How Long After Taking Castor Oil Should Labor Start?
Some mothers claim that after taking castor oil during pregnancy, they already experienced its effects within an hour or two. They felt some stirring inside their intestines, started having contractions and delivered the baby within a few hours of castor oil labor induction. There are also reports that the oil’s effect is only felt in a period of two to six hours. Other women, meanwhile, say that they did not feel the same immediate effect. A single dose of castor oil was not enough for them to start labor right away. Sometimes, labor induction may take days before labor kicks in. Castor oil generally causes the mother to experience diarrhea before having contractions, which may later on progress to complete labor. But it is not easy to ascertain how long it really takes for castor oil to induce labor. Very few studies cite some evidence that drinking castor oil may start labor in the first 24 hours but its safety remains questionable until further research is done.
