05/09/2020
Eating dates from 36 weeks of pregnancy can help to get things going and reduce your need for induction šš¼
Dates have been used around the world for centuries as a natural approach to preparation for labor. Several studies now support their effectiveness. Though we donāt know exactly why, they do have an impact on the start and progress of labor - likely due to an impact on the hormone oxytocin which helps labor start and progress effectively.ā
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A 2011 study found that women who ate dates starting at 36 weeks were:ā
šø Significantly more dilated when they got to the hospitalā
šø Had a significantly higher rate of intact membranesā
šø Were significantly more likely to go into labor spontaneously (i.e. without induction)ā
šø And had nearly half the length of first stage of laborā
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A 2014 study found that women who ate dates from 37 weeks on had:ā
šø Greater cervical dilatation at admissionā
šø Higher success rates of labor induction when neededā
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A 2017 study concluded that all the above was accurate and yet another study found that eating dates in pregnancy led to less bleeding immediately after birth.ā
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Any type of dates work! The ādoseā is about 2.5 ounces of dates ( ~6 to 8 small dates or ~4 larger dates) daily, starting at 36 or 37 weeks and until labor begins. I love eating them plain, but you can include them in my āherbal bliss bitesā (recipe on my IGTV), use them to sweeten cashew or almond milk, or include them chopped in yogurt or oatmeal. Amazingly, they also havenāt been shown to be a problem for blood sugar.ā
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Did you use dates to prep for your labor? Do you know a pregnant mama who is prepping for labor? Tag her in the comments below so she can learn about the power of this ancient medicine!ā
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