic measure that worked better for me, in a quicker amount of of time and not nearly as uncomfortable. I stimulated my nipples, every 20 I would spend about 10 minutes stimulating. I was very consistent and within about 4 hours I was being admitted into labor and delivry and getting preped. Now the contractions were much worse, but very effective. Things seemed to move along quite well. The key is being very very consistant, even at the hospital you may need to continue stimulating, specially if you noticed the contraction rate dropping. Good Luck, and I am in no way a medical specialist or anything just a mama of 3.

I wouldnt do the castor oil as the other ladies suggested.I know you want to have the baby.I would suggest walking walking walking and more walking...I was so tired during the last few days of pregnancy that I decided I was done! I mean done being prego.I walk 10 laps around my block, Yes I said 10.LOL.The next day I went into labor in my sleep at 5am.Woo Hoo.LOL.Happy delivery too you.

I don't know if you've already had your baby or not but i was totally fed up with the doctors telling me no i couldn't have my twins so at 36 wks i took 1 tbsp of castor oil at about 2pm then another at about 6pm and i went into labor at 10pm they sent me home and i was back at the hospital at 5am and had the twins safely and vaginally at 1226 and 1232 pm. If you've already had your baby congratulations

Well i tried this with my 2nd one and it sure as heck didnt do anything but make me set on the toilet,,,ugghh was awful...i too feel the sameway when baby is ready it will come..Good luck and keep us posted

Hi M.,
My advise to you is to not try the castor oil. I tried it with my first baby after I was 4 days overdue and all it did for me was gave me diarrhia and false hope that I was going into labor. After taking the castor oil I had diarrhia and braxton hicks for the next 12 hours. Every woman is different on how they will react with what they try but honestly, since you already have a little one to look after, castor oil it not the thing to take. My lamaze instructor and my doctor both said to take long walks and have sex. For me, I tried everything and nothing worked. They ended up having to induce me a week and 3 days after my due date. Good luck and remember it will be over soon!!

I tried it with my second son and it didnt work. The doctors told me that the baby will come when it is ready and things like that dont always work. I wish it would have because he ended up being born a few days after his due date.

Hi M.!

i had my baby in july. i was part of this other group of ladies that were all due in july. i cant tell u how many of them did the castor oil and all they got were awful cramps (the bathroom kind)...a hundred trips to the toilet...false runs to labor and delivery (because of the cramps)...and total despair cause it was not working!!!

my mother in law did the castor oil with her first baby (my husband) and not only does it cause u to have a bowel movement, it can cause the baby to also. she went into labor and when she delivered, the baby had swallowed the meconium and had several issues right after birth.

do u have a breast pump? try that for like 10 mins. it can cause onset of contractions. or, if u want to use your husband as a breast pump (nipple stimulation), sometimes that works even better:o)

definately do the walking, sex, and my father in law swears up and down about pepperoni pizza...LOL

wishing u a safe and speedy delivery!

Is your OB not willing to induce you? I dont understand why she would tell you the baby is safe to be born, suggest an unproven method to induce labor but not be willing to induce you. Maybe you should ask her if she'll induce you.
I believe too babies come when they are ready....I did a lot of walking everyday (45 minutes worth at lunch and another 30 at night) and sex but the kid still came when it was her time.
I feel your pain!
Good luck and I hope your OB helps you out. Give us an update if you have time.

Well, I am not sure about the Castor Oil thing but I did learn in my childbirth class that sex helps. I know...I am not sure if you want to hear this but I thought it was interesting. The instructor said that semen actually helps do something to induce labor. I am not sure exactly what it does. However, to be honest with you...(sorry about this but I don't know how else to explain it)...My boyfriend and I had sex on a Saturday night, we went shopping all day Sunday and I was on my feet all day...my water broke Sunday night and my daughter was born on Monday (after 20 hours of labor). I was a month early but she was ready to go and was born 7 pounds 5.6 ounces. Let me tell you I was like, "I wish this child would come sooner, rather than later" and she did. So, to sum this story up...I kow you may not feel up to it, but maybe try some sex and see what heppens. :-) Good Luck! (I bet you weren't expecting THIS type of response to your question.) :-)