Castor Oil for Labor Induction – What You Should Know

In order to induce labor naturally, there are plenty of remedies among which castor oil is one of the best natural remedy. Castor oil is one of the oldest remedies to remove the constipation and to ease the bowel movements and hence it is also used to induce labor.

What is Castor Oil?

Castor oil is a vegetable oil or juice that is derived from the castor bean. It has an unpleasant smell and taste and it is also unpalatable for some women. However there is also castor oil available that do not have a pungent smell or in fact it is odorless. It is not necessary to consume castor oil in its raw form, you can mix it up with various other eatables and you will not even feel its repelling smell.

Another Belief by the Practitioners

Where, a lot of women believed that castor oil benefits in inducing the labor however there are also some medical practitioners who believe that castor oil may irritate the uterus and cause contractions and therefore setting off the labor.

Safety Precautions for using Castor Oil

There may be two thoughts regarding the use of castor oil however it is mostly known for its beneficial purposes. However when you are planning to use it there are few safety precautions that you must keep in mind which are given as under:

1. Appropriate Dose

There should be an appropriate dose according to your requirement and should not be taken without any consultation of doctor or your midwife.

2. Not to Induce Labor before Time

Castor oil should not be taken to induce labor before the due date with a thought that you may have an early delivery. And taking it in overdose may cause several problems like diarrhea, nausea and even vomiting. All these factors can contribute to dehydration which is also very dangerous in case of pregnancy.

3. Distinctive Stirring

This has also been observed by some women that when they take a dose of castor oil they feel a distinctive stirring in their abdomen. However some women do not feel the same way and may require an additional dose.

4. May be a Reason of Fetal Distress

Castor oil may not suit everyone, as mentioned before, some practitioners believe that castor oil is highly associated with fetal distress and therefore such women should avoid it. Some also believe that there is a link between meconium; the blackish thing that is discharged by the baby at the time of delivery or at the time of his first motion. Though there are plenty of doctors who are in favor of castor oil believe that oil has no link with the baby passing meconium or the fetal distress.

So these are some of the precautions that should be kept in mind rest the castor oil have been used by pregnant women for ages and have been found a useful product for labor induction.