Why is my doula telling me to eat dates in late pregnancy?
If you’re past 36 weeks pregnant, you may be getting this advice from your doula, midwife, or friends. Eat six dates a day! But… why?
There are plenty of tips out there for how to prepare for labor during the last stretch of pregnancy, and this one can seem kind of random. But unlike some advice you’ll get from family and friends, this one IS evidence based!
So how do six of these interesting little fruits help you in late pregnancy? Let’s dive in.
A 2008 study1 compared women who consumed six date fruits per day for 4 weeks prior to their estimated date of delivery, with women who consumed none.
The study found that women who ate dates:
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- Had higher cervical dilation upon admission to the hospital (3.5 cm vs. 2 cm)
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- Had a higher proportion of intact membranes (83% vs. 60%)
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- Were more likely to go into labor spontaneously (without induction) (96% vs. 79%)
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- Had a lower use of Pitocin (28% vs. 47%)
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- And, on average, had a shorter first stage of labor by 6.6 hours!
A more recent study in 20172 confirmed that the consumption of dates reduces the likelihood of labor augmentation, but found that it did not speed up the onset of labor.
Another recent study3 found that women who had consumed dates late in pregnancy had babies with higher APGAR scores. (The APGAR is a measurement of the baby’s health at birth.)
So why should you eat dates late in pregnancy? Adding to your diet is unlikely to make you go into labor. However, evidence supports the fact that consistently eating dates during your last weeks of pregnancy does make a difference! It can help make your cervix more favorable for labor, which helps you have a shorter labor and avoid interventions.
Besides the benefits to your body in labor, evidence also suggests that eating dates helps you have a healthier baby. No adverse effects of eating dates were found in any of the three studies.
So if you’re in that countdown to meeting your baby, go ahead and make a date smoothie, cut some up in a salad or make some homemade granola bars. Popping these sticky fruits isn’t going to induce labor, but it may help your labor go more smoothly.
How many dates should you eat in late pregnancy?
Research shows that eating six dates every day starting at 36 weeks has proven benefits. Although you can of course eat more than six, it won’t necessarily increase the benefits. But consistency here is key. To really see benefits, make it a routine and eat dates every single day in the final weeks of your pregnancy. Eating a few here or there is unlikely to have much effect.
Eating dates in late pregnancy is just one thing you can add to your routine to help you have a better, easier labor. If you’re looking for more ways to love your birth experience, you may benefit from hiring a doula. A doula is a knowledgeable, experienced support person who can offer evidence-based suggestions and help you every step of the way.
Sources
1 Al-Kuran O, Al-Mehaisen L, Bawadi H, Beitawi S, Amarin Z. The effect of late pregnancy consumption of date fruit on labour and delivery. J Obstet Gynaecol. 2011;31(1):29-31. doi: 10.3109/01443615.2010.522267. PMID: 21280989.
2 Razali N, Mohd Nahwari SH, Sulaiman S, Hassan J. Date fruit consumption at term: Effect on length of gestation, labour and delivery. J Obstet Gynaecol. 2017 Jul;37(5):595-600. doi: 10.1080/01443615.2017.1283304. Epub 2017 Mar 13. PMID: 28286995.
3 Ahmed IE, Mirghani HO, Mesaik MA, Ibrahim YM, Amin TQ. Effects of date fruit consumption on labour and vaginal delivery in Tabuk, KSA. J Taibah Univ Med Sci. 2018 Nov 27;13(6):557-563. doi: 10.1016/j.jtumed.2018.11.003. PMID: 31435378; PMCID: PMC6695006.