Feeding Your Soul and Your Baby’s: Fasting Tips During Pregnancy and Nursing

Important Notes: (1) Please note this article is written as Tips to Inspire Muslim Moms to consider trying not to fast while pregnant or nursing. My intention is only to educate an alternative option, as more literature is written about not fasting, rather than supporting those who do. I have no agenda to “push” my views and experiences on to others. (2) MashaAllah, these tips are not solely my own. Together, the 3 sisters (2 sister-in-laws & 1 dear friend) referred to in this article, and I have 45 children amongst us. I’ve only fasted 5-years while pregnant or nursing, while the 3 of them did for nearly/over 20-years each. Therefore, I have modest success compared to others, mashaAllah. (3) In the multiple nutritional articles linked throughout this article, I state that I have my Masters in Public Health, and have researched thoroughly the preventive health aspects of fasting and always recommend deferring to your medical professional. Please read our humble words with these facts in mind. Jazaka Allahu Khayrun. May Allah accept our fast, ibadah and niyah. Ameen.

Please welcome guest blogger Saba Umer. Introduced by my dearly talented virtual assistant and “adopted” niece Habeeba’s sister, mashaAllah, I was so incredibly touched by her writing sample, Miracles – a detailed account of her miraculous experiences during our most blessed month of Ramadan. Feeling an instant connection to her writing and personally through our emails, I immediately made du’a for the perfection of Allah’s subhanahu wa Ta’ala’s timing for such introductions, subhanallah. Eager to write on-assignment, I shared my passion for this topic, scattered researched notes, and gave Saba my tips. MashaAllah, she eloquently wrote this poignant article far beyond my expectations, that I believe every pregnant or nursing Muslimah should read.

5 years of pregnancies and nursing is no comparison to 2-decades

MashaAllah, for 5-straight years I fasted while I was pregnant or nursing my 3 daughters. However, I never thought this was an incredible achievement when one of my dearest friends is on her 11th, and two sister-in-laws are are 10th and 11th child. And, all 3 have been pregnant or nursing for nearly/over 2-decades straight. I also must add that in my dozen years of being a Muslim, I do not personally know any Muslimah who was pregnant or nursing (100s of moms & moms-to-be) who chose intentionally or unintentionally not to fast during Ramadan, mashaAllah. As they say, “surround yourself with like-people”. So, that’s what I strive to do and subhanallah, that’s what I graced with as well.

Subhanallah, I just recalled (as I am writing) that my very first Ramadan as a Muslim, I was newly married and pregnant with our first child. And, subhanallah, it was the very dear friend I spoke about above who was on her 6th. It was her who I choose to learn how to fast. So, as I reflect through the process of writing, I realized that it must have been the greater goal I set for myself to complete my very first full month of fasting, that overcame any possible hardship posed at the time of my first pregnancy.

Everything was new. Everything was different. Everything was a challenge. Subhanallah, because I didn’t have anything to compare as to what is easier, I allowed my faith to guide me, my mind, my body, and the growing baby of our new Muslim family to achieve this momentous first fast. So as perfect intro to sister Saba’s research, I can not agree more with her opening sentence.

Allow your faith in Allah subhanahu wa Ta’ala inspire you to reach your fasting goals

If I could capture the essence of Ramadan in a sentence I would say that it is that month each year in which my heart is inspired to make my body, mind and soul redefine their perceived limits.  It is in this blessed month that Allah gifts us with the challenging circumstances through which we attain forgiveness and reach new heights of Iman.  What would seem impossible for us on a regular basis is achieved by our being because we now command it to rise to the occasion. It is not easy, but then anything worth doing in life is usually hard. That is why the achievement of such a feat holds enough value to place the keys of Jannah in our reach.

Read encouraging stats, not discouraging ones

As Muslims in general and women in specific we face an array of unique challenges during Ramadan. At the forefront of this list is the issue of fasting during pregnancy or while nursing. Perhaps now would be the time to regurgitate all the facts, figures and statistics that illustrate how fasting has not been proven to cause any long term harm to either mother or baby. And that 70% of Muslim women do fast during pregnancy and while nursing with no major detriments to their health.  However, for me the essence of this issue lies in between the lines, in that indefinable dimension called “spirituality”.  Because fasting is not just a physical exercise, it is a spiritual one. We often fall into the trap of keeping our spirituality dependent on our physicality. But really, it should be the other way around; the faith we carry in our souls should strengthen our bodies. Thus, in the absence of outstanding medical issues, a pregnant woman is encouraged to fast or at least try to do so. Every woman is different and each one of us experiences the miracle of pregnancy in a different way and with varying levels of tolerance. However one thing that is universal for all of us is that we love that life developing inside of us and one manifestation of that love is to desire the absolute best for it. Just imagine the blessings that that tiny life will receive as it experiences Ramadan through its mother’s efforts to fast and worship in abundance. Shall we not then embrace this opportunity to start our child’s spiritual tarbiyyah even before it enters this world?

