https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Wed, 29 Apr 2026 04:19:27 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/to-take-castor-oil-or-not-to-take-castor-oil#post-2147926 Fri, 17 Apr 2015 15:08:30 +0000 StellaJane 2147926@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@T.H.O.U: I often wonder if my water was just going to naturally break that night or if the castor oil sped anything up, although I really suspect the castor oil played a part. But I guess I'll never know for sure! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/to-take-castor-oil-or-not-to-take-castor-oil#post-2145466 Wed, 15 Apr 2015 19:48:19 +0000 T.H.O.U. 2145466@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@StellaJane: do you think your water broke naturally at that point? Or did it make you crampy? I think by natural labor contractions are rougher once your water breaks! </p> <p>I was under similar conditions and took it too! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/to-take-castor-oil-or-not-to-take-castor-oil#post-2145441 Wed, 15 Apr 2015 19:19:24 +0000 StellaJane 2145441@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm back! 4 months later... Just wanted to offer a follow up. To recap, I was over a week past my due date and scheduled to be induced with cervidil. The day before my scheduled induction, I put a tablespoon of castor oil in some hot tea with lemon and drank it down. Got nothing but an upset stomach. Later that same evening, I took a second dose of it around 8 pm. Sure enough, my water broke around midnight. Contractions came on FAST and strong. My labor was rough. The whole thing was 28 hours from start to finish but I finally gave birth (vaginally!) to a very healthy 8 lb 12 oz baby boy. No meconium. But man oh man, castor oil is no joke. Looking back, I was so anxious to have that baby. Next time I'd probably just get a good night's sleep and go in for the induction rested and ready to go! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/to-take-castor-oil-or-not-to-take-castor-oil#post-1979732 Thu, 11 Dec 2014 00:09:44 +0000 photojane 1979732@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>No advice on the castor oil, but I wanted chime in and add to what the others have said--I was induced, and it wasn't awful at all! In fact, I quite enjoyed it. I went straight to pitocin (no cervidil), and though I did have an epidural, my labor was quick, and I was able to give birth vaginally with no c-section risk. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/to-take-castor-oil-or-not-to-take-castor-oil#post-1979728 Thu, 11 Dec 2014 00:04:39 +0000 Rainbow Sprinkles 1979728@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I had an oldschool OB (in his 70s) tell me to put it in ice cold Dr. Pepper, and he'd "see me tomorrow" </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/to-take-castor-oil-or-not-to-take-castor-oil#post-1979643 Wed, 10 Dec 2014 22:46:13 +0000 MrsMccarthy 1979643@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Don't do it! Meconium is no joke and not worth the risk. It's also supposed to be an awful experience and doesn't necessarily work. I had an induction at 40 +5 also a loose 1 cm for medical reasons and I was able to have a vaginal birth within 20 hours. We used cervidril and no pitocin. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/to-take-castor-oil-or-not-to-take-castor-oil#post-1979582 Wed, 10 Dec 2014 21:47:37 +0000 reverie 1979582@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Just wanted to say I was induced at a generous "1cm" and I don't think I was effaced at all at 41 weeks and 3 days. I was so scared of the word induction, but I had a really normal 18 hour labor with only 20 minutes of pushing. When you're past due, even if your body hasn't figured it out enough to go into labor, I think general inductions are less dramatic than they are prior to your due date. I got one pill (I had misoprostol vs. cervidil) and my body went into labor on it's own!</p> <p>That being said my girlfriend took castor oil the night before her induction and had a SUPER fast second baby! It was a vbac at that! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/to-take-castor-oil-or-not-to-take-castor-oil#post-1979530 Wed, 10 Dec 2014 21:21:00 +0000 PrincessBaby 1979530@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>The meconium issue made me chicken out. So I didn't do it. And I REALLY wanted to. I just didn't want to chance that.</p> <p>FWIW, I was induced with cervidil and Pit and was only a loose 1. Even though my induction lasted from 8pm Sunday night to 6am Tuesday morning, I had a vaginal delivery - no complications. Induction does not equal C-section. And I've read some studies lately that suggest that the cervidil protocol (12 hours) prior to pit has for some reason greatly lowered the C-section rates for inductions. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/to-take-castor-oil-or-not-to-take-castor-oil#post-1979351 Wed, 10 Dec 2014 19:22:04 +0000 Lilbear 1979351@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@StellaJane: I mixed it with Greek yogurt! