castor oil and pregnancies ?

Question

Does castor oil really induce labor ? How much do you take ? And do the doctors know if you take it ? I am 38 weeks along and my baby is already 7 1/2 pounds ! I am 2+ centimeters dilated and 70% + effaced .. would this work for me .. would it hurt my baby ?

Answer 1

i was exactly 2 weeks early with my child and i took castor oil, only about two or three tablespoons though. My sister in law was about 2 weeks early with her children and she drank the whole bottle and went into labor. I don't know if it works but i know about 4 hours after taking it and walking around wal-mart for an hour i started labor with my 7lb 4 oz healthy baby boy....i don't know if they know or not but they told me that day at the doctor that he was done bakin and ready to see his first glimpse of the outside world!

Answer 2

Castor oil doesn't work. Well, maybe in the sense that diarrhea causes dehydration, which can cause contractions, but it doesn't work to bring on real labor. And why would you want to be all weak and dehydrated and suffering from diarrhea just when you need the most strength? Don't do it.

Weight estimates for babies can be wildly wrong. 7 1/2 pounds isn't really THAT big, anyway.

Sex doesn't bring on labor, either. A study released just a few weeks ago found that sex actually DELAYS labor. (That doesn't mean you shouldn't do it: if you have the interest and the energy, by all means, go for it!) But don't have sex thinking that it will end your pregnancy.

Lastly, my personal opinion: why in the world would you try to induce your own labor? Unless your doctor says otherwise, your baby should come in his or her own sweet time. Trying to hurry things along is just asking for problems.

Answer 3

Im the same...38 weeks 2 cm and 70% efaced. Im ready to just have this thing already. Castor Oil tastes horrible and can make you puke. Get some Green Tea, you'll start having contractions with it. Arizona Green Tea is good. Tomorrow, go to an italian restaurant and eat Eggplant Parmasean. Eggplant is known to put women into labor too. There is a restaurant in Atlanta called Scalini's. They are world famous for putting women into labor with theirs. Have sex and walk. The castor oil could make them have myconium, a bowel movement in utero. If it gets in their throat it will make them sick.

The dr's know all of the at home remedies. At 38 weeks the baby is far enough along to survive, so dont worry about it. But you can try any of these and still have nothing work. Im right there with you...I want this baby out and get through the labor already. Ive been having contractions for weeks, but now they have stopped. Quiet before the storm???

Shoot me an IM and we can keep in touch to see who goes first and what method worked better.

Answer 4

Castor oil will give you the runs. it is not gonna make you have your baby. Be patient this baby will be here before you know it. There is no way the doctor can tell if you took castor oil. It does not make the baby poop. It makes YOU poop. Sometimes-Sperm can help you have ctxs. Ultrasounds measurements can be totally wrong. Dont get excited about that. If your doctor thinks your baby is too big- he'll get you delivered. Its great that you are already 2 cm,70%- this will be beneficial when you go into labor-You are already starting to dilate. Hope everything goes well-

Answer 5

Some things, it appears, are best left to nature, or at least to qualified medical personnel. Many do-it-yourself techniques for inducing labour have been suggested, must more are either ineffective, have drawbacks, or both. For instance, nipple stimulation appeared to work in one study. In the study, women who from 39 weeks on stimulated their nipples for three hours or more daily were much less likelu to carry past their due dates (and, with twenty - one or mour hours a week spent on nipple stimulation, were also probably less likelu to have time for a life). However, since nipple stimulation can not only induce labour but produce very strong contractions (much as oxytocin can) it's not a technique that should be carried out without medical supervision - even if you can find the hours in your day for it. In other words, don't try this at home.
Other techniques for bringing on labour that you may have heard about are unproven in the success department; they indluce; sexual intercourse, (it may or may not work, but at least you can have fun trying), walking a lot (as long as activity hasn't been restricted by your practitioner), raspberry tea leaf (do not use this before your due date as it may trigger early contractions), a single dose of castor oil (again, check with a practitioner, many women say it just produces bowel cramps, not contractions).

Answer 6

I took castor oil and had a healthy 7lb 1oz baby boy 1 day later i was past my due date and heared it helped induce labor so i tried it and it worked safely

Answer 7

It's possible that he is not ready yet. Be patient, it's just a matter of days. I think that nature shouldn't be hurry. You won't feel very good if for any reason baby have any problem at birth. So I think, if you waited for 38 weeks, why can't wait for some days more

Answer 8

NO it can hurt your baby. The best way to induce pregnancy is by having sex. Honestly. I was 95% efaced and 3 centimeters dialed for 3 weeks HAVE SEX!!! The sperm thins out your cervix. It worked for me!!

Answer 9

my doctor said that castor oil makes the baby "boo boo" and that is what makes u go into labor..everyone I know only took a tablespoon i was never brave enough to take it myself

Answer 10

it doesnt the baby at all.it only starts contractions.and if your dilated already it shuld definitly work.my sister drank some at 38 weeks and she wasnt dilated or anything and within 2 hour she started having contractions.warning it maks you poop.but doctors are alredy used to that stuff.good luck