Eating dates ?

amyid

Ok... Don't think I'm a crazy person... I'm picking this up from another months board.
Apparently a study claims that eating atleast 6-8 dates a day for the last 4 weeks of pregnancy can shorten your labour time. Has anyone started doing this ?? Skeptical but I do love dates and happen to have them in the cupboard too. 

&emilyjane&

I'm trying. I thought it would be easier than it is, because I love dates also, but it's SO hard to get to 6 a day!! 

FutureMrsCaesar

If you like them and can eat 6 a day go for it!  I started with my last pregnancy but as it turns out I don't really like dates and to eat 6 of them per day wasn't going to happen unless they were coated in sugar, but then that's a ton of calories so I decided to just bag it.  My 2nd and 3rd labors went much faster anyway, but especially if this is your first it might be worth a try!

CCLow87

I am planning on this! I did/am doing RRL tea to help as well. My labor with DD was 6.5ish hours (first vaginal delivery) and obviously I can't compare it to me being in labor for the first time without it, but I was happy with my labor and glad I had done it. I figure it can't hurt!!

smushi

I did this with pregnancy #1.  Couldn't say if it had any effect.  I labored from 7am that morning til 12:30am the next morning, with 2.5 hours of pushing.  If you like them and want to eat them, go for it.  I'm not going to buy any this time around.

kitteh81

I'm not a big fan of dates, but I'm drinking a ton of red raspberry leaf tea which is supposed to have the same effect. I didn't do anything with my first and had a 28 hour labor with 2.5 hours pushing.  But that was more due to the fact that she was posterior (and came out almost Sunnyside up as well, with a squished nose from trying to turn.) 

Second time I did prenatal yoga and drank tons of rrl tea. 6 hour labor with 45 minutes pushing,  which was a significant improvement and still pretty short considering she was over 9.5lbs.

This time I'm doing the yoga, tea, and swimming as well. I'm pretty sure baby is in LOT position (head down, back to my left side, bum up on my left upper belly, and kicks off to the right upper belly) but I think he's slightly oblique with his head pointing more towards my right hip rather than being straight down in my pelvis. So I've been doing daily Forward Leaning Inversion from spinningbabies.com (or as I like to call it, the Get Dat Bootie in the Air position.) I'm 35 weeks, so hopefully he has plenty of time to balance out a bit.

RiverWhispering

How much RRL is everyone drinking (for those who are drinking it at all)? I've read that basically 2-3 cups a day is a good goal, but have others found better results with more or less?

As for dates, I love them but I'd have trouble eating a full six a day if I was only eating them plain. But baking them into simple desserts or incorporating them into meals might be a fun way to get those in. I'll have to research the date thing, still haven't looked into that idea yet. 

CCLow87

RiverWhispering said:

How much RRL is everyone drinking (for those who are drinking it at all)? I've read that basically 2-3 cups a day is a good goal, but have others found better results with more or less?

As for dates, I love them but I'd have trouble eating a full six a day if I was only eating them plain. But baking them into simple desserts or incorporating them into meals might be a fun way to get those in. I'll have to research the date thing, still haven't looked into that idea yet. 

I have low iron, which RRL can help with, so I'm on 8 cups a day. I make a pitcher with 8 tea bags in it in the AM and drink it as sweet tea throughout the day. 

diablesse

Yup, read the study too.   I have had every intention of eating many dates, but I can't seem to be able to get my large, pregnant, ass to the grocery store....

First world problems.

Kath525

I tried it with my first and had an incredibly long labor. Didn't work for me, but that doesn't mean it won't work for you. Good luck!

kitteh81

I started the RRL tea at 4 cups a day but have started making a big pitcher of it and drinking it chilled, so I think I'm probably closer to 8 cups a day, or more.

amyid

Interesting - I'm going to try the Raspberry leaf for sure! 

erinmarie86

*lurking* I ate dates with my first pregnancy...I think i started a little earlier than the study recommends...like at 30 or 32 weeks...my baby came early, just shy of 37 weeks and labor was maybe 4 hours from the time my water broke to the time i had baby in my arms...definitely going to do it again!

FYI the medjool dates (you can get these at costco) are the best!  I liked to eat them with nuts (Almonds or cashews)...i also liked them stuffed with blue cheese and wrapped in bacon (recipe usually on the box of dates)

J234

I have never heard of this, but I totally want to try it.  Also, the tea... what brand do you ladies use?  

kitteh81

I use this brand

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001VNGO9G?ref_=sns_myd_detail_page

and make it in this pitcher

https://www.amazon.com/Takeya-Flash-Chill®-Quarts-Avocado/dp/B00921MFKG/ref=sr_1_12?s=grocery&ie=UTF8&qid=1455669085&sr=1-12&keywords=tea+pitcher