I happen to know how well castor oil really works! Although it was nothing great to drink, I mixed it with Pepsi and within 2 hours I was having strong contractions, and successfully induced myself with all 4 of my children using this. Beware of diarrhea though, this acts as a laxative if it doesn't put you into labor.

I definitely know castor oil works!  But be careful.  I took about 3 teaspoons with my 2nd son, and labor occurred so quickly I had him at home on the living room floor!  I walked around the mall for 2 hours not knowing I was in labor, just assuming I was cramping because I had nothing left to let out (if you know what I mean).  I do however have a better alternative to the orange juice!  Take it with coke or Pepsi (something very carbonated)  it helps to "dissolve" the thickness of the oil.  Stir it A LOT, and it won't taste 1/2 as bad as with the orange juice.

Contributed by: Dina Terrell

I wanted to add a couple of things- I tried the caster oil in a root beer float the day of going into labor with my daughter Makenzie.  It is NOT recommended by me!  I got so ill and I am just barely able to start drinking root beer floats again! LOL!

-Shiloah Baker

I just wanted to add to your comments...that I also did the castor oil with my second and third child.  My second child wasn't ready to be born yet and all I got was diarrhea, however I had done it with the orange juice as was suggested...and I was in A LOT of pain ...but no baby!
With my third child, I was 38 weeks, and did it like a shot and had Pepsi waiting as a chaser.  Labor started right away and there was no extra pain with the diarrhea this time.  And it was MUCH easier to take.  A little hint...DON'T BREATH in between the castor oil and the Pepsi!  The air will make you taste it and its like drinking Vaseline!!!

-Collete Stoakes

Well I used castor oil to induce my first child and it really does work!  What I wanted to add though was it works a lot better with Coke/ Pepsi but if you can not handle the after taste/burps then try eating 1 or 2 saltine crackers afterwards, it REALLY helps to keep you from gagging or the burps from tasting as bad!

-Angela Aker

I took the castor oil for my third pregnancy and it worked very well.  In comparison to being induced clinically with drugs, there is no comparison.  Being induced with drugs was a painful and traumatic experience that encompassed four hours total from start to finish (baby being born).  Whereas with the 3rd pregnancy I took only 3 tsps of the oil straight up no problem.  Labor started four hours later and baby arrived 7 hours later.  This was a wonderful, albeit somewhat painful, experience that was not nearly as hard on my body as was the drug inducement.

-Lorelei Magnin

I just wanted to let you know that I used the castor oil method to induce my pregnancy this week, and it worked.  I took two teaspoons in coke and about three hours later I was having time-able contractions.  An hour later I was checked at my doctors appointment and was five centimeters dilated.  Needless to say, within two and a half hours I gave birth to a healthy baby boy.  Castor oil really worked for me, and I would definitely try it again.  Just so you know, I was thirty nine weeks pregnant.

Thanks for all of the good advise I got from your website!

-Tyna Reiter :}

I tried castor oil the way it's done in Germany:

2 tbsp castor oil, 2 tbsp almond paste or milk (to dissolve the castor oil), 200 ml apricot juice. Drink it during 30 minutes, preferably at night.
It didn't do anything at all!  No cramping, nothing. So, I tried it again the next day, and I got so terribly sick- but no labor. In Germany they say, it's related to meconium into the amniotic fluid. I won't touch it ever again.

-Kamy Lafir

*Editors Note:
While I was in Germany, they tried to induce me with this "cocktail" and it didn't work for me.

-Shiloah Baker

Just tried the castor oil thing to induce labor. Thought I would let you know that if you mix about 4 tbs. with a little grape juice, you don't taste the oil at all!! The trick is to swallow it all while holding your breath. The only aftertaste you get is grape juice!

-B. McDaniel

I have personally tried castor oil twice. Unfortunately nothing happened both times. The first time just a lot of pain and diarrhea. I took 2oz. with 4oz. of orange juice. After my bowels were all empty, I took the remaining 2oz. w/ 4oz. of juice. I did end up with mild contractions, nothing to put me into labor. The second time around it sent me to the hospital w/ contractions 2mins. apart. But, got sent home when my cervix was not changing from 2cm. So, I guess its not for everyone. Look on the bright side, the baby knows when its time to come out & he/she will let it be known.

-Paula Goldman

I just wanted to write in and share my ideas for taking castor oil to induce labor. I was pregnant with my first child I was starting to really get tired of being pregnant I was already like 3 cm dilated for about three months and I was ready to have my baby. My co-workers told me to jump-rope, and I thought ok that doesn't sound to good I don't believe I will be able to do that. Then they made two more suggestions, walk up and down the stairs or castor oil. I went to the store a few days later and purchased a small bottle.

One Sunday night when I was really tired I took the oil. I took one dose around 8 pm and a second dose about 30 minutes to an hour later mixed with Dr. Pepper. Around 11 pm I got up to use the restroom and noticed it wasn't a bowl movement. I noticed I was having sharp cramps only while lying down, so I began to count the contractions and they were 2-3 minutes apart. My husband and I arrived at the hospital around 12 or 12:30 AM.  I ended up staying in triage for about an hour then she told me I was 5cm and it was time to move to my room. Around 12 noon Monday morning my doctor who was observing me all morning came back around and broke my water because it didn't break on it's own. Then around 4 pm I began to push, and around 4:30pm Monday our little healthy baby girl was born. So I can say the castor oil and Dr. Pepper worked for me . Now 6 years later I am 36 weeks pregnant with our 2nd child and I'm getting to that point again. Needless to say I'm on my way out right now to purchase castor oil.

-Ayunai White

I thought I would let you know my own experiences with castor oil. I tried this with my second child.  I drank 2 oz. with 2-4 oz of orange juice (held my nose and gulped it down) just before I went to bed. By the following morning, I was having regular contractions and not a lot of diarrhea. The contractions were very strong and fast, so much so that I requested an epidural which I got at 5 pm. I had my beautiful baby boy Gavin at 8:30 pm.  I was 36 weeks to the day, but I had gestational diabetes, so he was extra big even at that gestation: 8 lbs 15 oz. This is why I did the induction.  I had a midwife who suggested this method, because we both knew he was ready to come out.

Now pregnant with my third child, I again have gestational diabetes and my midwife gently "reminded" me how I delivered Gavin. So we are trying castor oil again....without as much success. I have drunk as much as 6 oz in one night (following a recipe for labor induction that I found on the net) and so far, I am having minor contractions, I am mostly just suffering major diarrhea.  I was already dilated to 4 cm before I drank the oil and had had a few contractions before, but it seemed that labor had stalled, which is why I thought castor oil would help jumpstart it back up. I think I am going to try blue cohosh tincture instead if the oil doesn't start my labor soon.....less uncomfortable.

-Michelle Hutson

Disclaimer: I am not a doctor, nurse or any medical specialist, nor do I claim to be! I am simply sharing some ideas/suggestions for inducing labor naturally. You must always consult with your doctor, physician, or Midwife before doing any of these things! None of these suggestions should be tried before 38-40 weeks of pregnancy. Most importantly use under the advice of a physician/midwife.  Never will I recommend doing labor inducing before 38 weeks.