Who has tried the "Castrol Oil" theory to get labor going?

Cassandra - posted on 07/03/2012

I did it and let me tell you it was HORRIBLE!!!!!! Like It took maybe like 2 days for my contractions to start but all the while it was a non stop pain I had the runs it wasn't a good feeling so this time around i plan to just wait it out but to answer your question yes it works but if I were you I WOULDN'T TRY IT!!!!!

Ruth - posted on 07/03/2012

yes i took it with all 3 of my girls an im 37 weeks at the min an im thinking of taking it again, it worked for me but i took it wen i was over due by 2days with each. i took it around 5 oclock an had the girls 4-6 hours later. it didnt make me sick or any thing but i guess every one is different! good luck

Trina L - posted on 07/03/2012

I think you mean castor oil, and that is a very bad idea. That method was used many, many years ago, along the time women were still delivering at home. It was used in the days before Pitocin, when they had nothing to induce labor. Castor oil can make you very, very sick. Once it's even partially digested, if you start throwing up, you may not be able to stop. At that point whether you go in labor or not, you may be in serious trouble. At very least you would get dehydrated, at worst you're in labor and can't stop vomiting, which sounds like a millenial nightmare to me.

Let time take it's course. If the doctor thinks your baby needs to come on out, he/she will handle that. My ex-husband's sister and bro-in-law decided to practice a little midwifery and he BROKE HER WATER HIMSELF, and the baby got stuck. I stood there and watched them nearly die later in the hosptial.

Between the good Lord that gave you that baby and the educated medical professional who is going to deliver it, you are in good hands with knowlegable people guiding you. DO NOT TAKE THINGS INTO YOUR OWN HANDS UNLESS YOU FAILED TO MENTION YOU ARE AN OB/GYN. Your impatience could kill you and your baby. God bless and I pray you have a wonderful life with your precious new angel.

Shelby - posted on 07/02/2012

i used it, put 4 tables spoons in a milkshake. walked some took a hot bath then i went into labor. like 4 hours maybe since i took it i went into labor!

Louise - posted on 07/01/2012

ok ,i did this with my 3rd child when i was 5 days over due,i took it at 8 o clock at night .My contractions started at 1 o clock (5 hrs after castor oil) and 1hr 56 mins later she was born.I took about 4 mouth fulls .Then i did it with my 4th child -i took it at night but it was next morning i went into labour.
After this experience though i have never done it since(had 3 more children since) i started to have placental abruption during his labour and he became very distressed.I escaped c section by the skin of my teeth as i was fully dilated when it started happening.
Although i carnt prove the castor oil did it ,i carnt prove it didnt either.
The guilt i felt was over powering and i kept thinking omg what if?
Any way cause of the abruption and having many children my last 3 babies have been induced.
So if i had any more i wouldnt care how over due i was I WOULD NEVER USE CASTOR OIL .AGAIN.You have waited this long wait for nature to do it cause at least if you needed c-section or anything you know you havnt caused it.

Megan - posted on 06/30/2012

I was 41 weeks prego, took 4tbsp in 4oz of OJ. Held my nose too..LOL. my water broke 5 hours later and my daughter wad born 3 hours later. I firmly believe if you have a healthy pregency, nothing makes a baby come till they are ready. This oil just helped push it along. I was constipated anyway from the pregnancy, so taking it wasn't really that bad. Good luck!

Jessica - posted on 06/28/2012

Do a bunch of prune juice!! I think that's what worked for me...

Kareen Gay - posted on 06/28/2012

So sad to hear that Terri but I guess it's a not effective for everyone..:)

Terri - posted on 06/28/2012

I was 11 days overdue very uncomfortable and just miserable - I tried it well I just tipped it back n took a big swig, needless to say nothing happened n then n three hours I went to bathroom n stayed there for almost n hour everything got cleaned out that day n no baby until a week later when I was induced, it's n old wives tale!

Sarah - posted on 06/25/2012

Oh Yeah PLEASE dont do it... I was hugging the toilet all day. IT SUCKS and taste really bad. It didnt even put me into labor and i did it on my due date. waste of my time and just got sick

Amina - posted on 06/24/2012

Tired it with my 2nd, it wrkd bt men was it was hell! Can't explain. Kept going to d bathroom. None stop at a point I just stayed in there of d frequency. My advise is don't try it wait 4 ur labour 2 come natuarally. U knw what they said God's time is always d best.

Shannon - posted on 06/21/2012

Didn't cause me to go in to labor but did make me sick its disgusting!

Katricia - posted on 06/20/2012

I tried it because EVERYBODY around me had stories of it working for them. So I drank an entire bottle (2oz I think) and I got nothing. I didn't even end up in the bathroom until 9 hours later. Needless to say I was very sick and my baby didn't come. Until I was induced a week later. Strongly discourage anybody from using this!!!!!

