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has anyone tried castor oil to induce labour?

hey ladies....

heard mixed reviews on castor oil.... wondering if anyone has tried it and what the result was...

one of my friends tried it on her due date and had baby later that day, but she said it was gross and repeated on her for 2 weeks after so when she had her second baby she didnt do it again....

Any reviews appreiated!!

XXXXX

40+1 and about to give myself a c-section to get this baby out!!! xxx

Replies

  • Hi hon,
    It's really easy for me to say as I'm not pregnant, but I really really wouldn't recommend it. It aggravates your stomach and this is supposed to help start labour. It can do, but under dangerous circumstances. You can end up dehydrated from having bad diorreah and the last thing you need whilst in labour is to be feeling awful. Most chemists won't actually sell castor oil to pregnant women and there's a really good reason. Baby will come when it's ready! I know how hard the waiting is, but it's so worth it for a healthy baby. You being ill inlabour can cause unnecessary distress to baba xx
  • I also wouldn't recommend it. My mum did it with my brother - it did work to get him moving, but she ended up with such terrible diarrhea, the midwives were pretty worried about her.
    I'm not sure how long your hospital lets you go over, but worse case you'll be holding your baby in your arms within 2 weeks so hang in there. Bubs will come when ready
    xxx
  • A girl in our forum used primrose oil and put it...there lol and it seemed to work. That has the same effect as semen supposedly and I had sex then a sweep the next day then the next my water broke image you starting to get impatient now lol x
  • maybe i sud try the primrose oil princess..... hospital will induce me whenever if i want but dont recommend more than 10 days but i really want a natural albour so want to avoid being induced..... argh im going insane well hopefilly my sweep monday will help get things moving....

    xxxx
  • I tried it and never again!

    It gives you the same effect as a curry I guess, makes you have a 'clear out'. I did have a poo but not the crazed upset tummy some people talk of.

    HOWEVER - it is the worst tasting thing I have ever taken in my whole life. Basically I can only discribe it like melted lipstick, taste is foul foul foul...plus as it is so think after I swallowed it, it took so long to swallow, I started to panic it wouldnt go down!

    I would never ever take it again......

    Yes willprob get shot down for trying it, but just being honest incase people are wanting to try it. This is what it did for me. I wouldnt do it again x

    My LO was still 7 days late and I spent over ??250 on reflexology/acupuncture etc.......



  • do you think the reflexology and acupunture worked LadyK? I was going to book acupunture for tuesday after my sweep on monday.... but I think well whats the point in wasting money as i suppose baby really will come when she is ready... and apparently baby realeases hormone to tell ur body to labour anyway.... jsut the days r so slow Im trying to stay cool about and think well it was only a guestimate date and not 100% accurate but so hard to do that they sud just tell u that between 37-42 weeks ull have ur baby that way I think it would be easier!! haha xX
  • No it didnt work if I am honest but I was so impatient it keeped me busy and looking back I really enjoyed the pampering. I barely brush my hair now let alone have time for reflexology - so in that respect get spolit while you can. I did used to get contractions but never started anything off x

    I had 4 sweeps and the last one 40+5 most def was the one that got things going as waters went after.

    Good luck with everything - look forward to reading your BA x
  • Thinking back on it now, this is what happened to me: I had sex on the 22nd of dec and on the 23rd I had a sweep. My midwife told me my cervix was soft but not favourable an that she could only just get to it and feel the baby's head...but only just. Then at 00.02 on xmas morning, my waters broke and I had my show (id previously lost my 'plug' on the 16th though)

    I was due on the 16th and baby was born on 27th.

    Emmah123 was the lady who used evening primrose but I havent seen her on here in absolute ages and as far as im aware she went a bit over too.

    Hang in there!! and I would be snuggling up on the sofa with OH or getting him to take you out to a lovely restraunt as after bubs arrives youll be lucky to catch 2 mins with him or your dinner whilst its hot! xx
  • I tried it at 9 days over and wouldn't recommend it! I'd tried everything (and I mean everything!) prior to finally resorting to castor oil and I wish I hadn't bothered! I threw up with the first glass as it tasted so revolting, stupidly I tried again and this time it stayed down. Sadly all it did was give me the worse tummy cramps I'd ever had along with diahreah (sp?) that lasted more than 24 hours and was violent. I don't recall ever feeling so grotty in my life.
    It was all for nothing as it didn't work at all and at 10 days over I was induced, which failed and I ended up with c section at 14 days over.
    Your wee one will come when it's ready (or dragged out kicking and screaming), take these last few days to pamper yourself, relax and spend some 'couple' time with your hubby/partner.
    Best of luck.
    xx
  • No, no, no dont do it!
    Would you want to have diarrhea during the pushing stages of labour?! Castor oil is supposed to work in the same way as a really hot curry - it dusturbs your bowels so much that it could trigger contractions, but you also run the risk of being dehydrated and having awful tummy cramps adding to your contractions.
    Pineapple isnt worth bothering with - you would need to eat at least 7 or 8 whole ones to get enough of the enzyme to possibly trigger labour!
    Sperm contains the hormones which can trigger labour, so that it why sex is recommended!
    Going out for walks really does help, the pressure on your cervix helps to thin it out a bit - it needs to thin out before it can even start dilating!
    I'm a nurse on a gynae unit, and the one thing that midwives say you should do is nipple stimulation. Roll one nipple between your thumb and forefinger for 5 minutes, then change to the other one. Continue this for around 20 minutes, alternating each nipple. Then have a rest for a couple of hours and try again. Midwives say to women on our maternity unit to do it to speed up labour if things are going slowly as it releases oxytocin, which is needed to start labour image

    Other than that, it is just the waiting game now, baby will come when they are ready, and I hope that is is soon for you! xxxx
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