Just found this on the internet.... what do you think??
Castor Oil Induction
What is a castor oil induction?
In an attempt to start labor, some women will drink a mixture of castor oil and juice. The various recipes for this mixture are generally called a "midwife cocktail."
Why does a castor oil induction work?
Castor oil stimulates the bowels in the same way an enema would. For some unexplained reason, when the bowel is stimulated to empty in this way, the uterus is also stimulated to empty. A study in Alternative Therapies, January 2000, reported that 57.7% of the mothers given castor oil began labor in the specified time period while only 4.3% of the mothers not given castor oil went into labor.
2-6 Hours after drinking the castor oil, the mother will experience diarrhea and should begin contractions.
According to Fundamentals of Pharmacology 4th Ed.
"Castor oil in itself is not an irritant ... but must be metabolised into ricinoleic acid, a potent intestinal irritant. Ricinoleic acid can be absorbed and, as it also stimulates uterine smooth muscle, was used with some success to induce labour in pregnancy."
How do I do it?
There are many "recipes" for the midwife cocktail. They are all built around 2 oz of castor oil (around 4 Tablespoons).
Because castor oil is unpalatable alone, it is mixed with orange juice, grape juice, or tea. Some recipes encourage large volumes of juice to dull the flavor of the oil. Other recipes use only equal amounts of oil and juice so the mother has less to drink.
One recipe I found recommended mixing the oil with a glass of juice and a teaspoon of baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) to give the cocktail the feeling of a fizzy drink.
NOTE
Please be aware that use of castor oil orally will result in some unpleasant side effects. Diarrhea, nausea and vomiting are common in castor oil inductions and are not only uncomfortable during labor but can cause the mother to become dehydrated. Be sure the mother who tries this is drinking enough fluids. Some experts recommend using an enema, which they feel will give the similar results with less discomfort.
Some sample castor oil induction recipes:
These are recipes that I have found while surfing the web or have had e-mailed to me from readers:
2 oz of castor oil mixed with 2 oz of orange juice concentrate. Drink one or two glasses of water immediately after the cocktail.
2 oz of castor oil mixed with a large glass of juice. Serve in a glass with crushed ice.
3 tsp castor oil mixed with a glass of juice and 1 tsp baking soda.
Mix 2 oz castor oil and some cola together, follow with 2-3 crackers.
2oz. of oil with a cup of ice cream and 8oz. of coke... Kind of like a rootbeer float
1 tablespoon with some juice (in a special cup top make it more ceremonial), half an hour later another tablespoon, half an hour later another tablespoon if necessary.
Thank you to all the midwives and moms who continue to offer new and interesting ways to try a Castor Oil Induction!
Castor Oil Induction
What is a castor oil induction?
In an attempt to start labor, some women will drink a mixture of castor oil and juice. The various recipes for this mixture are generally called a "midwife cocktail."
Why does a castor oil induction work?
Castor oil stimulates the bowels in the same way an enema would. For some unexplained reason, when the bowel is stimulated to empty in this way, the uterus is also stimulated to empty. A study in Alternative Therapies, January 2000, reported that 57.7% of the mothers given castor oil began labor in the specified time period while only 4.3% of the mothers not given castor oil went into labor.
2-6 Hours after drinking the castor oil, the mother will experience diarrhea and should begin contractions.
According to Fundamentals of Pharmacology 4th Ed.
"Castor oil in itself is not an irritant ... but must be metabolised into ricinoleic acid, a potent intestinal irritant. Ricinoleic acid can be absorbed and, as it also stimulates uterine smooth muscle, was used with some success to induce labour in pregnancy."
How do I do it?
There are many "recipes" for the midwife cocktail. They are all built around 2 oz of castor oil (around 4 Tablespoons).
Because castor oil is unpalatable alone, it is mixed with orange juice, grape juice, or tea. Some recipes encourage large volumes of juice to dull the flavor of the oil. Other recipes use only equal amounts of oil and juice so the mother has less to drink.
One recipe I found recommended mixing the oil with a glass of juice and a teaspoon of baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) to give the cocktail the feeling of a fizzy drink.
NOTE
Please be aware that use of castor oil orally will result in some unpleasant side effects. Diarrhea, nausea and vomiting are common in castor oil inductions and are not only uncomfortable during labor but can cause the mother to become dehydrated. Be sure the mother who tries this is drinking enough fluids. Some experts recommend using an enema, which they feel will give the similar results with less discomfort.Some sample castor oil induction recipes:
These are recipes that I have found while surfing the web or have had e-mailed to me from readers:
2 oz of castor oil mixed with 2 oz of orange juice concentrate. Drink one or two glasses of water immediately after the cocktail.
2 oz of castor oil mixed with a large glass of juice. Serve in a glass with crushed ice.
3 tsp castor oil mixed with a glass of juice and 1 tsp baking soda.
Mix 2 oz castor oil and some cola together, follow with 2-3 crackers.
2oz. of oil with a cup of ice cream and 8oz. of coke... Kind of like a rootbeer float
1 tablespoon with some juice (in a special cup top make it more ceremonial), half an hour later another tablespoon, half an hour later another tablespoon if necessary.
Thank you to all the midwives and moms who continue to offer new and interesting ways to try a Castor Oil Induction!
It goes so quickly...
lol
hang in there x
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