how effective is castor oil for early labor

Holly - posted on 04/10/2010

I wouldn't try it! My friend just had her baby last week and she said that nipple stimulation (massaging or using a breast pump) will induce labor faster!

Christine - posted on 04/10/2010

DON'T do it if u r not dilating! or effaced! it is meant ONLY for moms who are over 39 weeks and already starting labor! but yes it does work.. i wanted to be induced and my dr would not do it if i was not "starting" to change on my own.. so i tried Castor and walked for a few hrs and went from 0 to 3 cm .. enough to make him ok with inducing me :) But it did not keep labor going on its own .. just moved things along... if used when already starting or already dilating it works most of the time :)

Kristin - posted on 04/10/2010

I tried it! It didn't work, I spent a couple of hours at the hospital, but they sent me home.

Siobhon - posted on 04/10/2010

I tried this and it did not help at all i ended up having to get induced.

Martha - posted on 04/10/2010

I'm not sure how effective it is, but I do know that I would wait and let mother-nature take it's course. I have four children and the last two were both three days late and I was so miserable, but I waited and let the doctor decide what to do, This is your bundle of joy and I would not play around with life at all. I was told to drink it and it was all by elder women but I did not risk something happening to my babies. So please just be patient, In due time you will have your precious baby.

Cookie - posted on 04/10/2010

Well I have used with a couple of my pregnancies and it worked very well I took it fruit punch and within maybe 41/2 hours my baby was here.

Colleen Cahill - posted on 04/10/2010

i took a few spoonfuls of castor oil like 5 yrs ago b4 i had my son i was due in 2 weeks when i did it nothing happened the first night but the second i was in active labour i had my sosn that night and he was as healthy as can be n the labour went as well as u could of expected a labour to go :) lol it worked for me but it is hard to stomach but u dont needd alot for it to work it is gross but it was worth it for me :)

Naralie - posted on 04/10/2010

I forgot to mention of the baby pooping in the womb! I kinda think that is hard to believe because usually pregnant women become constipated and need to drink laxative. Castor oil is a laxative! So wouldn't a Dr. warn pregnant women about that and not recommend it during pregnancy!

Naralie - posted on 04/10/2010

Well, I think it only works if u are in early labor! I was 2 days after my due date! I was having very mild contractions so I drank caser oil in a malt beverage! I think it was only a spoonful! Its suppose to make u go to the batheroom which I read a few comments about them complaining about the diarrea! Or maybe they just took to much! After I drank it I stared getting a stomachache which of course made me go to the bathroom! I just went twice and after that I started getting strong contractions! They started 5 minutes apart then 2 minutes! I had my daughter 3 hours after I drank the castor oil! I have also heard of drinking ginger tea! But that stuff only works if your in early labor! Shouldn't be taken to induce labor, just to help make your already contractions stronger!

Brittnee - posted on 04/09/2010

i c that everybody came back and said dont do it it doesnt work but u no wat i did it at 10pm by 230am i was having really intense contractions... it may not b good for u or not taste good but i took it and it worked for me... i took jus one tee spoon and chased it with sprite or something

Emili - posted on 04/09/2010

and the doctor also said that it WILL NOT make the baby go inside you. dont know where some people get the things they write. it causes intestinal cramping which irritates the uterus and in some cases causes contractions. if you are not already close to labor though, the contractions probably will just be painful or uncomfortable and not cause any cervical change.

Emili - posted on 04/09/2010

also, her doctor told her it was ok to do and i have heard that from two different doctors. so it's up to you.

Ashley - posted on 04/09/2010

I already commented. But you could watch my pregnancy and labor and delivery story, and Life after delivery on www.youtube.com/ashleprince

Ashley - posted on 04/09/2010

I tried Castor oil 4 times with My son. He is my first. I was in sooo much pain.. I was 7 C.m. Dialated from 31 wks preggo on. I finally had him at 38 wks. The first 3 times I used it It didn't work. Then I was going to be induced finally after Trying to keep him in for soo long. The morning of the 20th of 2009. Well I used some castor oil To clean my body out so I wouldn't go on the bed when I delivered. It worked.. But It also put me in the hospital having him in the early early morning hours of the 20th. at exactly 12:30 Am. I woke up In searing pain.. Got to the hospital finally had him at 2:54 am. I was supposed to be induced at 8 that morning. Didn't happen. It was for the better. I tried everything I could to induce myself Without being induced in the hospital. Except sex. because my husband was deployed.

Shanny - posted on 04/09/2010

it's not useful at all. just makes you sick! raspberry leaf tea, however, helps you have a really effective labour. i'd definitely recomment trying it.

Triona - posted on 04/09/2010

have sex, I had sex and 8 hours later was in labour

Vanessa - posted on 04/09/2010

the point is that castor oil could never be EFFECTIVE IN EARLY LABOUR!!!! IT MAKES NO SENSE AT ALL!!!!

