ready... and castor oil

[tflynn]

ok im 37wks and started off contracting every 3-5 mins, now its 3 days later and still contracting but in a 10 min range and i tired and ready,with swollen hands and feet. i really have been wonderning about castor oil.... any suggestions?

[CadesMom99]

Right there with you ladies - gave me HORRIBLE diarrhea and my son wasn't born for weeks after.  I wouldn't do that again if somebody paid me!  Yuck and talk about being MISERABLE!!!

[LosingMyMindInGA]

I forgot about that, good point!

[AnnieBrooke]

It can give the baby a bowel movement in the uterus, and he or she can breathe in the meconium, which risks pneumonia.  I wouldn't try it.

[LosingMyMindInGA]

Too many women have tried castor oil only to get horrible diarrhea and NOTHING even close to labor.  Frankly I would never and have never tried it.  I've had 5 full term pregnancies so far and i'm 24 weeks with number 6.  I understand completely about being swollen, tired, and ready to end it.  

Even though docs consider you "technically" full term at 37 weeks it doesn't necessarily mean your baby is ready and the lungs are fully mature.  It's always best (unless there are other complications like Pre-eclampsia, fetal distress, etc) to let baby stay in as long as possible.  As miserable as you feel right now, just remember that you only have a few weeks left and the ultrimately goal is a happy, healthy baby.  It stinks sometimes becuase of the discomfort but the best thing to do is wait for baby to come on his/her own.  Since you are already contracting a good bit, walking is a great idea to allow gravity to help assist things.  It doesn't have to be a lot, just as much as you can handle with the swelling.  Even some bouncing on a birthing ball can help.

[littlelulu77]

ya i agree with her it just gives u diarrhea so bad that it starts contractions! it is really gross and the texture of vasiline some women say put it in orange juice! when my labaour was slowly progressing with my first the nurses told me to go home have sex a hot bath but not to hot and try some stairs! good luck

[jrobertson20]

Well taking it gives you diarrhea which in turn makes your uterus irritated and that is supposed to start contractions.  When we did the OB section in nursing school she called the bowel, bladder, and uterus the three girlfriends and when you p*ss one off they all get mad.  I will never forget that one.  So try it but don't be too upset if it doesn't work because everybody is different.  Have you lost your mucus plug yet?  If you are having the contractions then maybe the castor oil will work.  Good luck and a happy and healthy delivery!!!!!