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Don’t you love when something really simple and inexpensive is actually the most effective option? Like when simple natural ingredients make the best laundry detergent? Or when children ditch the expensive toys and play for hours with a cardboard box or mixing bowl and spoon?
Can Eating Dates Shorten Labor?
I recently stumbled across a study that supports an old (mid)wives tale that eating dates (this type) might be the best way to naturally shorten labor and reduce the risk of induction.
Sound too good to be true?
I thought so too for years and wrote off the idea (partially because dates have always seemed too sweet to me and I didn’t want to eat them). Turns out, there is now some scientific evidence and anecdotal experience from many women that supports the ability of dates to shorten labor and contribute to a outcome.
The study, conducted in 2011 and published in the Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, has some really interesting results from comparing two groups of women: those who consumed six dates per day in the last four weeks of labor and those who did not.
I also found it fascinating that in my completely un-scientific poll of friends and readers, those who consumed dates in later pregnancy did in fact have shorter labors (including a few friends who craved them and had labors under 2 hours!). My friend Genevieve ate dates in the last month of her pregnancy and had a shorter labor (and there are quite a few comments on her post from other women with the same experience!).
As someone who tends to have labors more on the 24-28 hour side, it was enough to intrigue me… disgust of dates or not.
The Effect of Late Pregnancy Consumption of Date Fruit on Labor & Delivery
This study was very interesting, and not just because I’m a nerd who loves reading scientific studies. For any woman who has been through labor, this line from the study specifically should be intriguing:
The mean latent phase of the first stage of labour was shorter in women who consumed date fruit compared with the non-date fruit consumers (510?min vs 906?min, p?=?0.044).
In mom terms, that means that the 0-10 cm stage of labor was significantly shorter in woman who consumed dates compared to those who didn’t. In fact, those who consumed dates had an average 8.5 hours of first stage labor (0-10 cm) while those who didn’t had an average 15.1 hours of first stage labor.
Don’t get me wrong, compared to my usual 24+ hours, I’d gladly take either one, but for a woman in labor, 8.5 hours sounds a lot better than 15.1 hours!
Other points of interest from the study:
- The women who ate dates were dilated an average of 3.5 cm upon admission, compared to 2 cm in those who didn’t
- 96% of the women who consumed dates went into spontaneous labor and did not have to be induced (compared to only 79% of those who didn’t)
- Only a small percentage of women who consumed dates needed pitocin (28%) vs those who didn’t consume dates (47%)
- A smaller percentage of women who consumed dates had their membranes rupture in early labor compared to those who didn’t (17% vs 40%)
Overall, the study authors concluded that:
…the consumption of date fruit in the last 4 weeks before labour significantly reduced the need for induction and augmentation of labour, and produced a more favourable, but non-significant, delivery outcome.
What I’m Doing
That study and the stories I’ve read of dozens of women who tried eating dates in late stage pregnancy are enough to convince me to give dates a try this time. (These are the ones I’m ordering)
I’ll personally start sneaking 4-6 dates per day (six was the magic number in the study) into my meals starting at about 35 weeks (I tend to deliver at just over 39 weeks). Since I don’t love dates on their own, I’ll make some of these chia seed energy bars and some homemade almond milk to blend them in.
I’ll also be drinking my red raspberry leaf tea at that point and incorporating lots of natural movement like walking and squatting to help get my body aligned for labor.
I’ll let you all know in February how things go and if my labor was any shorter! Ever tried this? Did it work for you? Please share below!
I did this for my first pregnancy, and though I have nothing to compare it to personally, here is how my labour went: Waters broke 715pm. Admitted to birth center at 4am, 3.5cms dilated. Started pushing at approx 845am and healthy baby boy born at 950am. I’d say that went pretty well!! I am currently 15 weeks and will be eating dates again! I do quite enjoy them 🙂
So this has nothing to do with whether this works or not but for those who said they don’t like eating dates you should try squeezing some fresh lime on them- delicious!
