--- title: Should Medjool Dates Be A Part Of Your Postpartum Diet? description: Medjool dates are one of the best foods you can eat once you become a mama. And here are a few reasons why. image: https://blog.joolies.com/hubfs/Joolies_Postpartum-Infograph_v1b(1).jpg --- [![Joolies California Superfruit](https://blog.joolies.com/hubfs/joolies_logo_tm11.png)](https://joolies.com/) - [Shop](https://joolies.com/collections/all) - [Find Us](https://joolies.com/pages/find-us) - [Recipes & More](https://blog.joolies.com/) - [Date-able Recipes](https://blog.joolies.com/tag/date-able-recipes) - [Company News](https://blog.joolies.com/tag/company-news) - [Healthy Living](https://blog.joolies.com/tag/healthy-living) - [Dates 101](https://blog.joolies.com/tag/dates-101) - [Our Dates](https://joolies.com/pages/our-dates) - [Sustainability](https://go.joolies.com/sustainability) - [Our Story](https://joolies.com/pages/our-story) - [Wholesale](https://go.joolies.com/wholesale) [![julies](https://blog.joolies.com/hubfs/Joolies_June_2019/Images/logo.svg)](https://joolies.com/) ![organic medjool dates](https://blog.joolies.com/hubfs/Scree8oluynshot_111.png) # Date Book [All](https://blog.joolies.com/) [Date-able Recipes](https://blog.joolies.com/tag/date-able-recipes) [Company News](https://blog.joolies.com/tag/company-news) [Healthy Living](https://blog.joolies.com/tag/healthy-living) [Dates 101](https://blog.joolies.com/tag/dates-101) # Should Medjool Dates Be A Part Of Your Postpartum Diet? 5 Minute Read Tags: [Healthy Living](https://blog.joolies.com/tag/healthy-living) [Dates 101](https://blog.joolies.com/tag/dates-101) Written by [Lauren Manaker, MS, RDN, LDN, CLEC, CPT](https://blog.joolies.com/author/lauren-manaker-ms-rdn-ldn-clec-cpt) ![medjool dates in postpartum diet](https://blog.joolies.com/hubfs/Joolies_Postpartum-Infograph_v1b(1).jpg)   Regardless of how you delivered and are feeding your baby, eating the right foods during the “fourth trimester” is incredibly important. Your body just delivered a human into the world – an act that requires healing and recovery after the fact. And while your body is attempting to mend, you have a newborn who is keeping you plenty busy (and keeping you from sleeping a full 8 hours every night). And for some new moms, producing enough breastmilk to sustain the baby is constantly on her to-do list to boot.  Thankfully, there are some postpartum superfoods that can easily be included in your postpartum diet to help support your journey in a healthy way.  Many may already know that eating foods like a variety of veggies, whole grains, and high-quality protein is key when you are focused on your postpartum health 🥦🍊🥕 Less known (unfortunately) is that [medjool dates](https://joolies.com/collections/all/products/organic-medjool-dates-two-pitted-9oz-bags) are one of the best foods you can eat once you become a mama. And here are a few reasons why.   ## Dates Can Help You Manage Postpartum Bowel Movement Challenges Having a bowel movement can be, well, challenging after delivering a baby. Thanks to changes in hormones, organs being shifted, stress, and possible perineal tears, going *number two* can become quite a challenge 😳 While this isn’t talked about too often, having a soft bowel movement that is easy to pass is a dream come true for new moms. And along with proper hydration 💦and engaging in physical movement 🏃, eating foods that contain fiber can help make that dream come true ☁️ And this is how dates can come to the rescue. Eating just 2 dates contains a whopping 3 grams of fiber, or 12% of the daily value, and can help move things along.  In fact, results from a 3-week study show that, people who ate [7 dates every day experienced improved bowel movement frequenc](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26428278/)y vs. when they did not eat the dates every day.  Including dates in your postpartum routine can give your gut the support it needs to help keep things running smoothly in the bathroom department. Trust us – taking a proactive approach to having healthy postpartum bowel movements is something that you definitely want to focus on 👍    ## Dates Can Provide Sustainable Energy Between caring for a new baby and healing from giving birth, new moms need some serious energy ⚡ And while downing candy and other sugary treats will offer up a quick burst of energy, that spurt will be followed by a sugar crash shortly after 📉  Choosing sources of sustainable energy is the name of the game during the postpartum stage. And if the energy-dense foods you are choosing are easy grab-and-go options that require zero prep, that is even better – because who has time to chop and cook with a new baby in tow? Dates contain natural carbohydrates in the form of natural sugar. But, unlike some other fruit options, these natural sweet treats have a low glycemic index, meaning that eating them won’t result in a blood sugar spike. Rather, they will give mama sustained energy that will help her have the energy that she needs to keep it all going 📈 Bonus? Enjoying them takes hardly any effort. Simply open up a box and enjoy. Of course, you can always jazz them up by stuffing them with some nut butter and topping them with chocolate chips for even more nutrition 🍫    ## Eating Dates May Reduce The Risk Of Postpartum Hemorrhage Postpartum hemorrhage is a serious but rare condition that occurs **when a woman has heavy bleeding after giving birth**. And while it typically happens within 1 day of giving birth, it can happen up to 3 months after having a baby.  