Looking for a natural way to ease labor? Eating dates during pregnancy is proven to shorten labor and help lessen the pain. Also, dates are packed with nutrients for a healthier pregnancy. Simply eating six dates a day starting at 36 weeks pregnant will give you these incredible benefits.

Nutritional Benefits of Dates

1. Fiber

Fiber helps keep things moving in the digestive tract. This is especially helpful for pregnant women who experience constipation.

2. Folate

Folate is essential during pregnancy to prevent horrific neural tube defects.

3. Vitamin K

Babies are born with low levels of Vitamin K. This vitamin maintains proper blood clotting and aids in bone development. When a mother eats dates during and after pregnancy, she can pass this essential nutrient to her baby through her breastmilk.

4. Magnesium

Dates contain magnesium which is helpful in alleviating cramps and muscle spasms during pregnancy.

5. Potassium

Potassium is an electrolyte, meaning it helps maintain balanced salt and water levels within your body. This helps regulate blood pressure and may reduce the risk of preeclampsia.

6. Natural Sugars

Dates contain natural sugars (fructose) which provide a stable boost of energy without causing a spike in blood sugar.

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Eating Dates for an Easier Labor

Research shows that eating six dates daily for the last 4 weeks of pregnancy:

• Increases cervical ripening
• Stimulates uterine contractions
• Speeds up the first stage of labor
• Reduces the need for medical labor induction
• Reduces the need for vacuum/forceps
• Lowers the risk of postpartum blood loss
• Provides many nutritional benefits

My Personal Experience

Long story short: the dates worked!

I can confidently say that eating dates during pregnancy shortened my labor and made it less painful.

I had my baby after just six [intense] hours of labor. My contractions were strong and effective. There was absolutely NO need for medical labor induction or intervention, and I did not struggle with postpartum hemorrhaging. Although the birth was intense, the “pain” was completely bearable. Right after my son was born I actually looked at my doctor and said, “That wasn’t nearly as bad as I expected!”

Right after my son was born I actually looked at my doctor and said, “That wasn’t nearly as bad as I expected!”

If You Get Tired of the Taste of Dates (Like I Did)

The first few days I really enjoyed the sweetness of the dates! But after about day 4 I got really sick of the taste and would have to choke them down. So, I came up with a little schedule to space them out and make it more manageable. This way, eating dates just became part of my meal and less of a hassle.

Eat 2 in the morning, 2 at lunch, and 2 in the evening.

Also, eating them in different ways helps.

How to Eat Dates During Pregnancy

“Eat six dates a day starting at 36 weeks pregnant.”

• Smoothie: Blend into your morning smoothie for extra sweetness.
• Stuffed: Remove the pit and fill with peanut butter and nuts of your choice.
• Syrup: Mix dates and some almond milk in a blender and drizzle it over waffles, toast, oatmeal or even ice cream.
• Pie Crust: Puree dates and nuts together in a blender and mix with pie crust dough.
• Cookies and Bars: Add into cookies, muffins, or bars for a chewy texture.
• Wraps: Dates, chicken or tuna, and other vegetables wrapped in a wheat pita or tortilla are great.
• Parfait: Mix dates and all your favorite fruits to make a yummy parfait.

Conclusion

Pregnant women who eat six dates a day for 4 weeks have a shorter first stage of labor, quicker cervical dilatation, and tend to have intact membranes upon arrival to the hospital/birthing center. In other words, the cervix is more ripe for giving birth!

Sources

1. Al-Kuran, O et al. “The effect of late pregnancy consumption of date fruit on labour and delivery.” Journal of obstetrics and gynaecology : the journal of the Institute of Obstetrics and Gynaecology vol. 31,1 (2011): 29-31. doi:10.3109/01443615.2010.522267
2. Masoumeh Kordi; Fatemeh Aghaei Meybodi; Fatemeh Tara; Mohsen Nemati; Mohammad Taghi Shakeri. “The Effect of Late Pregnancy Consumption of Date Fruit on Cervical Ripening in Nulliparous Women”. Journal of Midwifery and Reproductive Health, 2, 3, 2014, 150-156. doi: 10.22038/jmrh.2014.2772
3. Razali, Nuguelis et al. “Date fruit consumption at term: Effect on length of gestation, labour and delivery.” Journal of obstetrics and gynaecology : the journal of the Institute of Obstetrics and Gynaecology vol. 37,5 (2017): 595-600. doi:10.1080/01443615.2017.1283304
4. Sagi-Dain, Lena, and Shlomi Sagi. “The effect of late pregnancy date fruit consumption on delivery progress – A meta-analysis.” Explore (New York, N.Y.), S1550-8307(20)30201-9. 30 May. 2020, doi:10.1016/j.explore.2020.05.014