Pregnant with Twins and Fasting

amother

Azure ↓

Mon, