Ramadan looks different now- Part 1

Breastfeeding in the blessed month

This will be a 3 part series covering breastfeeding, sleep, and worship in Ramadan - all to be released this week inshallah. Subscribe below to get these posts straight to your inbox.

Disclaimer: Nothing written is to be taken as a fiqhi ruling. I am not a sheikha and you should definitely ask a scholar on any fatwa you have a question about.

We begin with Alhamdulilah for a Merciful Lord, Who has blessed us with this season in life. The child-bearing and child-nourishing seasons are so rewarding, and no one else can do what you can do, mom.

Breastfeeding:

According to Dr. Haifa Younis, Islamic scholar and OBGYN, you can attempt the fast to determine just how much fasting you can do. Breastfeeding can be considered under the category of an illness if fasting causes harm to you and/or the baby by affecting your physical wellbeing and/or your milk supply, so you do have the choice to not fast and make them up at a later time. Having a lactation consultant who knows your history weigh in can also help you determine the best route.¹

Fasting while breastfeeding will require considerable effort to maintain the proper nutrition. Nazima Qureshi is a Muslim dietitian who has fasted and breastfed her children, and she provides nutrition guidance on Youtube, instagram, and her website. You or a loved one will have to prepare the food (and she provides simpler recipes) and keep in mind that hydrating at night will affect what little sleep you have. That said, if you are up to the challenge, then may Allah give you strength!

My copy of Nazima Qureshi’s Ramadan guide and recipe book

Choices

• You may know already that for your personal situation, you cannot risk fasting at this time. Examples include if you are still establishing your supply in the first few weeks to months of breastfeeding, or you had/have difficulty maintaining an adequate supply.

• You can supplement with formula in this month, especially in the hours right before iftar. Depending on how many formula sessions you insert, you may be able to fast some days or all days. Each session replaced with formula will take from the breastmilk supply you have, and you will have to work after Ramadan to bring it back up, should you want to return to exclusive breastfeeding.

• You can dip into your pumped stash if you have it, but also know that if it was pumped previously (not in the same day), frequent dipping will have the same effect on your supply as formula. Breastfeeding is a feedback mechanism: the more you latch, the more milk you make, and vice versa.

• You may want to fast on and off. This is what I did and found I could fast every third day while breastfeeding my 4 month old without a significant dip in my supply.

Conclusion:

This does not have to be a month where you lose your milk supply, unless that is what you want! When I was having trouble fasting last Ramadan, I spoke with family, friends and my lactation consultant. I knew I could stop fasting, but I also wanted to know what other options I had. I was and still do directly breastfeed (my daughter refused bottles), meaning I had to gauge both myself and my daughter’s reactions to fasting without knowing if or how much supply was affected.

You will have a different experience. Whether you fast or not, be mindful and intentional when breastfeeding this month. Make duaa while you’re breastfeeding. Pray your child is nourished and strong, they never go hungry, they become strong servants of Allah and the reason you enter Jannah. There’s never enough duaas you can make for your child. Ramadan is a multi-faceted and blessed month, so whatever happens, may Allah reward us for our intentions and actions.

1. I see a lot of websites recommending to ask your OB, but we all know that OB’s don’t follow you for long after delivery, and most of them are not trained to provide breastfeeding guidance.