Looking for ways to have a quicker labor? Try eating dates! I recently found this study showing that eating 6 dates per day in the last 4 weeks of pregnancy has a significant impact on a woman in labor.
In the trial, women who ate 6 dates per day were compared to women who ate none. The women who ate the dates:
- Were more dilated upon admission to the hospital than those who had none
- Were more likely to have intact membranes (meaning their water had not broken) upon hospital admission. (This is significant if you know what it’s like to labor before your water has broken compared to after. That cushion makes a difference!)
- Went into labor spontaneously (date consumers-96% versus non date consumers- 79%)
- Had a lower need for Pitocin use
If all of the above is not enough to convince you to try eating 6 dates a day in the last 4 weeks of pregnancy, the women who did not eat dates labored for 6 and a half hours LONGER than those who ate the dates. That sold me.
Dates are high in fiber, iron, potassium, b vitamins- especially b6 which helps with pregnancy related nausea, vitamin K, calcium, manganese, copper, and magnesium.
Here is an easy way to get your 6 dates per day!
Banana Date Smoothie
Ingredients:
- 6 pitted raw dates
- 2 ripe bananas
- 2 cups organic milk or alternative milk
- 1/4 cup raw almonds or cashews
- dash of cinnamon
- 3 or 4 ice cubes
- optional- 1/2 to 1 tablespoon chia seeds (for those brain building omega 3s!)
Combine all ingredients in a powerful blender and blend until smooth.
Pour in a tall glass and enjoy!
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(has a bit of a jerky texture) and 
to soups to impart extra minerals, and adding a strip while cooking dried beans will make the beans softer and easier to digest (ahem, less gas!)