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/to-take-castor-oil-or-not-to-take-castor-oil#post-1979342 Wed, 10 Dec 2014 19:09:37 +0000 Mrs. Pen 1979342@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I really urge you not to take it! Especially if you haven't consulted with your doctor/midwife. What it can do is progress labor TOO quickly, so that you get to the point of bearing down before you're fully dilated and effaced, this can cause fetal distress, excruciating pain, and likely a cause for an emergency C-section. Of course it doesn't happen every time and I don't want to scare you, but it's a big risk and I'd really like you to speak with a medical professional about this! Even my midwife, who is more on the natural side, was very against it.</p> <p>Good luck and hope labor starts naturally for you soon! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/to-take-castor-oil-or-not-to-take-castor-oil#post-1979298 Wed, 10 Dec 2014 17:55:05 +0000 StellaJane 1979298@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Well... after staring at the bottle all afternoon I decided to try it out, but in a small dose! </p> <p>I spooned 1 Tbsp into a cup of hot tea and lemon juice and gulped it down. Definitely tasted like lemony liquid vaseline. Mmmm...</p> <p>So far only one trip to the bathroom. Feeling fine, but pretty sure I didn't ingest enough to stimulate any contractions. Might follow up in a few hours with a second dose... Even if this doesn't work, your stories of successful induction have given me lots of hope! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/to-take-castor-oil-or-not-to-take-castor-oil#post-1979281 Wed, 10 Dec 2014 17:41:27 +0000 Mrs. Deer 1979281@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@StellaJane: I was in your exact position with my first and took castor oil at 41 weeks. Took it in the morning and labor started that afternoon. 12 hour med-free birth. I didn't find the side effects to be that bad and definitely would have done it again! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/to-take-castor-oil-or-not-to-take-castor-oil#post-1979275 Wed, 10 Dec 2014 17:28:50 +0000 wonderstruck 1979275@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I wouldn't - if it doesn't work and you need the induction, I wouldn't want to start it off already feeling horrible from the effects of the castor oil! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/to-take-castor-oil-or-not-to-take-castor-oil#post-1979190 Wed, 10 Dec 2014 16:24:00 +0000 Mrs. Confetti 1979190@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@StellaJane: I also survived an induction (just pitocin, no foley bulb or anything else) at 41+5 without epidural or other interventions. Also bought castor oil and stared at it and never did it. Good luck! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/to-take-castor-oil-or-not-to-take-castor-oil#post-1979183 Wed, 10 Dec 2014 16:17:56 +0000 anonysquire 1979183@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>If you take it, mix it in a smoothie. I made the mistake of taking it like a shot... Umm ya, I can't look at Vaseline again the same. And it didn't do anything for me. No pooping, no contractions, nothing! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/to-take-castor-oil-or-not-to-take-castor-oil#post-1979130 Wed, 10 Dec 2014 15:47:30 +0000 lamariniere 1979130@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@blackbird: haha! It was definitely nice to know that only a baby was coming out when I started pushing. :silly: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/to-take-castor-oil-or-not-to-take-castor-oil#post-1979113 Wed, 10 Dec 2014 15:36:47 +0000 StellaJane 1979113@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@theotherstark: Thanks for sharing your story! That certainly gives me hope!!! :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/to-take-castor-oil-or-not-to-take-castor-oil#post-1979112 Wed, 10 Dec 2014 15:36:36 +0000 jetsa 1979112@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Good point @theotherstark:! I also had a pain med free induction. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/to-take-castor-oil-or-not-to-take-castor-oil#post-1979096 Wed, 10 Dec 2014 15:26:50 +0000 theotherstark 1979096@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I don't have any advice re: castor oil, but I did want to chime in. I wanted a low-intervention, med-free birth. They ended up inducing me after my 40 week appt due to worries about pre-eclampsia developing. I had a foley bulb inserted. Pitocin started at 5:15pm, I was 5cm when they took out the foley bulb between 8:30 and 9. By 10 to 10:30pm, I demanded to be checked because I was feeling the urge to push - I was fully dilated. Started pushing around 11:05 pm and our son was born at 11:28pm. I did it pain-med free. Although there was more monitoring than I had wanted, I just wanted to let you know that an induction doesn't necessarily mean an automatic epi or super long labor. I know in many cases it does, but hopefully you can use my experience as encouragement! I know that it really helped me when I was laboring to know that my colleague had a pain-med-free induction.