For some time, you may have heard about cases of babies being delivered with breathing complications or any other complication. Yeah, this always happens and it happens due to some reasons. Moreover, this may sometimes occur naturally. However, other complications can be prevented and controlled or regulated before, during or after delivery. One thing that can bring about breathing complication in a new born is meconium aspiration. This is always termed as meconium aspiration syndrome (MAS). The syndrome takes effect happens when an infant inhales amniotic fluid stained meconium, which blocks air passages resulting to breathing complications. Nevertheless, to some extent, this can be prevented or controlled by the use of castor oil.
What is meconim?
Meconium is the first stool passed by an infant. This may occur inside the womb, before, after or during the process of delivery. Meconium contains materials that were ingested by an infant inside the mother’s womb, such as skin cells, mucus, water, and amniotic fluid. It is green black in color and has no odor.
Effects of meconium
- The baby is exposed to risk of inhalation. This can occur when the baby realizes meconium in the uterus before birth, increasing the odds of the baby inhaling meconium to develop a disorder termed as meconium aspiration syndrome (MAS). Inhalation of meconium cases is rare to babies born at the right time, which is often before 34 weeks. However, if the days exceed the risk of inhalation would also increase. The inhalation of meconium can also occur during and after the process of giving birth. This occurs when the baby inhales meconium mixed with amniotic fluid, which can close air passages for some time.
- Meconium can stick to the infant skin. This has some advantages as inhalation risks are reduced. However, cleanup should be done early before it turns to be of great danger. The easy way of cleaning up is by applying petroleum jelly on your baby’s skin. This will help the stool to slide off with ease from your baby’s skin.
Use of castor oil
Castor oil is mostly used for labor induction. Although studies about the effect of castor oil on labor induction is not clear and evident, testimonies from the mothers whose pregnancy kick postdates can tell. Staying with the baby for more than 40weeks in the womb increases the chance of the baby passing meconium while in the womb. In such situations, castor oil is recommended. It is one of the natural ways of labor induction.
However, the use of castor oil has also negative effects. Castor oil labor induced can cause great pain and be stressful to the mother due to irregular contractions of the womb. Furthermore, it may cause passage of meconium while the baby is still in the womb thus increasing the risk of the baby developing meconium aspiration syndrome. Therefore, the use of castor oil for labor induction is controversial. Nevertheless, Safety measures need to be put in place. Always use castor oil for labor induction at the right time can be effective.