# If you took castor oil, did your baby pass his meconium before you delivered?



## lovelee (Sep 20, 2002)

So after the fact that I've taken it, I'm now finding several posts that taking the castor oil can give baby the runs too so that they will pass their meconium in the bag of waters.

So... Did this happen to you?

Does anyone have any reasearch that supports this theory??


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## tofumama (Jan 20, 2004)

I took it with my son, and then was in labor for a LONG time, and no, he did not pass his meconium. But I would suggest you stay close to a bathroom!!!


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## lovelee (Sep 20, 2002)

Well I had taken it yesterday and nothing happened as far as labor, (in fact I only "went" 3 times). I'm just thinking about this meconium issue now as an after thought. I'd hate to think he/she is swimming around in a toilet bowl and I'm not even going into labor!


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## sweet tea (Jan 1, 2004)

I took caster oil with orange juice (btw~it took me a year to drink OJ again!) when I was 2 wks overdue.

I also took 2 heavy infusions of senna tea

The doc broke my bag of water and it was clear,
Chloe didn't have her first BM until about 3hrs after delivery....

but it really got things moving for me~namely labor!


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## guestmama9924 (Mar 16, 2002)

Quote:

_Originally posted by bellafinn_
*I'd hate to think he/she is swimming around in a toilet bowl and I'm not even going into labor!*
this is why most traditional midwives will not break waters. Keeping the meconium in a full bag will disperse and dillute it. You run into trouble when you break the bag and find mec and now it sticks.

Most midwives I work with use castor oil as a last resort. I do see that it relaxes baby's bowels, but it is certainly not an absolute.


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## lovelee (Sep 20, 2002)

So this is probably a stupid question, but lets say the baby passes his/her meconium a week before he is born. The amniotic fluid is continually replaced so would that help filter out the meconium, or is it there to stay?


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## guestmama9924 (Mar 16, 2002)

it would get dilluted/ recycled, just like the urine that baby puts out into the water


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## watermamma (Dec 29, 2003)

Took it with both kids, 2nd at 42.2 weeks, no meconium in either birth.


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## Artisan (Aug 24, 2002)

No meconium here. Water broke before active labor, and the fluid was clear.


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## indiegirl (Apr 15, 2002)

I took it with Zoe and no meconium. I took 2 ozs with a pint of icecream and a cup of milk. I had one bout of the runs and no cramping. My midwife said the castor oil binds to the fat in the ice cream and you actually digest it instead of it sitting in your intestines.

My labor was very mild and my water broke on its own about four hours after my "milkshake." Total labor time was 6 hours.


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## starrynight (Jan 10, 2002)

I took castor oil about twenty hours after my water had broken and I was still not going into labor. It definitely got the contrations going and our son did not have any bowel movements until after the birth. So no menconium. It was not exactly pleasant having diarrhea during my labor, but I figured it was better than having to transfer to a hospital and be given pitocin. I'd do it again if I had to. I don't think castor oil will put someone into labor unless they are meant to be there. I've had friends try it and nothing happened, but they were just trying to start labor because they were uncomfortable. I took it with OJ. If I ever have to try it again I will definitely consume it with ice cream like indiegirl suggests!


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## Chanley (Nov 19, 2001)

My AWESOME midwife made a coctail for me.

4oz of castor oil
the heavy syrup from a can of peaches and a pinch of salt.

That was a VERY good way to drink the castor oil.

Anyway...

It cleaned me out, did not do much for getting my labor going but man, if I am ever really constipated, I know what to do.

The baby did not pass any meconium. I brought this up the midwife who has delivered over 800 babies and she said she did not have a problem with this.


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## Ravenmoon (Mar 2, 2002)

No.


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