When to Start Eating Dates in Pregnancy—and Why They Might Help with Labor

By the time I hit the 37-week mark in pregnancy, I was willing to do anything my midwife approved of to get my labor started naturally. That included curb walking, drinking red raspberry leaf tea and even a very uncomfortable in-office membrane sweeping. If you had told me to eat a handful of daily Medjool dates during pregnancy instead? Not only would I have done it, I’d have enjoyed it.

Turns out, there’s some evidence suggesting eating dates during pregnancy may set you up for a smoother labor and delivery. Plus, these dried fruits are jam-packed with pregnancy vitamins and nutrients, like fiber and folate, making them a relatively healthy way to satisfy sweet pregnancy cravings.

So when should you start eating dates in pregnancy? Here’s what to know about eating dates while pregnant—and their alleged labor-inducing powers.

Key Takeaways

• When to start eating dates during pregnancy: Eat them any time for their health benefits, but hold off on increasing your intake for labor until you’re at least 37 weeks.
• Benefits of eating dates during pregnancy include that they’re packed with nutrients and are lower in sugar than packaged treats.
• Can they induce labor? There’s some weak evidence suggesting eating dates can help prepare your body for labor.

Can You Eat Dates While Pregnant?

Yes, you can eat dates during pregnancy. According to Lauren Manaker, MS, RDN, a fertility-focused dietitian and author of The First Time Mom’s Pregnancy Cookbook, dates are packed with nutrients that support a healthy pregnancy, like magnesium, iron and calcium. They’re also a natural source of fiber, adds Manaker—something pregnant people often struggle to get enough of in their diets.

Benefits of Eating Dates During Pregnancy

There are several reasons why you might consider adding dates into your pregnancy diet.

They can satisfy your sweet tooth

When dried, dates are pretty good at satisfying a sweet tooth, says Dr. Kecia Gaither, MD, an ob-gyn and director of perinatal services and maternal fetal medicine at NYC Health + Hospitals/Lincoln in the Bronx.

If you’ve never had dates before, there are many ways to incorporate them into your diet, including in smoothies, salads, yogurt, baked goods and oatmeal. Jaclyn Fleisher, MS, RDN, a registered dietitian nutritionist and mom of one in New York, ate six dates every morning toward the end of her pregnancy by getting creative with her combinations: “Since dates are high in natural sugar, I wanted to pair them with protein in the morning to create a more balanced snack. I did this by incorporating them in a high-protein smoothie with Greek yogurt, protein powder, a scoop of peanut butter powder, blueberries, half a banana and ice.”

They’re highly nutritious

Although dates contain natural sugars (fructose), Dr. Gaither notes they have way more fiber than your typical packaged snack, making them a healthier alternative to the chocolate chip cookies you might crave every night. Plus, fiber is important in pregnancy: Dr. Rosalyn Miller, DO, division chief of ob-gyn at Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital, says pregnancy hormones—combined with factors like extra iron in prenatal vitamins—can slow down your bowel motility and cause pregnancy constipation. Fiber helps by bulking the stools and promoting regular bowel movements. Finally, they’re a good source of folate, a nutrient that reduces the risk of fetal nervous system defects.

They’re a good source of magnesium

Dried dates are full of magnesium, with about 13 milligrams per single Medjool date. During pregnancy, you need about 350 milligrams of magnesium per day: It can help with muscle cramps, sleeplessness and restless nights, says Ellen Smead, CNM, a certified nurse-midwife at Pediatrix Medical Group in Atlanta.

They may help induce labor

There’s some research that suggests eating dates toward the end of pregnancy could prepare the cervix for delivery and reduce the need for induction. However, both Manaker and Dr. Gaither say we need a lot more data before making any conclusive claims. “There’s very [weak] data suggesting that eating dates every day during the last few weeks of pregnancy can promote cervical ripening,” says Manaker. “Some [unsubstantiated] data has linked consistent consumption of dates to a reduced risk of C-section delivery and other positive pregnancy outcomes.”

Alicia “Chacha” Miller, MS, RDN, a maternal and pediatric registered dietitian and mom of two in Washington, DC, started eating dates regularly at the end of her pregnancy. “I wasn’t expecting dates to magically induce labor, but I saw them as a simple, food-based strategy that was easy to incorporate during those final weeks of pregnancy,” she says. “Not to mention, they’re a super nutrient-dense food, and I welcome any reason to fit a little extra fiber into my daily routine.”

