Using Castor Oil to Induce Labor

Castor Oil is often used to help start labor. It's recommended that you take 2-4 oz. It doesn't start labor in all pregnancies, and it those it does, the reasons why aren't really clear. The basic thought is that the bowel contractions help stimulate the uterus to contract as well. There is also some believe that the oil helps in the production of prostaglandins. One thing everyone agrees on it that it tastes pretty bad.

Here are some suggestions to help make it more palatable.

• Castor oil is hard to taste scrambled into 2 or 3 eggs.

• Drink oil straight followed immediately by hot apple juice.

• Put the castor oil in 3-4 oz. of root beer, then place a palm over the glass, and shake it up HARD; then immediately guzzle all of the now-all-foamy rootbeer. It suspends the castor oil.

• Add a couple of scoops of ice cream to the castor oil and orange juice.

• Take one large glass of orange juice mix in three teaspoonful of castor oil and one teaspoon of baking soda. This will make it foamy, almost like a soda.