Leeann - posted on 04/09/2010

castor oil just makes u go to the toilet! and makes your baby go inside u! which is dangerous coz they eat it..

Jessica - posted on 04/09/2010

u probly dont wanna do this though bc u'll be poo-in on everyone when ur pushing the baby out... and the intestinal cramping is real bad!

Jessica - posted on 04/09/2010

The theory behind using castor oil to induce labor is that it causes intestinal cramping and diarrhea, which stimulate the uterus, thus producing prostaglandins, which then cause contractions. Another example of this type of irritation is seen in the connection between urinary tract infections and preterm labor. As with the other methods, this will not be effective if your body is not already close to labor. from http://www.givingbirthnaturally.com/cast...

Vanessa - posted on 04/09/2010

and lauren,remember the question was HOW EFFECTIVE IS CASTOR OIL IN 'EARLY LABOUR"????It is not effective in early labour at all,castor oil is a oil for PURGING THE BODY!!!CLEANSING!!!!!

Vanessa - posted on 04/09/2010

ok lauren,dats y u get diarrhea cause it a form of purge!!!not to send u into labour!!!when u have a diarrhea,its the body purging!!! and if u are breastfeeding and u take castor oil the baby will not get the real strenght but baby will purge slightly,nbothing to affect baby!!!speaking from EXPERIENCE!!remember your body needs cleansing after having a baby!!!!!

Lauren - posted on 04/09/2010

Ummmm....Vanessa......No! LOL Why on earth would you want to clean you and your baby out? Awful!!!!

Vanessa - posted on 04/09/2010

ok,castor oil is for after you had ur baby!!! you put the bottle in a cup of hot water and when the oil is warm enough to drink u drink it to clean both u and baby if breastfeeding!!!it really tastes aweful but it works!!!

Laura - posted on 04/09/2010

Honey, it's a load of BS. All it does is empty your bowels. No, I didn't try it either. My sis-in-law was told to do it, she spent two days on the toilet.

Rita - posted on 04/09/2010

For me all it done was made me go to the restroom alot. But three day after that I was in the hospital having concrations and the Dr. introduced me. But for my friends she took it on a friday night about 6pm by 5am she was on her way to the hospital. She was in labor and by 1pm her son was born. It work different for different people.

Ruth - posted on 04/09/2010

It didn't do anything for me but make me want to gag! I say just let it happen naturally.

Lauren - posted on 04/09/2010

My doctor said it couldn't hurt so I tried it. I mixed 3 oz. with OJ and chugged it. I had diarrhea several time over the next twelve hours but it did not send me into labor or start contractions. It was a waste of time for me, but my cousin who has 3 kids swears by it. Basically, as long as you don't mind diarrhea too much, it couldn't hurt to try :)

Chauntel - posted on 04/09/2010

Just a warning, I used castor oil 1 time, and it wasn't even the full recommended dose. It caused her to have a bowel movement early, thankfully she did do it in utero, just while she was being born. Otherwise they can do it in utero, which can be dangerous since our babies drink the amniotic fluid. If they drink the meconium(the first poop), they can have serious lung problems.

Amanda - posted on 04/09/2010

OMG it sucks! so not take it..I took it a few times..the first time I had horrible cramping and felt so sick all night :( the second time I couldnt even get it down I jsut puked it all up and still had horrible cramping all night and when I went to my doctor a week later I was only 1cm! so it really didnt help at all..my water ended up breaking 2 days before my due date and I had to be induced cause I still didnt go into labor! lol

Shawntae - posted on 04/09/2010

very efficient i used it and my son was born the next day foreal

Amanda - posted on 04/09/2010

I don't know how dangerous it is because many women have done it in a desperate attempt to evict thier cute little tenant. But it is effective.... in giving you diarrhea.

Laura - posted on 04/09/2010

against all advice i tried it when i was 5 days over due! mixed 1 tablespoon with a glass of fresh orange after my dinner and woke up at 2am with really strong contractions! had baby at 5.30 that morning, went so fast!
i still dont think i would advise it though as it can be dangerous and the midwife was not happy that i had done it

Carly - posted on 04/09/2010

It isn't. Babies come when they are ready! Let your baby decide whats best for him/her I say. They won't stay in forever so be patient.

Misty - posted on 04/08/2010

I wouldnt recommend using castor oil. i had a bunch of people tell me to use it wit my son trenton because he was overdue, but after i did i talked to my doctor and he said it is very dangerous to use castor oil, because yes it can throw u into labor but it ups the chances of ur unborn child to have a bowel movement while still in the womb which can be very dangerous if not life threatening to ur child. i hope this helps, good luck :D

Christine - posted on 04/08/2010

i have been told that it works but their are some complications with it because it is a laxative it will probably give u the poops but it can also cause the baby to have the poops so they can go in the sac n then aspirate it n that can cause some major respritory problems happened to my friend n her son was in nicu for the first 2 months of his life.

