Healthy Fasting for Pregnant and Lactating Women

In Islam, pregnant and lactating women are exempt from fasting as long as they make up the fasts when they can or make the payment in lieu of it. The choice is up to the woman, depending  on how she’s feeling physically and spiritually.

With Ramadan right around the corner, many pregnant and lactating women are trying to decide whether they’re going to fast this year or not. A pregnant or lactating woman’s nutritional needs are different and this year, the fasts will last roughly 14 hours here in Dubai. Combined with the peak of summer, it is a decision women should not take lightly.

For the last four years, I’ve been either pregnant or breastfeeding. For three of those years, I chose not to fast but this year, since my youngest is 9 months old, and on solids, I will try fasting again. With a curious and active preschooler and an equally curious and active baby, I might not be able to make it through the month though.

If you’re pregnant and in your first or last trimester, or exclusively breastfeeding a baby under six months of age, talk to a doctor before you make the decision to fast. If there are any  complications or health issues, it is best you do not fast.

But if you’re in good health and your doctor okays it, plan your meals, and snacks carefully so that you consume all major food groups: bread and cereal, milk and dairy product, meat and bean, vegetable and fruit. Ensure you get plenty of water and rest.

The pre-dawn meal that you start with should consist of complex carbohydrates and / or fibre-rich foods, because these are foods that will digest and help release energy slowly during the long hours of fasting. They are found in grains and seeds, like barley, wheat, oats, millet, semolina, beans, lentils, wholemeal flour, rice, potatoes with the skin, vegetables such as green beans and almost all fruit.

When it is time to break your fast, make sure that the meal is small but healthy. Break your fast with dates and water, followed by fresh fruit or fresh fruit juices, porridge, low-fat yogurt or boiled egg / grilled chicken / baked beans with wholemeal bread.

A few hours later, have a healthy dinner, with options like whole-meal bread roll without butter (choose herbs instead), filled with egg and tomatoes, chicken and salads, low-fat cheese and salad, or tuna with cucumber and tomato; vegetables which are steamed and wholewheat pita with hummus; grilled chicken, meat, or fish with a big bowl of raw salad and rice or bread. And make sure to follow it up with a serving of fresh fruit for dessert.

To have a safe, healthy Ramadan this year, remember to avoid fat, sugar, salt as well as caffeine, which is a diuretic and stimulates faster water loss through urination, as much as you can. Maintain a low-fat diet as far as possible – bake or grill everything. Choose to eat more fruit and vegetables.

Are you pregnant or breastfeeding and fasting this year? Have you done it before? If you have, what tips would you give other pregnant / breastfeeding women?