Has anyone heard about castor oil bringing on labour ?? My mum said its what they used to use xx

I am not in need of any assistance yet to get baby out, but want to explore all avenues before i am massive xxx

Found this on a site..Castor Oil to Bring on Labor

First let me just say that I do not recommend this method. That is because I used it with my second child and it was just about the most horrible mistake I could have made (other than maybe getting another epidural, anyway).

The theory behind this induction method is that the castor oil causes diarrhea and the diarrheal cramps cause sympathetic cramping in your uterus, another smooth muscle. This is another of the methods that "won't work if you're not already ready anyway", as the sympathetic cramping will be ineffectual if all conditions are not already optimal for labor. In my case, my contractions began 10 minutes after my first dose of oil, hours before the diarrhea began. Therefore, it could not have been the castor oil that brought on labor in my case, and I caused myself all that trouble for nothing.

There has been much debate over whether taking castor oil to induce labor will cause the baby to have its first bowel movement in the womb before birth. This pre-birth bowel movement, called meconium, can be dangerous, because if baby inhales some of it it can cause pneumonia in the lungs. Meconium is also a widely-held signal that the baby is in some sort of distress. Most professionals with any experience with castor oil inductions agree that this is untrue. They have found that there is no increased occurrence of meconium in castor oil induced labors over spontaneous labors.

The real danger lies in the mother when using castor oil for labor induction. With the severity of the diarrhea, a laboring woman can quickly become dehydrated. Especially in a typically highly managed hospital birth where a woman is allowed few fluids. Dehydration makes one tired and less able to endure through physical activity. Plus, not only does this endanger breastfeeding (proper hydration is necessary to make adequate milk), but a dehydrated uterus is an aggravated uterus, and an aggravated uterus causes more pain for the mother. More pain makes a woman less able to handle natural child birth and puts her and the baby at increased risk for a snowball of interventions.

My mum said she tryed it when she was pregnant and all it done for her was make her sick.lol.xxx

I used it with no problems, like you say they used it years ago and it was my mum who gave me it!

ive a friend who used it with bother her kids and says it was brilliant!!!

they used it years ago, but it is not recommeneded now - the chances are all you will do is end up with a dose of the squits which is the very last thing you need when in labour lol

Please dont use it. As some of the other posters said, it can give you the squits.... but it can also give baby the squits inside you as well with can be very dangerous for them

my friend used it after trying everything else. it worked for her guess everyones different

xx

Hya I used it with my first and went into labour 4 hours later (I told the midwife afterwards she said it was prob coincidence) 4 hours though???
Never used it for my second and I went over just because I didnt realise about the chances of the baby pooing etc...xx

I've heard of it but usually accompanied by a warning that it isn't recommended.

Clary sage oil used in a bath or for a massage seems to be the "modern" alternative I think. Not sure if it works, but I've got mine on order, should come in the post tomorrow - worth a try