If your in your 40th week of your pregnancy and there is still no sign of baby and the thought of inducing the birth medically does not appeal you may be left wondering if there are any alternative options.
The answer is yes, women for many years have been using castor oil as a natural way to induce labor. The use of castor oil however is not for everyone and the amount of doctors, nurses and midwifes that use this method is rare as many tend to use options that are deemed safer such as pitocin. Despite methods such as a hospital induction or pitocin being safer or more effective there are some very valid reasons why some women may benefit more from the use of castor oil.
For example, women who have reached 40 weeks in their pregnancy want to soften and thin the cervix will find that using castor oil is one way to do this. If you are considering using castor oil to induce labor it is more effective if you are have started to dilate. It should be noted that if you are having a high risk pregnancy or reached your due date then castor oil should not be used. You should also note that one side effect of using castor oil to induce labor is in some cases it causes diarrhea, cramping of the abdominal, nausea and sometimes vomiting. If you do wish to try castor oil you should consult you doctor first before doing so.
Using castor oil to induce labor is often effective because of its laxative qualities which are present because of how the oil works with the bowels. As the oil stimulates the bowels it may lead to muscles in the intestines cramping and tightening which can often spread to the uterus. The muscles in the uterus also tighten which simulates contractions which often lead to labor.
There are many contradicting reports of using castor oil to induce labor in regards to its safety. For instance, within some reports there is a correlation between castor oil and meconium that is present within the amniotic fluid. However, other reports state that this is another symptom of late pregnancies and overdue babies thus castor oil should be used as it is overdue babies are the reason for a meconium.
Because there are many contradicting reports about using Castor oil to induce labor and a shortage in tests on the oil, the final say on whether you should or should not use it is unknown as some women love to use it whilst other women may suffer more from the side effects and say going into labor purely a coincidence.
If you are considering using caster oil to induce labor you will usually find it amongst laxatives within a drug store, and it has been recommended by many midwifes that you only take 2 ounces. The tastes of caster oil however is not pleasant to most pallets so it is often taken with other ingredients. Some women will mix caster oil with orange juice or mix it with 2 scoops of ice cream and ¼ cup of milk for a delicious milkshake.