Andrea - posted on 04/08/2010

if you want early labor go to your local park that has a track and walk i did that and that night i went into labor

Erika - posted on 04/08/2010

i wouldn't try castor oil,it's to clean your bowels out which can trigger contractions so basically your puking and pooping and might get strong enough contractions but probably not if your not already having contractions! i had my hubby rub my pressure point on the inside of my ankle when i was having irregular contractions and it made my contractions stronger and then my water broke! i know how miserable it is waiting i was doing all the old wives tales for 2 weeks! good luck and congrats!

Sarah - posted on 04/08/2010

castor oil not recommended any more suppose to be dangerous for baby so I was told my craving through last pregnancy was really hot curries so i couldnt do that but try thai curries or raspberry leaf tea anyone i know would say so

Laura - posted on 04/08/2010

I tried it 3 times.. I makes you poop, wanna puke cause it's nasty and put me in false labor.. 2 out of the 3 times. I drank it strait up the first time 2nd I took it with orange juice 3 with pepsi.. I don't suggest it!!!!!! Ever-

Stephanie - posted on 04/08/2010

Its NOT dont do it!!!! It just makes you feel like crap and its extremely disgusting!!! Its like drinking melted chap stick

Katie - posted on 04/08/2010

dont do it it gives u the runs my nanny an mam used it!! i was 10 days over so i eat loads of pineapple slices and went for a fast walk 2 hoiurs later i was on my way, but every body is different!!

Melanie - posted on 04/08/2010

It is very thick! And for me, unless it took three and a half weeks to kick in, it didn't work at all except to make me want to throw up. Let it happen naturally hun. I know it sucks when you are tired of being pregnant, but the little one will come when it's ready.

CRYSTAL - posted on 04/08/2010

i drank raspberry leaf tea its at the herb store

CRYSTAL - posted on 04/08/2010

i took it with my son and it never worked for me i just gaged on it

Carissa - posted on 04/08/2010

You will just get sick!!! I drank red tea many times a day and had sex and my contractions started within the first day!

Brandy - posted on 04/08/2010

MY COUSIN TRIED THAT WHEN SHE WAS PREGNANT IT DIDNT DO ANYTHING FOR HER LABOR BUT IT SURELY HAD HER GOING TO THE BATHROOM ALOT LOL SMAE THING FOR MY SISTER IT JUS DIDNT DO NOTHING FOR HER.

Stephany - posted on 04/08/2010

Did someone actually say they took it at 30 weeks?! Did I read that correctly? Who in their right mind would just decide to have a severely premature infant because they "couldn't stand being pregnant"? That seems so very selfish to me.
I took castor oil with my second child. I was almost 39 weeks and I had been having contractions every 15 minutes for several weeks. I was dilated to 1 cm and 25% effaced. The baby was so low that having sex actually hurt, and nothing else worked. The midwife at my OB's office suggested I take castor oil. I mixed it with pineapple orange juice (in a water bottle so I could shake it really well), and I had some crackers to eat right afterwards. I took it at 3 pm, was in full labor by 9 pm, went to the hospital at 10, and had baby at 1 am. My sister was in a similar situation and had the same results. Neither of us had problems with premature meconium, and we both made sure we stayed hydrated. Yes, there can be problems. However, there are far fewer complications than those associated with the medical inductions (pitocin) done at the hospital. Believe me- I was medically induced with my first. If I had to choose one over the other, I'd choose castor oil every time.

Caitlin - posted on 04/08/2010

It was suggested by friends to try it, and just the thought of avoiding it by any means necessary put me into labour the second time around.. Nothing helped the first time, but i've neverr actually tried castor oil, i'd rather eat liver...

Frances - posted on 04/08/2010

Here is my story... I was 39 weeks and I think 3 days.. maybe 4. SOOO ready to go into labor, and had tried everything .. I mean EVERYTHING! So finally, I got anxious and decided to take the castor oil. I went back and forth about it for about a week because I had heard about all the really bad side effects and what not.. but I ultimately decided to try it anyway. I woke up on Monday and took the castor oil at like 1130. By 330 I was having contractions.. nothing too intense, just what felt like could be "THE contractions" by 6 pm I was at the hospital and by 8 pm my water broke. I delivered my son at 730 am Tuesday. (I had an epidural, which stopped my contractions, thats why I was in labor for so long.) To be honest, that stuff is absolutely disgusting. I drank 2 tbsps mixed with 8 oz of OJ, and chugged it like there was no tomorrow. I didn't eat before I took it either. I will admit I felt a little nauseous, but I never threw up or had ridiculous bowel movements. It worked for me,.. or so I think. Who knows, maybe the castor oil had nothing to do with it and I woulda went into labor anyway. All I know is that I finally got to hold my baby! Good luck!