Amazingly, one small study showed that eating dates immediately after delivery resulted [in significantly less blood loss and hemorrhaging](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/264384650_Comparing_the_efficacy_of_dates_and_oxytocin_in_the_management_of_postpartum_hemorrhage) vs. the amount experienced when given certain medication.  So, enjoying some dates once you are holding that little of bundle of joy in your arms may offer a safe and natural option to help keep mom safe.   ## Dates Contain Key Nutrients For Postpartum Health Think your nutrition needs only increase when you are pregnant? Think again. Especially if you are breastfeeding, your nutrition needs can be even higher than what they were when you were pregnant once you have your baby. Now, this doesn’t mean that you should be downing empty calorie choices all day every day. Eating nutrient-dense foods that pack a punch in the postpartum nutrition department is key 🔑 And dates are jam-packed with postpartum healing and lactation supporting micronutrients, including: - - Iron to help replenish blood lost during delivery - Calcium and magnesium to support bone health - potassium to help maintain fluid balance - manganese to support the healing process Including dates in your postpartum diet can help reduce the risk of experiencing nutritional gaps in a super-convenient and yummy way 😋   ## Dates Are A Sweet Addition To A Postpartum Diet Once you become a mom, it is easy to put all of your focus on your new bundle of joy and forget about your own needs – especially when it comes to nutrition. But it is incredibly important to never neglect taking care of yourself so you can be the best mom you can be for your little one.   Enjoying organic Medjool dates like [Joolies](https://joolies.com/collections/all) will fuel your body with key postpartum nutrients without exposing yourself to glyphosate or pesticides. And the sustainable energy that you will get when you pop one in your mouth is something that every new mother can appreciate 🙏 Finally, supporting unique concerns like postpartum constipation or postpartum hemorrhage makes including dates in your diet even more appealing.  No matter whether you are using them in an energy ball date recipe, tossing them in your smoothie, or simply eating them on their own, [Joolies Organic Medjool Dates](https://joolies.com/collections/all) are one of the best things you can eat to support the exciting postpartum stage in a sweet and natural way 🌴  Written by: Lauren Manaker, MS, RDN, LDN, CLEC, CPT Registered Dietician, Nutritionist, Women's Health Expert and Freelance Writer   ## Shop Online Shop Our Online Store Today Joolies organic medjool dates are available in various sizes in Whole and Pit Free. We also carry delicious date-based snacks. Find us in stores across America or shop now! 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All Rights Reserved  |  [Design](https://310creative.com/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Article", "headline":"Medjool Date Benefits During Pregnancy", "image": "https://blog.joolies.com/hubfs/New%20Blog%20Compress%20Images/5_10.jpg", "url": "https://blog.joolies.com/medjool-date-health-benefits-pregnancy", "commentCount" : "0", "datePublished": "2020-03-04", "dateModified": "2020-09-08", "inLanguage": "en-US", "mainEntityOfPage": { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://blog.joolies.com/medjool-date-health-benefits-pregnancy" }, "author": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Lauren Manaker, MS, RDN, LDN, CLEC, CPT" }, "keywords": [ "medjool date benefits during pregnancy" ], "publisher": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "Joolies California Superfruit", "url": "https://joolies.com/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "//cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0053/5786/3015/t/34/assets/joolies_logo_tm.png?v=12094821509155848712" } }, "articleSection": [ "Fiber is a pregnant woman’s best friend, and dates are a perfect vessel", "Dates are chock-full of pregnancy-friendly nutrients", "Dates can support a healthy labor", "Dates are a healthy sweet-treat that has a low glycemic index", "Dates-The Perfect Mother’s Day Treat" ], "articleBody": "Mother’s Day is a time to celebrate that special woman in your life who changed your diapers when you were little and wiped your tears when you went through your first break-up. It is also a day to recognize and support the pregnant mamas who are going to be a mother within the next few months. Being pregnant is hard work, so taking some time to recognize and support mamas-to-be on Mother’s Day will go a long way this year. You can surprise the pregnant lady in your life with a bunch of flowers or a fancy brunch, but why not give her something that can help support a healthy pregnancy, help with labor, and provide her with an