“Dates are considered a real medicine”
Anyone who has had a baby at some point in life, or who is planning to have a baby soon, will know the fear of what labour might bring.
When the day finally creeps up, the exciting wonder of ‘when will I get to meet my baby?’ kicks in, but so too does the dread of how long it will take.
For some people, active labour can last just minutes, however, it’s more likely to last for eight to 12 hours – particularly if it’s your first baby.
It generally reduces to around five hours for a second or third pregnancy, according to the NHS.
Many people believe you have to let nature take its course, and that the food fads people talk about to speed up labour are simply not true.
However, Emma Armstrong aka The Naked Doula, an award-winning Birth Coach, Influencer, and Hypnobirthing Expert ( thenakeddoula.com) revealed that one type of fruit can really help speed things up – and it’s been proven.
Emma told The Mirror that she considers dates to be the ‘super-fruit of birth’.
She said: “Dates, you either love them or you hate them but when it comes to birth they’re causing even the blandest of taste buds to spark with their juicy statistics and ability to create better birthing experiences.
“Dates are considered a real medicine. Scientists now know that dates contain more than 10 substances considered essential for the human body’s well-being and continuing health, so is it any surprise that they’re a game changer for our body in labour?
“But the truth is they really aren’t a new phenomenon when it comes to birth. The first mention of dates and their relation to birth comes to us in the Quran when Mary is clearly needing a little assistance whilst feeling that intense contraction.”
Speaking of the benefits of eating dates, especially for speeding up labour, Emma explained that dates provide energy, can help muscle tissues and nerve cells develop, and are particularly beneficial “for those who may be feeling quite exhausted because of their high caloric value”.
She went on to say: “Hence why they’re a great source of energy for labour. It is like a marathon after all.
“Dates have an oxytocin-like effect, increasing the sensitivity of the uterus and stimulating contractions. They also reduce the chances of postpartum haemorrhage.”
One study showed that women who ate six small, or three large dates a day in the four weeks leading up to their due date were 74% more dilated, 21% more likely to go into labour spontaneously, and had 77% shorter first stage of labour.
