Allie’s Birth Tip: Eating Dates For Birth Preparation
Birth Tip #1 -- It's Date Time
A question we often hear from pregnant patients is, what can I do to prepare my body for birth? Obviously our number one answer is to get a pelvic floor evaluation, but here's another tip. Date fruit — delicious, chewy, and oh-so-sweet — is a great way to help prep your body for labor.
But why?
According to Evidence Based Birth: “Randomized trials have found that eating dates in late pregnancy — around 60-80 grams a day of the fruit — may increase cervical ripening [thinning of the cervix], reduce the need for a medical labor induction or augmentation [with Pitocin], and one small study found a positive effect on postpartum blood loss.” The studies are small and limited because the participants knew if they were eating dates or not, but the evidence does suggest a positive impact on the cervix without negative impacts. Not too shabby for such a tasty treat! Like to read evidence for yourself? Check out this article.
The recommended amount is 6 dates/day starting at 36 weeks gestation. Need an idea on how to cram so many dates into your diet?
Try this delicious smoothie:
1 1/2 c unsweetened almond milk
2 frozen bananas
4 pitted medjool dates
3 tbsp natural peanut butter
2 tbsp cacao powder
1/2 C old fashioned oats
1 1/4 C ice
Important note: If you’ve been diagnosed with GDM (gestational diabetes mellitus), check with your provider on if you can add dates to your diet. If yes, eat them as part of a meal with accompanying fat and protein (like a nut or seed butter) to help attenuate the blood sugar response, count them as a carb, and lower your intake from the 6/day. Also be sure to eat them earlier in the day rather than before bedtime.
Happy ripening, folks!
Allie (she/her) is our resident doula brain and front office manager extraordinaire. Allie is a DONA-certified birth doula and a passionate advocate for better care for people before, during, and after childbirth.