As much as we would like to use natural labor inducing remedies to start labor as soon as 38 pregnancy weeks are full, it is good to remember that babies have their own calendar. Some babies will come at 38 weeks, and other times will need 42 weeks before they are ready. Thus, you are not overdue, or "postdates" as used by medical standards, until 42 weeks.
Nowadays, it is more common to hear that you are "overdue" even if your due date was only yesterday! Your due date is only a very rough target date, that is why it is referred to as EDD -- estimated due date.
However, if you are truly overdue and threatened by medical induction, Castor Oil is one of the natural labor inducing remedies that have been used for quite a long time. Many women, who gave birth twenty or thirty years ago and whose labor was induced with Castor Oil, are now passing the knowledge about this natural remedy to their daughters.
There are very few studies about using Castor Oil for inducing labor naturally. One study published in Alternative Therapies (January 2000) reported that 58% of the mothers who were given Castor Oil began labor in the specified period.
The theory behind this mechanism, in which Castor Oil induces labor, is that the remedy causes diarrhea cramps by irritating the smooth muscles of the intestine. This irritation is passed to the uterus, which is a smooth muscle, as well. Irritation of the uterus increases the prostaglandin level, resulting in contractions and labor.
Castor Oil starts the diarrhea two to six hours after drinking the oil. The contractions should begin shortly after that. Some midwives and mothers swear on this method and have repeatedly used this to conclude an overdue pregnancy. Others feel it is not worth the discomfort.
After taking Castor Oil, the diarrhea is inevitable but it is usually over by the time you go into labor. One of the very possible side effects is that the severe diarrhea and cramping caused by Castor Oil could dehydrate you. This could be a serious problem, especially if you are delivering in a hospital where mothers are not allowed to drink fluids during labor. The mother’s dehydration may be associated with a higher risk of the baby passing meconium -- his or her first stool -- into the amniotic fluid. If the baby inhales meconium-stained fluid before or during the birth, it can cause severe illness for the baby.
Moreover, dehydration makes you tired and less able to endure physical activity. If you are suffering from dehydration, this means that your uterus is dehydrated as well. Dehydration aggravates the uterus, which in turn causes more pain for the mother. This might make you less able to handle natural childbirth, and puts you at increased risk for medical interventions.
Thus, if you induce labor with Castor Oil, you must remember the importance of keeping your body hydrated by drinking plenty of fluids.
