Dates are a source of folate, which helps reduce the likelihood of birth defects. They also provide iron and vitamin K.
If diabetes is not a factor in your pregnancy, eating 6 date fruits per day starting at about 36 weeks may help prepare your body for labor.
Another study showed that pregnant women who ate 6 dates a day for 4 weeks before their due date had a shorter first stage of labor and their cervix was softer before delivery. Eating dates in late pregnancy has also been shown to lessen the need for oxytocin, the medication used to start or speed up labor.
In addition to generating energy, date fruit also contains necessary and unnecessary fatty acids that can produce prostaglandins playing an important role in cervix ripening, acceleration of delivery progress, increase of uterine contractions, and inducing labor [26, 27].
Yes! It's safe to eat dates during pregnancy and there's no evidence to suggest that dates have a negative effect on any trimester of pregnancy. In fact, they're a great pregnancy snack as they have lots of nutritional value and can help ease symptoms of fatigue and constipation.
Dates are a source of folate, which helps reduce the likelihood of birth defects. They also provide iron and vitamin K.
In one study, researchers found that women who ate 6 dates a day for the 4 weeks before delivery had the following results: higher cervical dilatation and ripening at hospital admission. lower c-section rate. less need for certain medications.
“The women who consumed date fruit had significantly higher cervical dilatation upon admission compared with the non-date fruit consumers- 3.5 cm vs 2cm. The date eaters had significantly higher proportion of intact membranes upon admission (83% vs 60%).
Starting this protocol around 36/37 weeks is what research suggests. Studies support that the earlier you start eating the dates the better, the results were higher in the people who started eating them around 36/37 weeks. You can eat the date plain or mixed in with something.
How many dates do you need to eat? Most of the research has suggested women consume 60-80 grams of dates each day starting at 36 weeks.
Those having a food allergy from dates or have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or sensitivities should also skip eating dates due to their high fructose content. Apart from these conditions, anytime is a good time to eat dates and enjoy its health benefits.
But keep in mind that dates are high in sugar. If you have blood sugar issues, go easy on them early in pregnancy. But, by all means, start eating six dates a day from 36 weeks on!
The best time to eat dates is in the morning. The fiber of dates keeps you full for a long time and prevents you from feeling hungry immediately after eating. Dates are a healthy breakfast choice. It is recommended to consume 2-3 dates 30-60 minutes before exercise to maintain energy levels.
"Pressure from the baby's head produces prostaglandins, which signals to your body that it's time to go and start contractions," says Brichter. These prostaglandins also soften and open up the cervix.
[10] Dates affect oxytocin receptors and make uterine muscles respond better to oxytocin, resulting in more effective uterine contractions.
During pregnancy, the cervix usually is firm and stiff enough to help hold the baby in the uterus. That's a good thing for most of the pregnancy. But in the final days or weeks before delivery, the cervix starts to soften and open up.
When do you lose your mucus plug? Most people don't lose their mucus plug until after 37 weeks of pregnancy. In some cases, losing the mucus plug happens days or weeks before your baby's due date. Some people don't lose it until they're in labor.
Cervical ripening is the initial process to help your cervix dilate and efface (thin out). It is done to improve the likelihood of success of your induction. It is not uncommon for the cervical ripening to take up to 24-36 hours!! It is also not uncommon to use different techniques to ripen the cervix.
Starting at week 34 of your pregnancy, take about 5 minutes to massage your perineum, three to four times a week. The goal is to get the muscle and tissue used to stretching. At first, it may burn and feel uncomfortable. But this will get better after a few massage sessions.