Can Eating Dates in Pregnancy help with an easy and shorter Labour?
Lets talk Dates! Yes, the ones you see at Christmas and those found in sticky toffee pudding (I prefer the latter!)
Did you know that eating dates is often mentioned as "an alternative natural induction method" to help start (induce) labour?
There has been three known main studies on date consumption that support that there are some benefits to eating dates during pregnancy.
Eating dates may increase the chance of: spontaneous labour, lower rate of induction, shorter first stage of labour, increase the chance of a vaginal birth and lower blood loss for those who consumed dates after delivery of baby and the placenta.
Although the studies are of a lower quality and based on a small number of birthers, it is thought that the dates contain compounds that work on the oxytocin receptors in the uterus which could help create contractions.
It also showed that those who had consumed dates (six date fruits per day for 4 weeks prior to their estimated date of delivery) were found to have increased cervical dilation in comparison to those who had not consumed any dates.
There are lots of ways you can include dates in your diet such as smoothies, breakfast bowels, stuffed dates (both the sweet and savoury kind).
Recipe ideas that include Dates
Savory Date Recipe (please check that the cheese you use to stuff them is not pasteurised cheese)
Dates have a high natural sugar content and can increase your chances of type 2 diabetes. They also contain fibre and too much date consumption may cause diarrhoea or stomach upsets.
As with all things birth if you are planning on eating dates during pregnancy please make sure you use your BRAIN and check the risk and benefits based on you!
Want to know what the BRAIN technique is and how to make informed decisions and get prepared, confident and excited for birth? I teach full hypnobirthing courses in Nottingham and also offer online courses and antenatal and hypnobirthing sessions bookable by the hour.
Source/studies:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28286995/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5637148/