unexpected sweet-treat? Organic medjool dates are a perfect food for pregnant women for many surprising reasons that we are going to dig into in this article. Medjool dates are considered a fresh fruit and grown on palm trees. Sometimes confused to be dried fruit or prunes, they are naturally sweet and have a caramel-like flavor. They’re also less perishable and long-lasting fruit that you can stock up on! Perfect on their own or for baking. There is nothing glamorous about constipation, but between 16 and 26 percent of pregnant women experience it according to data published in the Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology (1). For the most part, changes in hormone levels that naturally occur during pregnancy are to blame. Fortunately, there are many remedies available to help a mama get things moving a little more easily. Eating foods that are naturally rich in fiber is a perfect first line of defense. Most adults will need between 25 and 35 grams of fiber per day along with plenty of fluids to encourage regular number 2s. Dates have specifically been shown to help increase bowel movement frequency. In one study, people who ate dates for 21 days experienced increases in bowel movements compared to when they did not eat dates (2). A Joolies 3 Date Snack Pack provides 3 grams of fiber, which accounts for 11% of your daily recommended intake. Skipping the chalky fiber supplements and sneaking in some dates instead is a gentle and natural way to show a pregnant woman’s bowels some love. Trust us, she would much prefer to skip the constipation than be surprised with a dozen red roses any day of the week. If you have ever dreamed about finding a food that is loaded with important nutrients that support a developing baby that also satisfies a sweet tooth, then you are about to have your fantasy become a reality. Dates naturally contain many important nutrients that are needed in higher amounts during pregnancy, including folate, choline, iron, and magnesium according to the USDA (3). Eating a Joolies 3-Date Snack Pack daily along with a prenatal vitamin is a yummy way to ensure that mama is getting the right nutrition to support a growing baby in a simple and sweet way. While pregnancy can be a beautiful time in a woman’s life, sometime during the third trimester many women will start griping that she is SO ready to go into labor. While there are many myths surrounding ways to induce labor, eating dates has some real scientific data supporting their consumption. Specifically, eating dates has been shown to increase cervical ripening. .....Cervical what? Let’s start understanding the concept of cervical ripening by going back to sex-ed 101 and understanding what a cervix is: a tissue that connects the birth canal to the uterus. The cervix needs to ripen, or become softer, in order for labor to take place. No cervical ripening, no labor! When mama reaches the point where she is done with her pregnancy with a capital D, she may want to start bumping up her daily date consumption. Why, you ask? Data has found that eating around 70 grams of dates per day (equal to approximately 5 Joolies medjool dates per day) in late pregnancy may increase cervical ripening (4). 'It is recommended for pregnant women to consume dates to help with cervical ripening, particularly in the last weeks of gestation’, according to an article published in the Journal of Midwifery and Reproductive Health (5). In one study, researchers found that women who ate 6 dates a day for the 4 weeks before delivery had the following results: higher cervical dilatation and ripening at hospital admission lower c-section rate less need for certain medications shorter labor when compared with women who did not eat dates daily (6). Best of all, no studies have shown a negative effect of eating dates while pregnant. If a woman is late in her pregnancy and is ready to get her baby out of her belly ASAP, eating 5 or more dates per day will certainly not hurt, and may actually help speed things along! Pregnancy cravings aren’t just pickles and ice cream. From salty to sweet, there is no telling what a pregnant woman is going to NEED to eat at any given moment. Dates help satisfy sweet cravings in a healthy way thanks to their low glycemic index (7). With low glycemic foods, the carbs are digested more slowly and are less likely to give blood sugars a spike (8). They are also loaded with vitamins and minerals that sugary gummy bears and sour worms could never compete with. Instead of a box of chocolates this Mother’s Day, dip some Joolies medjool dates in some dark chocolate for an indulgent treat that gives mama a nutritional boost that her body needs. Organic medjool dates are a surprising and no-fuss treat that is perfect for an expectant mother to include in her diet. They are an easy food to toss in a purse in the beginning of the day or to enjoy as a dessert after a satisfying meal. Perfectly versatile, satisfying, and nutritious, Joolies medjool dates are a simple solution for pregnant mamas to help support her on her journey to motherhood. Written by: Lauren Manaker, MS, RDN, LDN, CLEC, CPT Registered Dietician, Nutritionist, Women's Health Expert and Freelance Writer" } ```