Research suggests that eating three to four Medjool dates or about six Deglet Noor dates regularly over the last weeks of pregnancy might make labor slightly smoother. When dates are eaten in the four weeks leading up to labour, they trigger oxytocin in the body. Oxytocin— the "love hormone"— is responsible for uterine contractions and helps the baby move down into the birth canal. Oxytocin also triggers prostaglandins which are connected to the softening/ripening of the cervix. AKA when the cervix thins out and opens (dilates) enough for the baby to be born.

Yes!

• The scoop on dates for labour comes from an initial paper done in 2011 that found women who ate dates went into labor spontaneously (96% versus 79%) and that their labor was less likely to need a medical boost to progress. This led to numerous randomised control trials.
• In one study, one group of women ate seven dates per day while the control group had none. Findings revealed the date group had less need for labour augmentation but were no more likely to go into labour spontaneously. 
• Another study, found date consumption lead to a shorter first stage of labour, and average cervical dilation was significantly higher.  
• And another randomised trial indicated the date-eating group had more cervical ripening, which means the cervix is softening and progressing to deliver, than the non-date consuming group.  

How many dates should I eat in my third trimester?

The suggested intake is 70 to 75 grams per day from 36 weeks, which is about three to four Medjool dates, or about six to eight Deglet Noor dates.

Consult with your midwife if you have to watch your sugar.

FINAL DATES truffles are about one large medjool date per truffle.

How many truffles should I eat to reap the benefits of dates in pregnancy?

Final Dates truffles are meant to be enjoyed as a treat to break up the daily routine of trying to sneak in the recommended amount of dates throughout the day. Enjoy as you would traditional chocolate truffles.

That’s okay! Date truffles will satisfy sweet cravings while offering the other nutritional benefits of dates.

We recommend our truffles for pregnant women trying to enjoy more dates in their day, or looking for a functional treat.

The reported benefit of dates for labour suggests eating at least six dates every day in the last four weeks of pregnancy. A few truffles alone will not induce labour and studies suggest six dates daily for four weeks.

Please consult with your midwife or GP if you have to control your sugar or caloric intake, or have been diagnosed with gestational diabetes, prediabetes, Type 2 diabetes, and polycystic ovary syndrome as you may need to be more cautious and monitor blood sugar.

Can I eat chocolate while pregnant? 

Yes, yet like all great things, everything in moderation is key. Make it an occasional treat, just as our chocolate date truffles are intended to be.

Each truffle has less than 4mg of caffeine. For comparison, a cup of coffee is about 95mg, or about 63mg for a shot of espresso.

Pregnant women should not consume more than 200mg of caffeine per day in total. So rest assured you're in the clear.

When dates are eaten in the four weeks leading up to labour, they trigger oxytocin in the body. Oxytocin— the "love hormone"— is responsible for uterine contractions and helps the baby move down into the birth canal. Because oxytocin aids in bonding once the baby arrives, it also makes for a great treat to keep on hand after delivery.

The effect of dates in postpartum hemorrhage has also been studied. Research has found that eating dates right after delivery decreases blood loss more in the first hour after delivery than intramuscular oxytocin.

Additionally, dates are high in fiber, which can help against constipation, and they provide quick energy without the blood sugar spike since the fiber counteracts the sugar in dates. What's more, dates are a source of magnesium and potassium, two important minerals that function as electrolytes. They’re also a source of copper, which helps in red blood cell production and may help if feeling fatigued.

To help a mum-to-be enjoy more dates in her day leading up to her due date, send them from the one month mark before she is due to give birth.

FINAL DATES can be enjoyed throughout pregnancy, labour, and post-partum.

For maximum freshness, we recommend storing date truffles in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator and consume within 1 month.

Will this make a good baby shower gift?

Absolutely! FINAL DATES is a great baby shower gift that celebrates and pampers the mum-to-be, supporting her in the last few weeks of pregnancy, including labour and postpartum.

A complimentary notecard explaining the link between dates and pregnancy is added to all gift orders.

Then you're still satisfying a craving for something sweet with a functional goody. Win-win. You'll get a boost of micronutrients and fiber, which helps with pregnancy constipation.

The dates are from outside the EU, packed in the UK, and labelled with the Soil Association organic symbol which sets strict rules for organic food production, going beyond EU regulations in key areas like animal welfare, environmental protection, and human health.

It is the UK's leading organic certification body. The current batch of dates is from Jordan.

We use organic and vegan chocolate made from cocoa that is certified by the Rainforest Alliance which ensures both environmental care and thriving cocoa farming communities, and is free from palm oil, artificial colours or flavours. 

Rest assured, the other ingredients we use are carefully selected.

We want our little ones to know we tried our best. So we try our best to make most of our packaging home compostable or recyclable. 

Our branded boxes are a FSC® certified product which means it’s made from responsibly forested materials and recyclable. We also encourage you to reuse them for bits and bobs. 

Our food-safe paper that lines the inside of each box is 100% compostable and printed on FSC-certified paper with water-based inks.

Our branded stickers are made of paper and are biodegradable and compostable. 

And our postal box is recyclable.

Kordi M, Meybodi FA, Tara F, Fakari FR, Nemati M, Shakeri M. Effect of Dates in Late Pregnancy on the Duration of Labor in Nulliparous Women. Iran J Nurs Midwifery Res. 2017 Sep-Oct;22(5):383-387. doi: 10.4103/ijnmr.IJNMR_213_15. PMID: 29033994; PMCID: PMC5637148.

Razali N, Mohd Nahwari SH, Sulaiman S, Hassan J. Date fruit consumption at term: Effect on length of gestation, labour and delivery. J Obstet Gynaecol. 2017 Jul;37(5):595-600. doi: 10.1080/01443615.2017.1283304. Epub 2017 Mar 13. PMID: 28286995.

Kordi, M. , , Aghaei Meybodi, F. , , Tara, F. , , Nemati, M. , and Taghi Shakeri, M. . "The Effect of Late Pregnancy Consumption of Date Fruit on Cervical Ripening in Nulliparous Women",Journal of Midwifery and Reproductive Health, 2, 3, 2014, 150-156. doi: 10.22038/jmrh.2014.2772

Al-Kuran O, Al-Mehaisen L, Bawadi H, Beitawi S, Amarin Z. The effect of late pregnancy consumption of date fruit on labour and delivery. J Obstet Gynaecol. 2011;31(1):29-31. doi: 10.3109/01443615.2010.522267. PMID: 21280989.

Niknami M, Farash M, Rahnavardi M, Maroufizadeh S, Darkhaneh RF. The effect of date fruit consumption on early postpartum hemorrhage: a randomized clinical trial. BMC Womens Health. 2023 Aug 23;23(1):441. doi: 10.1186/s12905-023-02604-9. PMID: 37612639; PMCID: PMC10463832.