The Starting of a Family: 8th Month - Fasting

Today's the 6th day of Ramadhan and I'm proud to say I've successfully fasted 5/6 days. I broke my fast halfway on the 2nd day because I felt so nauseous which later I discovered was due to lack of carbo intake during sahur. Yes I can no longer escape sahur or just make do with bread or cereals. I need hardcore food to keep me and baby happy thruout the day.

I really hope this fasting month would do some good to my weight. Gynae gave me much flack for putting on more weight than I should. Since I'm big, technically I'm allowed to gain 10kg max during pregnancy. But last visit, I've already hit the 9 kg mark :( I so envy other mommies who put on v little yet their babies grew bigger than average. Peanut is just slightly heavier than average so it's pretty evident most of the food goes to me. Well I'm still pleased she's growing on track tho there are times I wish she's bigger so that she can come out earlier :p Selfish I know.. Hehe

Anyway talking abt fasting, i went online to an overseas pregnancy forum and this lady started a thread that says.. "Wish me Gd Luck! It's Ramadhan tomorrow!" She's 38 weeks pregnant and fasting. Poor thing, instead of getting well wishes many non-muslims started bombarding the thread on how she's mad and putting her baby at risk..blah, blah, blah. I of course, can't just sit and watch and defended this lady. Yeah actually even my boss gave me this disapproving look when she found out I'm fasting.

In Islam, pregnant ladies are exempted from fasting but many do so because they feel they can and of course, there's the payback we have to do after Ramadhan for the no of days we missed fasting.. Too much hassle, i say. But then again, it's YOUR own body isn't it? You should know your limits. If you think you can't fast, then don't. As simple as that. Pfft~ it's funny how ppl think they can die without food or drinks for a couple of hours.

My colleague recently gave birth on the 2nd day of Ramadhan and she fasted till her waterbag broke. It was a few hours till the actualy delivery so she had food and drinks in between and had no prob pushing. Baby came out fine and dandy.

I did my research online. The baby will take up whatever reserves are in the mother, and with a good blood flow from the placenta, the baby will thrive no matter how little the mother eats. An example given was how one Indonesian pregnant lady had no food or drinks for 5 days during the tsunami and God willing her baby survived.. Amazing.

Anyway, think of it this way.. we're still eating 3 meals but at different times of the day (or night). We eat immediately before fasting starts at 5.40am, and I have my hot milo plus anything carbo, be it noodles, rice, paste, a couple of bread etc. We break fast at 7.15pm and immediately have our dinner. And then after prayers at around 9pm, I'll usually eat again. So there, I still have my 3 meals just not during the conventional times.

Anyway, I feel blessed to be pregnant during this holy month. In my own words, I likened it to the Great Singapore Sale. It's the month where every good deeds will be multiplied by a 1000. and prayers will be answered. Quoted from sliceoflemon.com

“Think of it this way. It’s like going to the mall and realizing that every store you love just put all their stuff out into the walkway and told you it was free. Wouldn’t you take something? Everything? It’s like that’s what God did. He said we could have whatever we wanted during this month, so not taking advantage of seeking His forgiveness, and praying to Him for all the things we want is like walking by all that free stuff. You only have a certain period of time to pick anything you want, and yeah, you could always go back to the mall and find some great sale, but it will never be like when everything was free.”

So yes, I ask nothing more from God that baby will be born healthy, will grow up to be a smart, obedient and well-behaved kid and that I'll have a smooth delivery. Amin.