How wonderful! Congrats on your current pregnancy! =)
My first is due in April and this was nice to read. I think dates are too sugary too but I suppose spaced out throughout the day should be ok.
My mom’s first was a c section. I came out VBAC in about 30 mins. Once my mom found out about me having her first grandchild she’s just been soooo excited. She told me about a month before the baby is due to drink coconut water and have a tablespoon of sesame seeds daily. She did that on the recommendation from her coworker who always had quick labors. Seems to work since she barely got admitted to the hospital and I wanted out haha
I’m not so sure I will do the coconut water even though I like having it daily…. but even less so now as apparently it strips the vernix caseosa and the baby will be born without it at all. Though I hear that full term babies many times are born without it anyway. Reading other posters in other forums… It really does look like it helps bring on a quick labor. It looks to be something typically done in some Asian cultures…
From reading about sesame seeds, it provides methionine which helps keep cysteine levels up and helps with skin elasticity. I’m guessing that could help preventing tears for sure and maybe help diltation…
I’m all for short, pain free as possible labor but I really want to do whats best for the baby which is keeping the vernix on as much as possible, even considering a lotus birth since my friend mentioned it the other week (was going to cut the cord after pulsing stopped, but the other seems more beneficial for the baby). Also trying home birth and water birth.. basically anything I can do for my baby… since this baby is most likely my first and only one.
I know you’ll try out the dates, but would you consider the coconut water and sesame as well? It seems to be great for very quick labors from the births my mother has been telling me about, friends, etc. Or are you set on solely the dates?
Very interesting. I had a short labor with my first in 2008 (5 hours!). Now I’m pregnant with my 2nd and due in March. We’re planning another homebirth with a midwife so I will definitely be adding dates to my diet in February and see how things go.
I never knew this was a thing until this post, but it worked for me! I’d been regularly eating several dates a day for a few years (an Ayurvedic practice for nourishing the body’s tissues) and continued during pregnancy. My water broke at 37 weeks, and although I had regular contractions, they were painless, so my midwife gave me pitocin. Once that kicked in, I had 3 hours of manageable pain until my son was born. Despite the pitocin, they didn’t even think I was fully dilated until I said I needed to push. It was an incredible experience.
I ran into this study when I was pregnant 4 years ago, ate tons of dates…and labored for 2 1/2 days!! But it was my first baby and I would definitely try it again based on the research. Great post, thanks!
I happen to love dates, but love them the most in the afternoon in a great date based bar. I usually add in coconut and pecans, and also tart cherries are divine in them too. They keep me from eating sweets during my after lunch slump and I will now definitely keep up this habit til I am due in Feb! This is the link to the recipe https://minimalistbaker.com/healthy-brownie-granola-bars/
Will any type of dates work, not just the type you suggested? Is there a benefit of one type over another? Thanks!
I was wondering the same thing! I have dates in my pantry right now…I love them but they r not the medjool dates….they r the deglet noor dates. (Cheap at Costco for a massive bag)
I don’t know if it made my labor shorter, but consuming about 6 a day in my last 3 weeks of pregnancy helped me go into labor on my own! This time my son was only 2 days late, as compared to my first (did not eat dates) who was 9 days late and I had to be induced! I also went in only at 1 cm with my first (no dates) and a 4 with my second (ate dates). Total labor with both was about the same, 12 hours for my first, 10 for my second. Hope that helps–overall I recommend them! I also used a midwife with my second, and that I cannot recommend enough!
I’ve heard of this. I never got the chance to try. All of my babies came 3-7 weeks early and labors were so fast that the dr didn’t even make it in the room. My smallest baby was nine pounds even, and I can’t imagine how big they would have been if they waited until 38+ weeks. I’d like to know how to prevent jaundice, I guess late pre term babies tend to suffer from jaundice.
My Mom swears by lemon water. The lemon acts as a natural liver detox among other benefits. I drank it a lot in my first trimester and am starting up again in these last 6 weeks of pregnancy. Just half a lemon in 8 ounces of water a day, you don’t want to over to it. Hope that helps! This is my first so hopefully it works for me too, as well as the dates!