*ETA*My confession: My baby was born "early" on purpose.

[Anonymous]

My DS is now 6 months old and this is the first time I've ever admitted this; he was 4 weeks early and I made myself go into labor. He's my 2nd, and I was 36 weeks. I was miserable, HUGE, I was already 2 cm dilated and 70% effaced at my OB appt the day before I decided to drink castor oil. OB said it was probably going to be weeks before DS was here, but my body could just tell he was ready. I'd been having contractions off and on for weeks. I'd heard about it, and after doing some research online, I figured what the hell. I got off work, bought some castor oil, mixed 2oz of it with 4 oz of orange juice and slammed it. Worst thing I've ever tasted.

I started having strong contractions about 4 hours later, and about 16 hours later I was holding my perfectly healthy, 8 lb 1 oz baby boy!

OB said I was lucky to not have gone another 4 weeks or he'd have been over 10 lbs and I wouldn't have been able to deliver vaginally. She's pretty sure they had my due date wrong.

I know it's stupid to rush your baby's birth and I don't suggest or recommend it to ANYONE. My husband still has no idea I did the castor oil.

There. There's my confession.

ETA; Because I'm not going to explain it 60 times, my OB didn't say it was IMPOSSIBLE to deliver a 10 lb baby. I'm well aware women do it all the time. However, *I* do not have a wide enough birth canal to barely accommodate an 8 lb baby, let alone 10 lbs. At 8 lbs 1 oz, delivery tore my pelvic floor muscle, tore my rectal muscle, I needed 40+ stitches, and broke my sons collar bone on the way out. My OB said had he gone another 4 weeks, I *PROBABLY* would've ended up with an emergency C section.
So I repeat, she never once told me no one in the history of the world has ever delivered a 10 lb baby, regardless of YOUR stature, YOUR experience, what you, your sister, your husbands long lost cousin was only 5'0" 90 lbs and gave birth to a 13 lb baby. Every woman's body is different and it makes me sad for the female race that this has to be explained.

[luvem630]

Castor oil only works if baby is actually ready.

[MrsRinehart2010]

 just because your body is ready doesnt mean you baby is though. Best believe my body was ready way before 34 weeks but I sucked it up lol. An im sure every other moms body was ready before 34-36 weeks lol but that doesn mean that babys body it.  If thats one think Ive learn from ebign pregnant an all women ive ever met to be pregnant lol. Like I said glad you kids came out great. Also 2 weeks could have actually been you actuall due date, since us an drs are usually give or take to weeks ahead or two weeks behind lol

Quoting Anonymous:

Well I'm not you. My DD (now almost 3) was also 2 weeks early. I feel like I knew my body was ready and I just sped the process along. I'm sorry you've had troubles carrying to term, I truly am, but I am not you, and your body is not mine. I did enjoy pregnancy, I just knew my body was ready.

Quoting MrsRinehart2010:

 I couldnt imagine you know how many women would love to carry full term including my self?

Im not having any morebabies becuase I know I suffer from extreme preterm labor in all my pregnancys an start going into labor at 6m onths. My youngest was lucky enough to make it to 34 weeks :O(

Makes me sad to see women not enjoy thier pregnancy when some women work soo hard to keep thier pregnancys going for the safety of thier babies :O(

Okay my rant over an I guess to each thier own . luckly your baby came our okay!

 

[Anonymous]

Well a 10lb baby can be delivered vaginally so that's silly. And your body must have been ready or that wouldn't have worked. Lung development is very important. My SIL had an 8lb baby born at 38 weeks and she was sent to the nicu for 2 weeks and had to come home with an oxygen tank. She used that for about a month. Not very bright my dear. You are lucky he's healthy.

[Anonymous - Original Poster]

That doesn't mean it doesn't work period. It means it didn't work for YOU.

Quoting Anonymous:

The castor oil didnt do it. I took it 3 times in huge doses and never went into labor at 40 weeks.

[Anonymous]

castor oil does not work her body was ready. I used castor oil when i was close to delievery due to nothing else was helping my constpation ( salads, other over the counter meds the dr told me i could do even fiber did not help and guess what castor oil helped a little but i did not go into labor ( i was 9 months to).

[Anonymous]

I would have paid a million dollars for a full term pregnancy. Instead, I spent the first two months of my son's life scared that he was going to die in the nicu. Stories like this make me sick.

[LadyBugMom09]

By the third one your body could have probably just popped them out. :)

It sounds like maybe your OB is inexperienced with so many tears. There are things they can do to prevent them. You can even start rubbing oil on your vagina to soften it in the last few weeks.

But like I said, congrats it turned out welll.

Quoting Anonymous:

I know it's possible but my DD was 7 lbs 10 oz and I had a 3rd degree year, DS was 8 lb 1 oz and I had to have 40+ stitches. 10 lbs and I don't even know how my vagina would've possible handled it.

Quoting LadyBugMom09:

You most certainly can deliver a 10 lb baby vaginally. Why do OBs say that???





But anyways, congrats that your baby was healthy.

[Mazie0723]

I'm to chicken to try castor oil.lol

[MrsRinehart2010]

 lol I do agree with you it is sad. Im sure we are all ready to be done at that point but doesnt mean our babies are.  Sadly I had meds to try an keep baby in longer as well even bed rest but it didnt help it jsut wasnt happening lol tahts why im not having any more I dont want to be selfish and tak ethe risk

Quoting epoh:

I've had a 35, 36, and 37 weeker (she was the only one that made it to term, and with meds). I'm very lucky as well that my babies were all born healthy. I know it's hard to be pregnant for so long but it is sad that women don't consider their baby's health first.

Quoting MrsRinehart2010:

 still you know it can be stressfully never knowing whether or not that baby is going to be healthy coming early. I got lucky my daughter was born 34 weeks an didnt need any extre care or help breathing ect. but alot of moms arent so lucky. I know I sounded like a bitch in my first reply but it really does kill me how badly moms want thier babies out an dont relize the real risk thier .

Quoting epoh:

I really would love to carry a baby to term as well, though mine weren't quite as early as yours.

Quoting MrsRinehart2010:

 I couldnt imagine you know how many women would love to carry full term including my self?

Im not having any morebabies becuase I know I suffer from extreme preterm labor in all my pregnancys an start going into labor at 6m onths. My youngest was lucky enough to make it to 34 weeks :O(

Makes me sad to see women not enjoy thier pregnancy when some women work soo hard to keep thier pregnancys going for the safety of thier babies :O(

Okay my rant over an I guess to each thier own . luckly your baby came our okay!

 

 

[sheramom4]

I understand the feeling. With each of my three youngest I started contractions at around 23 weeks....after medications, bed rest, hospitalizations etc I was exhausted. My oldest DD had to be delivered at 33 weeks by emergency c-section and it felt like a bit of a relief. I made it to 38 weeks with each of the younger two and 15 weeks of contractions and pregnancy hell and I was ready to make them come by about 35 weeks...it was exhausting and frustrating.