</p> <p>Good luck! :goodluck: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/to-take-castor-oil-or-not-to-take-castor-oil#post-1979060 Wed, 10 Dec 2014 15:10:44 +0000 blackbird 1979060@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@lamariniere: haha! So easy to give yourself, though! I did it because i was afraid of laboring with all my GI issues. And i'm glad I did, because a side effect of pitocin is diarrhea and I'm so glad I just, well, didn't have much left. Laboring on a toilet is the worst experience ever. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/to-take-castor-oil-or-not-to-take-castor-oil#post-1979041 Wed, 10 Dec 2014 15:04:12 +0000 lamariniere 1979041@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I never tried it but a friend of mine did, twice, to no effect, before being induced.</p> <p>@blackbird: the midwife actually gave me an enema (after my water broke) to get the contractions going (I had zero contractions 5 hours after it broke), and it TOTALLY worked! So maybe OP could talk someone into giving her an enema? :wink: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/to-take-castor-oil-or-not-to-take-castor-oil#post-1979037 Wed, 10 Dec 2014 15:02:25 +0000 loki 1979037@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>my friend took castor oil... it cleaned out her bowels and she felt awwwful. but then baby came. and came so quickly, she ended up having him at home! by the time the midwife arrived, she was 10cm and didn't have a chance to get to the birthing centre! just anecdotal but that's the only experience i know of with castor oil. </p> <p>good luck and whatever you choose, have a great labour and a healthy babe! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/to-take-castor-oil-or-not-to-take-castor-oil#post-1979031 Wed, 10 Dec 2014 14:59:50 +0000 T.H.O.U. 1979031@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@StellaJane: WeddingBee has many threads about a castor oil smoothy. Many recommend the castor oil mixed with a banana and some yogurt. The yogurt to help coat your stomach. The smoothie wasn't bad but honestly just drinking it and then chewing some really strong gum was better. </p> <p>I did it the day of my induction. I had some BMs but nothing terrible. I was still hydrated and back to regular by the time I was laboring. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/to-take-castor-oil-or-not-to-take-castor-oil#post-1978997 Wed, 10 Dec 2014 14:48:44 +0000 chanada 1978997@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@StellaJane : I drank it with orrange juice. I think it was a couple tablespoons of the oil and the rest of the glass of orange juice. I don't remember exactly how much but I had googled several websites on it at the time. I think the secret is not to overdose, which may be the reason for extreme diarrhea/vomitting. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/to-take-castor-oil-or-not-to-take-castor-oil#post-1978721 Wed, 10 Dec 2014 13:15:53 +0000 StellaJane 1978721@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Thanks for all of the feedback! Still feeling conflicted...</p> <p>@lilbear and @chanada - I'm curious, how much did you take and what did you mix it with? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/to-take-castor-oil-or-not-to-take-castor-oil#post-1978688 Wed, 10 Dec 2014 13:03:53 +0000 Lilbear 1978688@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I took it at 41+1 and my labor started 6 hours later. I did NOT have any side effects from the caster oil (gas, diarrhea, cramps etc). It was recommended to me by two doctors in my practice (to avoid an induction scheduled for 41+3). </p> <p>My sister, and another mom in my birth month group from weddingbee also used caster oil and had the same experience as me - started labor with no side effects. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/to-take-castor-oil-or-not-to-take-castor-oil#post-1978680 Wed, 10 Dec 2014 13:00:59 +0000 Snowdrop 1978680@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Our midwife and birth class instructor have directly advised against it. They say at best it will do nothing, at worst you will feel terrible. Have you tried nipple stimulation? It is the only thing I have seen reasonable evidence for. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/to-take-castor-oil-or-not-to-take-castor-oil#post-1978654 Wed, 10 Dec 2014 12:49:42 +0000 autumnlove 1978654@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would not take it. My birthing class instructor, nurses and Dr advised against it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/to-take-castor-oil-or-not-to-take-castor-oil#post-1978631 Wed, 10 Dec 2014 12:44:00 +0000 blackbird 1978631@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think i would prefer to give myself an enema over take castor oil! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/to-take-castor-oil-or-not-to-take-castor-oil#post-1978620 Wed, 10 Dec 2014 12:39:42 +0000 chanada 1978620@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Just wanted to clarify that although I took castor oil, I did not have diarrhea. I think it does irritate the lower abdomen area to get things going and I think it got the job done in my experience.</p> <p>The contractions felt like they should (it was my first so, I actually have no idea!), but it was manageable and progressed with time. </p>