The past week has been a whirlwind! We are still adjusting to life with Banks and the JOY [and blowouts] that he brings us! 

There is so much to share but I have had a lot of questions about the castor oil concoction I used before going into labor! I did talk to my doctor about the possibility of it and she gave me the OK, and when I talked to my Nutritionist based in Raleigh – Katherine Andrew (A godsend! and free visits with my BCBSNC insurance!) she also said castor oil packs may be better on your body that lay on the skin and still do the trick. When I had talked to them, it was weeks prior, so I didn’t prepare and didn’t think I’d actually use either method… until I found myself still very much pregnant the day before my scheduled induction.

Disclaimer- I didn’t do a ton of research- it was an act of desperation, so do your hw on this! 

Some of you know I was scheduled to be induced at 40 weeks because my doctor was on call that day! at 39 weeks I was at 1 cm are in 40% effaced so I think that was also a factor. I was fine with the scheduled induction, but I was really hoping to go in to be labor, naturally, if I could wave a magic wand. 

So, starting three days before I hit 40 weeks I really started doing things that could possibly benefit me or naturally induce me – being as close to 40 weeks as possible without hitting the 40 week appointment. Here’s what I tried:

  • Drinking raspberry and hibiscus tea
  • Doing the miles circuit every day
  • Hand expression of colostrum- if you do this, you can bring it to the hospital in these hakaa colostrum collectors and they will keep it frozen or refrigerated for you until you need it
  • Pumping for 5 to 10 minutes a day for stimulation
  • Lots of spicy foods!

And then on the day before I was induced, I did all of this plus went to Raleigh Foot Massage Spa for a reflexology foot massage that is linked to certain pressure points. Make sure you ask to add an additional 10 minutes of massage to your appointment for the biggest bank for your buck.

By the time I got back from Raleigh, I was still feeling very pregnant 🙂 so my Doula shared two castor oil concoctions. I looked at my fridge and figured out what I had the most ingredients of and tried the root beer float. I ordered a couple specific things from Walmart delivery to get it in time. I signed up for Walmart + three months before my due date to help get through the 3rd and 4th trimester. It has been a saving grace! 

So, by the time we were home around 8PM, I had gotten all of the goods and drink the concoction at about 9PM. By 10 o’clock I was painfully running to the bathroom every 15 minutes. Very painfully. So I immediately started regretting it.

Then by 11 o’clock I started having contractions! I rescinded my regrets. I started timing them over the course of an hour. It turned into 411 contractions and Blake and I say that for another hour timing them before driving to the hospital at 1 AM. The hospital was only a seven minute drive but I was still running for the bathroom every 10 minutes painfully so I wasn’t sure if we were going to make it.

Here are the concoction recipes continue at your own risk and best of luck!  

Root Beer Float:

  • 4oz root beer – I used Olipop because it has real Mashmallow, Chicory, and Cassava and Kudzu root in it
  • 1 scoop of ice cream (I think you can use anythign… castor oil + dairy is a wild ride! I chose my favorite – cookie dough)
  • 1-2 oz unflavored castor oil
  • After eat a Reese’s PB cup

If you don’t like root beer,

Summer Fizz:

  • 1/2 cup apricot nectar
  • 1/2 cup champagne 
  • 1-2 oz castor oil 
  • 4 tbsp almond paste

Amazon links are affiliate links! Hope they help!