How Dates Can Help You Prep for Labor Naturally
- Sumer Jimenez
- Jun 11
- 3 min read
When it comes to preparing for birth, most of the focus tends to be on the external — checking things off the baby registry, packing the hospital bag, setting up the nursery. But preparation also happens inside.
In your mind, your heart... and yes, even in your stomach.
My favorite easy way to support your body from within? Dates!
Sweet, simple, nourishing — and packed with benefits for both labor and postpartum healing.
The Research-Backed Benefits of Eating Dates Before Birth
Turns out, these little fruits are backed by real research.
Several studies have shown that eating dates during the last few weeks of pregnancy may help:
• Soften and ripen your cervix naturally

Dates contain compounds that are chemically similar to prostaglandins (hormone-like substances that help soften and ripen the cervix). They also appear to influence oxytocin receptors, making your body more responsive to its own oxytocin, which works alongside prostaglandins to get labor started.
While we don’t know the exact mechanism, the theory is that dates encourage the cascade of hormonal activity your body naturally initiates as labor approaches.
A 2011 study found that women who ate six dates a day for the four weeks leading up to their due date had significantly higher cervical dilation and were more likely to arrive at the hospital with intact membranes (83% vs. 60%).
• Reduce the need for medical inductions
When your body is physiologically prepared — your cervix is soft and starting to open, and your hormones are signaling it’s almost time — there’s often less need for medical interventions to “get things going.”
By supporting cervical ripening and hormonal readiness, dates may help your body move toward labor on its own, reducing the likelihood of needing medications like synthetic oxytocin (Pitocin) or synthetic prostaglandins (Cervidil and/or Cytotec) to induce labor.
In the same study, 96% of women who consumed dates experienced spontaneous labor — compared to just 79% in the non-date group.
• Support shorter labors
Some studies have found that eating dates can help shorten the first stage of labor — that early stretch where your body is softening, opening, and finding its rhythm. This may be because dates help increase cervical readiness, boost oxytocin sensitivity, and provide a steady source of energy.
All of that helps your body ease into active labor more smoothly, potentially reducing how long you stay in that early phase, and thus shortening the overall length of your labor.
• Fuel your body for the work of labor
Dates provide:
Natural sugars – for steady energy during labor
Potassium – helps balance fluids, regulates blood pressure, and supports smooth, coordinated muscle contractions
Magnesium – supports muscle relaxation between contractions
These nutrients help keep your body nourished and working efficiently as labor progresses.
The Postpartum Benefits of Dates
Dates aren’t just helpful during labor — they continue to offer gentle, nourishing support in the days and weeks after birth:
Iron – helps rebuild your blood and energy stores after delivery
Magnesium – supports tissue repair and may ease postpartum muscle soreness
Fiber – aids digestion and relieves constipation
Natural sweetness – makes them an easy, nutrient-dense snack for breastfeeding moms
How to Add Dates to Your Third Trimester Diet
If you're around 35–36 weeks pregnant, it's the perfect time to start adding 4–6 dates a day into your meals or snacks.
Here are some gentle, nourishing ways to enjoy them:
Blend dates into a smoothie with almond butter, oats, and bananas
Stuff them with nut butter or soft cheese for a quick, satisfying snack
Chop them into oatmeal, yogurt bowls, or homemade energy bites
Add them to baked goods like muffins or lactation cookies
Or simply enjoy them as they are — sweet, soft, and delicious all by themselves!
Tip: Look for Medjool dates — they’re extra soft, caramel-like, and easy to work with.
Gentle Nourishment for the Journey
Of course, eating dates isn’t a magic guarantee of a super-speedy labor (wouldn’t that be nice!).
But it’s a small, simple, nurturing choice you can make to support your body as you prepare for birth and postpartum.
From energy to iron, dates bring a lot to the table — offering just the kind of simple, sustaining support that matters most right now. It’s like nature tucked a little extra support inside each one just for mommas.
P.S. Coming soon: a no-bake date ball recipe that’s sweet, simple, and great to have on hand during labor — and perfect for those hungry, milk-making moments, too.
From my heart to yours,
Sumer
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