For those who upon reading this (including myself), sigh and say “but we are only human after all”, I will put forth the Ayah that gives me strength: “We task not any soul beyond its scope”- Quran 23:62. So one must attempt the task and Inshallah, Allah will help us.

Tips for Fasting During Pregnancy and Nursing:

• Use Iftar and Suhoor wisely: Choose high protein, slow energy releasing foods such as dates, lentils, and beans. Avoid high sugary foods that raise and drop your blood sugar levels quickly, resulting in fatigue or dizziness, and drink plenty of fluids over night to stay hydrated during the fast. More so than food, if you take measures to keep hydrated , you can reduce some of the potential side effects of fasting during pregnancy and nursing. Iftar is also an ideal time to take your pre-natal vitamins to support you throughout the day.

Ponn’s additional Suhoor tips:

• Wake up one hour before Fajr to give yourself enough time for night-prayer, and then eat. It is sunnah to eat thirty minutes before Fajr. Details of this in supported in the 99 Tips for Fasting Kids, the Productive Ramadan course, and fit4ramdan ebook.
• Do not eat a big meal; eat a nutritious-one with halal multivitamins & prenatal vitamins, as advised in our weight loss article.
• Consume at least 1-2 servings of dairy: yogurt, cheese, or milk.
• Honey is sunnah. It is narrated in Sahih Bukhari that the Messenger of Allah (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Honey is a remedy for every illness, and the Qur’an is a remedy for all illness of the mind, therefore I recommend to you both remedies, the Qur’an and honey.”
• Ideal drink: Milk with 3 spoons of honey and blackseed.
  
• Eat foods high in fiber such as,  dried fruits, leafy greens (ideally, parsley salad/taboola or molokhia soup), and especially tumar–which is sunnah.
• Limit the carbs. 1-2 servings in suhoor is more than enough. 1 is ideal.
• Drink fenugreek steeped in water and sugar or honey. Fresh fenugreek is available in halal or Arab stores. The Prophet’s (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) mother drank this while she was nursing/pregnant with him. I never had a storage of milk, while fasting and I believe its mostly due in part to fenugreek, subhanallah.
• Drink a lot of water. In our previous post, 99 Tips to Help Kids Fast During Ramadan, we mentioned that the girls and I have at minimum three 8-oz glasses of water, intermittently after night-prayer, during suhoor, before fajr, and final sips after taking last tumar/dates. Add honey here too.

 

• Keep it simple: Avoid excessive or heavy work and schedule in rest times during the day. Also keep cool by staying indoors and dress in loose, comfortable clothing. This will also maintain your body’s hydration level, as we lose body fluids most when our bodies are over heated.

 

• Take your time: Break your fast gently, with water or soup at first and then eat a small amount of healthy food in doses instead of filling up right away.  Avoid foods that are hard to digest or contain large quantities of unhealthy fats, namely fried foods.

 

• Prepare ahead: Individuals who are healthy to begin with are less likely to feel the strain of fasting while pregnant. So before Ramadan comes in, one should review their diet and eating habits. If you suffer from medical issues such as dehydration due to excessive vomiting, gestational diabetes, multiple pregnancies, or other illnesses consult a doctor (preferably a Muslim Gynecologist who understands what fasting entails) before Ramadan starts in order to determine if something can be done to support your fasting or if you are genuinely in the position to accept the concession to not fast.

 

• Keep things in perspective: Although we have a license to not fast, keep in mind that this applies in situations in which a mother fears harm for herself and/or her baby (extenuating circumstances). Remember that it is easier to fast with family and friends during Ramadan then all by yourself for thirty days, especially with a newborn around. Let this be a motivation to strengthen your resolve.

 

• Mind over matter: Fasting is mostly a mental feat. Psychologically speaking, if you set your mind to it, your body will adjust. In fact it will likely be grateful because the body actually craves a nutritional fast. A common thought amongst doctors, Muslim and non-Muslim alike is that despite how much a mother eats (or doesn’t eat) the fetus has a way of extracting what it needs from the body. That’s why specialists don’t recommend gaining a lot of extra weight during pregnancy in the first place, because it’s simply not necessary.

 

• Look around and above: use other Muslim sisters who regularly fast during pregnancy and nursing as a means of support, advice and inspiration. And above all turn to Allah for the ultimate support because in reality, whether you’re fasting or not, the protection and well being of yourself and your baby are in His hands.

We’re very interested in keeping this passionate topic opened. Please kindly share your thoughts, comments, concerns, and inshaAllah, possible new found energy, focus, and determination to fast while pregnant or nursing.

photo credit: diloz

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• Fasting 6 Days Shawwal
• Audio Post: Muslim School Kids’ Morning Routine While Fasting
• Ramadan is Greater Than the Goal of Weight Loss: Tips
• Reflections for Ramadan and Eid 2011 Muslim Blogpost Series
• Recommended Ramadan Diet

Tags: fasting while pregnant, nursing, Ramadan

Category: Family