Fatima - posted on 06/19/2012

My dr told me to try it. It is supposed to work within afew hours. She told me to ingest it very early in the morning, and be ready to go to the hospital within a few hours. i was also told that it is extremely painful ( as labour is lol).she told me it is safe, me being at the end of my 40th week and getting prepared to be induced. but sorry i didnt try it because i went into labor before needing it.

Theresa - posted on 06/18/2012

I tried it and it did nothing, my baby was 6 days late and yet my sister-in-law had some and pretty much went into labour within a couple of hours. I personally wouldn't do it again. Bub will come when they're ready : )

Kelina - posted on 06/18/2012

funny the mixed responses. I tried a little bit yesterday, about a teaspoon and a half, and it did nothing. I might try a little more today, I've been having contractions since friday that hurt but get me nowhere, driving me insane! But everyone I've talked to has said it helped from my MIL to random people at the playground.

Stifler's - posted on 06/15/2012

Castrol oil indeed.

Kareen Gay - posted on 06/15/2012

Hi! I have tried this method and it was really helpful.On my first delivery, my OB gave me 10ml castor oil before I went to sleep.after 3 hours I did few trips to the bathroom.I felt so light then,next thing I knew it was water bag and viola! I went straight to the delivery room. I had my baby! This also happens to my 2nd delivery.I think castor oil helps trigger fast labor.

Carly - posted on 06/15/2012

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE DO NOT TRY THIS!!!! my sister did and her baby died, she took it (baby was still alive) then went into labour the next morning she went to the hospital and her little girl had died. it was totally devastating, so ask yourself IS IT WORTH THE RISK???

ASHLEY - posted on 06/13/2012

I took Cadtor Oil with both of my pregnancies and it was highly effective. I prepared myself by drinking a ton of water throughout the day. I mixed 1.5 tbs with one cup of OJ, the taste was horrible, but it was effective! I went into labor 12 hrs later with my first daughter, then with my son I started contracting within three hours and had a quick and easy delivery. He was born within 8 hours of me taking it. Its not effective for everyone, but it did work for me!

Rachael - posted on 06/12/2012

Hi,
I tried the Castor Oil method as did two of my sisters and many women that I know. First of all, it is a different experience for everyone! Now, my experience was that I took it three times before I actually went into true labor. The first time, it didn't seem to do much except taste bad. The second time, (and mind you I spread these doses out over a few days to a week) I had contractions like I was going into labor, and even dialated to 3cm, but eventually they tapered off. The third and final time, the only reason I took it was because I was sort of being pressured, and therefore, I made my husband take it as well. The last time, it did work, but my daughter never dropped down into the birth canal so I was in labor for 14 hrs, and pushed for 3 of them. Everything else went smoothly and my daughter was fine. There was a little bit of meconium, but I was told that was normal. I took 3 tablespoons as a dose, I believe. I am pretty sure the bottle says one to three. I took the maximum all three times. The first time, I mixed it with orange juice like my sister did, but that didn't go over so well. The second and third time, I just took it like a shot, lol. Still really nasty, but over with a lot faster. I hope this helps, and good luck with everything.

Nicola - posted on 06/10/2012

NO, don't do it! Try rasberry leaf tea daily which also helps hydrate and prepare you for labour, or bouncing on an excercise ball, eating fresh pineapple, spicy food, but I would have to say the most effective thing is sex. There is a chemical dr's use to start labour, this chemical is found in semen, it's a fun alternative to inducing labour :)

Vicky - posted on 06/10/2012

i tried it with my first , i drank it with L and P ( the fizzy drink). it worked great, helped speed up my labour. wouldnt again but my mum asked if i wanted it as my waters broke but i had no labour and was waiting to get induced.

Kayla - posted on 06/10/2012

Thats how I was born. My mom made a shake on a Saturday with castor oil and I was born the next evening.

Lisa - posted on 06/10/2012

No!!!! It will make you run to the bathroom every few minutes and it becomes painful and it does not work!!!!!

Sarah - posted on 06/08/2012

Walking too!

Brandi - posted on 06/08/2012

I drank 2oz of it with a glass of Red Raspberry Tea and about 4hours later I was having contractions something horrible then about an hour in a half later they went away!! I havent had any contraction since!! That was yesterday!! All I have been having is back pains here and there!

Ashley - posted on 06/08/2012

i didnt try it, it looked to risky. i did a 6 km walk every day for my last month of pregnancy and about a week after i started this my water broke and my son was born 2 days later. i dont know if it will work for everyone.

Cyndel - posted on 06/07/2012

it pretty much only works when your body was already gearing up to begin, you just jump start a few hours early, not much more then that.

Sarah - posted on 06/07/2012

I did it with my 2nd to jumpstart labour. First I went to my doc for a membrane sweep. Then I went to an induction massage. Then I went home, took 2 oz of castor oil and a large glass of fruit juice. Then I drank a pot of red raspberry leaf tea. Nothing happened. Then 6 hours later, I took another oz of castor oil and another glass of juice. I started using the washroom about 30 minutes later. Then 2 1/2 hours later I started having contractions. I ended up having a 5 hour labour, my daughter was born very quickly, and healthy.

