Old wives tale about inducing labor...??

Question

I'm arguing w/ my step-mom (we work together) about drinking castor oil to induce labor...she thinks it's okay (she did it w/ my step-brother), and I think it could be potentially harmful to the mother and the baby. Anyone out there with REAL information? I would really appreciate some input. Thanks!

Answer 1

besides tasting nasty and causing horrible cramps that may not even do anything, they have found that the cramping and stuff caused by the Castor Oil can cause stress on the baby, resulting in meconium in the amniotic fluid.. this isn't 100% proven as meconium can be present just due to the woman being overdue
http://www.justmommies.com/articles/castor-oil-to-induce-labor.shtml

Answer 2

My doctor advised me about castor oil while I was pregnant. It can cause the labor to be too fast and can cause the cervix to tear during delivery. It can cause potentially fatal tears in the uterus or placenta. If the baby is not really ready to be born yet, it could cause the baby to need steroids, oxygen or invasive procedures because it is born too early. It increases the risk of needing an emergency caesarean section which has risks to both mother and baby. It used to be commonly used by women, but the death rate for pregnant women used to be much higher too. It is not safe. Your labor will start when the baby is ready. If for some reason you are pregnant longer than 41 weeks, most doctors will induce labor in a safe controlled setting in the hospital.
People do use castor oil, and it does work, but the potential side effects include death.

Answer 3

I just had a baby 9 weeks ago and looked into castor oil when I was huge and sick of being pregnant :) my ob said it was safe to take but it really doesn't work...The thought is, castor oil is a STRONG laxative in some people, and the diarrhea will throw you into labor. It is not harmful to most women, but like anything during pregnancy you should check with your doctor you might have your own risk factors

Answer 4

Castor oil can cause some ...bowel problems. Cramping can cause you to go into labor prematurely, and can cause you to expel the baby too quickly, and yes there is such a thing as too quickly. A friend of mine was told that the reason that her baby's collarbone broke was because of pushing it out too quickly. It can cause more damage to the mother as well.
My niece decided she was going to drink castor oil because she just wanted to get it all over with. The doctors also told her aside from that, there is new evidence that castor oil can cause some disease, not sure what it is however.
The best thing to remember, is that the baby will come when it is ready. Your body knows what is going on and it's not too smart to rush mother nature. If you doctor feels that it's going overboard, then he will induce, which isn't much fun either, but its certainly safer.

Answer 5

its an old fish wife tale and has no foundation of any nature,
if you think about it anything you eat goes into your stomach and the body digests the nutrients and transfers them into the blood stream, so you drink castor oil and some gets into the blood it is then tranferred from you to your baby via the umbilical cord and into the unborn babies blood stream,, at no time does it increas the prospect of making the baby come quicker, on the plus side castor oil is good for you and will not do any harm,
nature will decide when your baby is due to come and its best left that way,, enjoy the rest of your pregnancy and i am sure you will have a delightfull child when the time is right,,
have many happy years together lol x

by the way its a boy, dark hair and big eyes

Answer 6

it cant make you sick, although it will give you the runs if you drink too much, or just turn you stomach and make you want to throw up.

A better idea is to use your breast pump for a couple hours at a time. The baby hasnt released the labor hormones, so you milk will not have dropped yet, and theres no real risk of taking up the colustrum, which doesnt come in until right after labor. You'll get hardly anything from pumping, but the action will stimulate your uterus, hormones, and the baby.

Its worked for all the people i know who've tried it. THey all went into labor within 24 hours.

Answer 7

The medical use of castor oil was originally discovered by the Ancient Egyptians possibly as early as 4000 BC. Currently, about 1 % of global castor oil production goes into medical or health store products. It is used to ease constipation and as an emetic to induce vomiting. Consumption of large amounts of castor oil (below lethal doses, such as one bottle) can induce labor in near-term pregnant women. It is notorious for its strong taste, which was for many years a standard gag in comic strips, animated cartoons, and The Little Rascals / Our Gang short films. Castor Oyl, Olive's brother in the comic strip Thimble Theatre was named for it.

Rubbing castor oil into the skin above arthritic joints can significantly reduce the pain of arthritis.

In Fascist Italy under the regime of Benito Mussolini, castor oil was one of the tools of the blackshirts. Political dissidents were force-fed large quantities of castor oil by Fascist paramilitary groups. This technique was said to have been originated by Gabriele D'Annunzio. Victims of this treatment would experience severe diarrhea and dehydration, often resulting in death.

Sometimes when the blackshirts wished to make sure that the victim would die rather than simply be badly disabled, they would mix gasoline with the castor oil.

It is said that Mussolini's power was backed by "the bludgeon and castor oil."

So yes it can induce labor but it is VERY harmful! Should just wait at let it happen naturally.

Answer 8

Do a search on it...the only thing it does is give you bad stomach cramps and makes both you and baby use the bathroom...you do not want the baby to use the bathroom while still inside of you because if the baby does and while being born breaths any of it in, can cause problems

Talk to your doctor about some safe ways of inducing labor.

Sex and walking worked for me

Answer 9

will not harm the baby but you will sit on the potty for a long time and its not worth it considering the only time it works is when your body is ready to go in labor and already contracting.It won't bring on contractions though.I am 35 weeks and have been reading alot about how to go in labor a lil early there are lots of things you can do to prepare for easier labor but not really anything that will make you go before your body is ready.its a bummer but thats the way it is.U can do a few things to thin your cervix though take a bath in clary sage oil is one i read.Have sex but its the semin that thins ur cervix not the sex.go to baby center there are some great tips on there.

Answer 10

Sure! My friend just took castor oil and had her baby the next morning. I have never heard that it is harmful for the baby. My doctor told me to try it. Also, they say eat spicy foods. Like mexican. Another idea is to have sex! sorry to say that, but my doctor told me to have at it if I wanted to try to induce.
Tell your mom good luck!