re: castor oil?

Quoting HauteMamaMary - Hail Me!:“ Well as someone who HAS given birth before, I know the doctors don't make a big deal of defecating ... [snip!] ... deal of defecating while pushing as it's a natural effect of the process.. Maybe aussie doctors are just a bunch of pricks..”

Well most aussies are pricks 
I've just asked quite a few people what the go is when you get into hospital.. labor and birth are what scare me most... so I want to know now what to expect in 6 months, my mom said she was shocked that the doctors here wanted her to take a laxitive when she was in labor, said it was so different here than with her first in the states.

From
http://www.maternitycorner.com/mcmag/articles/preg0007.html

There has been much debate over whether taking castor oil to induce labor will cause the baby to have its first bowel movement in the womb before birth. This pre-birth bowel movement, called meconium, can be dangerous, because if baby inhales some of it it can cause pneumonia in the lungs. Meconium is also a widely-held signal that the baby is in some sort of distress. Most professionals with any experience with castor oil inductions agree that this is untrue. They have found that there is no increased occurrence of meconium in castor oil induced labors over spontaneous labors. (I still say don't risk it!!!)

The real danger lies in the mother when using castor oil for labor induction. With the severity of the diarrhea, a laboring woman can quickly become dehydrated. Especially in a typically highly managed hospital birth where a woman is allowed few fluids. Dehydration makes one tired and less able to endure through physical activity. Plus, not only does this endanger breastfeeding (proper hydration is necessary to make adequate milk), but a dehydrated uterus is an aggravated uterus, and an aggravated uterus causes more pain for the mother. More pain makes a woman less able to handle natural child birth and puts her and the baby at increased risk for a snowball of interventions.

Quoting Andie.:“ From http://www.maternitycorner.com/mcmag/articles/preg0007.html There has been much debate over ... [snip!] ... less able to handle natural child birth and puts her and the baby at increased risk for a snowball of interventions.”

Thanks andie!

Quoting Chikadee:“ Thanks andie!”

You are welcome. I looked into it when I was pregnant, but I think that the risks are greater than the benefits in that method. I wouldn't try it.