Date fruit helps labor

[F0xybabe]

So I read this article a while ago that was posted on here (link)

and I'm really impressed by those results and would love to try this starting 4-5 weeks before my due date but I have a dilemma..

6 date fruit per day is not horrible except that they have a lot of sugar content (16g of sugar for one date approximately) and my sugars test came back high so I have to monitor my diet and avoid excessively sugary stuff. Wouldn't SIX dates at 16g of sugar each be BAD for me technically?

What do you guys think.. Am I not able to test out this theory because of GD?

 

[Seity]

I've been eating dates to help with my constipation. Never heard anything about them doing anything for labor. I went in to labor naturally at 38+3 with my last baby and never ate any dates or anything else along those lines. Maybe I should avoid them as well from now on, so I don't have this one early?

 

[mrspeanut]

Like you I was impressed by the results of the study into eating date fruits to help labour and have been eating them, but not everyday as I've run out a couple of times! I guess in response to you question about the sugar content you would have to make sure you aren't going to send yourself hyper and make sure you take the right insulin. Is it an option to spread them put during the day rather than have them in one go? Can you ask your diabetic consultant?

 

[Peachypoo]

Dates are an amazing fruit!! Very high in energy, as Muslims we are actually recommended to open our fast with it during Ramadan!

 

[patch2006uk]

I've read that 6 dates contain about as much sugar as a whole banana. Agree about spacing them through the day

I'd totally forgotten about dates, but I'm gonna go and get some tomorrow. My doula was of the opinion that they might help and won't hurt, so may as well eat them!

Seity-it doesn't seem to be linked to gestation length, just how efficient labour is when it starts. Linked to less interventions, less inductions and shorter labours I vote keep eating!

 

[hopefulfor1st]

How about date scones?! Lol

 

[Seity]

My last labor was super fast, so I'm a bit nervous about it being even faster this time around.

 

[patch2006uk]

I'd say in that case dates won't make much difference either way! You're probably going to have a speedy birth regardless. If they help you with constipation now, though, it's probably worth sticking with them, just because your comfort now is important too

 

[lolly25]

Never heard about eating dates in regards to labour, what did the research say? xx

 

[lemongrass]

Never heard of that but I just bought a box after reading it. I figure it can't hurt! Almost all of my sister's births have been very overdue and I really don't want to get induced so anything that could get me there sooner than 42 weeks is welcome!

 

[Bingo]

Fresh or dried? I guess I could just click on the study.

 

[Dibbles]

Fresh or dried? I guess I could just click on the study.

It doesn't specify in the study but I come from an area with huge date farms and know that fresh dates are seasonal (summer months only and impossible to store) and expensive so the study was probably done using dried dates.

 

[daisy72]

Unfortunately 6 dried dates contain waaaay more sugar than a banana . I have GD, too, and I can have 1 date as a snack together with some protein, like a piece of cheese, but I've no idea how to integrate 6 of them into my daily diet, as I can only can have 3 snacks and 3 meals

 

[MindUtopia]

Here's the link to the abstract of the original study: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21280989

It's a really small sample and as far as I know hasn't been replicated (which us scientists would say means it's hard to say if the findings would hold in a more general population), but that said, if you like dates and you can safely eat them, then I can't see any harm in it. I plan to eat them starting in a few weeks. Dates are one of my favourite foods anyway but I feel like they're kinda expensive, so I'm happy to find any excuse to buy them! And if they help with labour, even better!

Basically, the study found that women who ate 6 dates a day from 36 weeks tended to be more dilated when they arrived at hospital and to not have prematurely broken membranes. They were also less likely to need to be induced and had a shorten first stage of labour (that's the dilating stage) compared to women who didn't eat dates.

But if you aren't able to eat dates because of your GD, then I wouldn't worry about it. Your birth outcomes are likely to be much better if you control your blood sugar successfully, so if you can't do that and eat dates, then just focus on your blood sugar. If you can find a way to include 1 or 2 a day, then it can't hurt though as long as you can do it safely.

 

[kirstylm]

Wouldn't 6 dates a day give you serious diarrhoea??????

 

[patch2006uk]

Unfortunately 6 dried dates contain waaaay more sugar than a banana . I have GD, too, and I can have 1 date as a snack together with some protein, like a piece of cheese, but I've no idea how to integrate 6 of them into my daily diet, as I can only can have 3 snacks and 3 meals

I can't find a conclusive number for the amount of sugar in them. Any idea of the actual amount?

 

[Seity]

Wouldn't 6 dates a day give you serious diarrhoea??????

Nope. I easily eat 10-15 a day (usually in one sitting). I'm still constipated, but more likely to have a bowel movement every 1-2 days vs 3-4 without eating them.
I can buy a huge bag of fresh pitted dates at the grocery store that lasts for quite a while and it's not that expensive.

 

[Kyla]

I think they must be quite high in sugar content. The ones I have are Sun Dried Stoned Dates from Waitrose, and this is the nutrition info
Typical values per 100g
Energy 1220kj
Protein 3.3g
Carbohydrate 68g
of which sugars 68g
Fat 0.2g
of which saturates 0.1g
Fibre 3.7g
Sodium Trace

I presume then there is 68g of sugars per 100g of fruit?
A banana for example has 20g of sugar per 100g according the label on the pack I have here.

I've started eating them in an All Bran Fibre loaf, or with porridge oats.

 

[patch2006uk]

Yeah, that'll be 68g of sugar per 100g of fruit. Anyone know how much 6 dates weigh?

 

[Kyla]

Just been looking on online supermarkets, 9 dates in a pack (whole, dried) weight 180g, so 20grams each if my terrible maths skills are right.

Edit, they are Medjool ones, so might be bigger than normal dates?