I didn't like the runs that I got from the Castor oil, the concern is to make sure you aren't dehydrated to start. Drink LOTS. If I had to do it again, I don't know that I would for another pregnancy, but I was glad I did for the situation I was in with my daughter. We chose to induce because by dates I was 41w along, but the doc had to go by the U/S date which said 38w even though he agreed it wasn't possible (I would have found out I was pregnant before the U/S said I conceived). It was very frustrating. I also was on crutches because her position made both my legs numb from the mid-thigh down and I was very unstable. I had a 22m old at home and no family or help in town to watch him. My parents were able to come and had to leave 2 days after we did it, so it was have her then and have someone to watch my son or labour and birth alone. I don't regret it. My doc did suggest it, and it's in a "cocktail" drink the midwives in our town will do to induce. I had a friend that was an L&D nurse who asked the midwife what was in the "cocktail" and they told her mostly castor oil and fruit juice.

Some people believe that it can cause meconium to pass in utero. There is little evidence to suggest this. Though there is evidence that suggests women who go past dates are more likely to have a mec baby. And since most women that try this are past dates, it makes sense they'd already be at higher risk. Really, mec happens when a baby becomes distressed in utero, so IMO if you take the precaution to limit dehydration, which could cause it, you'd decrease the chance of this happening. It's your body, do what you think is right for you.

JLynn - posted on 06/06/2012

The evening primrose oil is amazing!!! They believe it thinned out my cervix and kept my first delivery to 3 hrs almost exactly!!! I've recommended it with similar results From friends!

Patricia - posted on 06/06/2012

I do not recommend it for the facts already stated, as well as that it is painful and inconvenient for nothing. I tried it for both my children, partially in an attempt to induce labour and partially to cleanse the colon a little prior to labour. I spent a good 12 hours in the bathroom or very slow to the bathroom because my bowels could not relax and was in immense pain without a single contraction. How soon after did I go into labour: For the first, two weeks later after being medically induced and a week later for my second (both attempted at 39 weeks).

Kasey - posted on 06/06/2012

Look into evening prim rose oil! I was NOT going to drink caster oil so my midwife suggested it. Before bed poke a hole in one tablet and insert it in your area, then take one normally. I say before bed because its gonna dissolve and leak. I went into labor that night after my 40 week appt and my midwife said nothing was going on it would probably be a couple days! Goodluck!!

Rebekah - posted on 06/05/2012

All I had to do was buy it and my water broke (@ 40wks 6days). :) My midwife gave me a recipe for a mixture with wine, almond butter, and castor oil to take 1 week after my due date-- I bought all ingredients and my water broke a day before I was planning to try it.

Brittany - posted on 06/05/2012

I found a really interesting website about it - there is a lot of misconception that castor oil causes the baby to pass meconium in the womb, which there is no actual evidence of. There is a higher risk of your baby passing meconium if you go over 40 weeks than there is with castor oil, it will only work if your body is ready for labour! That is why I used it on my due date lol I was sick of waiting! Here is the website...
http://wrylilt.hubpages.com/hub/Castor-O...

Brittany - posted on 06/05/2012

I tried it - however I think I may have used to much. I spent almost 12 hours in the bathroom.. and nooo labor. I can still taste it when I think about it. Yuck.

Sandie - posted on 06/05/2012

I was in the hospital discussing home methods of encouraging labour and my midwife made me promise not to try castor oil (not that i would anyway lol)...due to the huge risk of stillbirth. it is not worth it, I'm overdue now and know how frustrating it is but it's better to just let them sit it out a bit longer than to risk that. She said that unfortunately she has seen a lot of babies fail to make is after castor oil being used.

Kaylee - posted on 06/05/2012

I took it (about 30 mLs) and it worked great! I was in labor an hour later and had very regular strong and effective contractions. 9 hours later my first was born. I did not get dehydrated.

Crystal - posted on 06/05/2012

I did this with my first daughter, I took 1 tablespoon mixed in chocolate icecream and went into labor 12 hours later.

Brittany - posted on 06/05/2012

It actually worked for me. I used it on my due date only 1.5 tablespoons & about an hour later I was lying down and had this weird feeling in my stomach, I stood up and my water broke. I have lots of friends who have tried it & it has not worked for them. I also ate lots of pineapples the days leading up to my due date :)

Heather - posted on 06/04/2012

It hasn't helped my sis at all. It tasted bad and she spent a lot a time in the bathroom. Good luck!

Lindsay - posted on 06/04/2012

It's Castor oil, not "Castrol." Not worth it.

Stifler's - posted on 06/04/2012

I wouldn't do it.

Kaitlin - posted on 06/04/2012

Please don't do it- it might bring on labor but it also might dehydrate you and be very dangerous. It can also start contractions that are not as effective as regular contractions, causing your labor to be more painful and longer. Please talk to your doctor or midwife before you try ANYTHING to 'start' your labor.