When to Start Eating Dates for Labor

Nurse-midwife Smead says that if you’re looking to eat dates in pregnancy as a way of making labor easier, 37 weeks—or toward the end of pregnancy—is a good time to make them a part of your daily diet. But if you just like the idea of boosting your intake of some important nutrients during pregnancy or satisfying your sweet tooth in a more nutritious way, you can eat dates pretty much anytime, as long as you don’t have any health conditions that could present an issue.

“I ate dates throughout my first pregnancy to curb my sweet tooth, increased the amount during my last weeks [and also ate them] while laboring during the birth of my twins as a way to keep my energy up,” says Iza Thiago-Munoz, IBCLC, postpartum doula, founder of Clementina Health and mom of three in Pennsylvania. “I like to think of them as a powerful source of energy and nutrients and a very easy-to-eat snack.”

Risks to Eating Dates During Pregnancy

In general, it’s perfectly safe to eat dates while pregnant. Although they have a higher sugar content than some other types of fruit, fertility dietitian Manaker says they’re still fairly low on the glycemic index (GI). A few studies have found that the variety of date can impact the fruit’s GI value, as can its ripeness, with dried dates having a lower GI value than fresh ones. That said, dates may not be appropriate for all pregnant women to eat on a regular basis due to:

• Gestational diabetes. Dr. Gaither says if you have pregestational or gestational diabetes, you should ask your provider or nutritionist about adding dates to your diet because of the sugar content.
• Fructose intolerance or low-fiber diets. Manaker says people with a fructose intolerance might end up with uncomfortable digestive symptoms from eating dates, and anyone on a low-fiber diet for medical reasons should also be cautious since dates are so high in fiber.
• Dental health. Dates are sticky and sugary, a combination that could lead to cavities or other dental problems if you don’t keep up with your oral hygiene during pregnancy.
• Calorie density. Some varieties of dates are calorie dense—a single Medjool date contains almost 67 calories. Since dates are relatively small, it’s easy to eat several in one sitting and end up with a snack that’s pretty high-calorie.

Alternatives to Eating Dates for Labor

If dates aren’t your thing, there are other potential ways to encourage labor naturally—although keep in mind that experts say these methods only work if your body’s already ready to go.

That said, there are some labor-encouraging methods that are generally considered safe to try at term in a low-risk pregnancy. These include:

• Eating spicy foods
• Walking and curb walking
• Sex
• Acupuncture
• Acupressure
• Nipple stimulation

Dr. Miller adds that home remedies, including eating dates, should never be considered a substitute for medically indicated cervical ripening or labor induction. “I always encourage women to talk with their medical provider before trying any method to stimulate labor,” she says.

To Sum It Up

Dates are a great pregnancy snack because they’re loaded with beneficial nutrients like fiber, folate, iron and magnesium. They’re a healthier way to satisfy cravings for sweet snacks like cookies and candy, and some research suggests eating dates while pregnant might help prepare your cervix for delivery, ultimately shortening labor and improving labor outcomes.

How We Developed This Article

To learn more about eating dates in pregnancy, we asked a variety of health professionals about their nutrition and safety for expectant moms, including two ob-gyns, a certified nurse-midwife and a registered dietitian. We also asked a few health and nutrition experts—two more dietitians and a lactation consultant — with real-world mom experience to talk about how and why they ate dates during their own pregnancies.

After editing, this article was vetted through fact-check and reviewed by our ob-gyn medical reviewer. Learn more about how we ensure the accuracy of our content through our editorial and medical review process.

About the author: Sarah Bradley is a freelance writer who combines her love of writing with her parenting experience, writing product reviews and reported features for a number of online parenting and health publications. By the time she hit 37 weeks in all of her three pregnancies, she would have happily eaten six dates per day to kickstart labor if someone had told her it might help.

Please note: The Bump and the materials and information it contains are not intended to, and do not constitute, medical or other health advice or diagnosis and should not be used as such. You should always consult with a qualified physician or health professional about your specific circumstances.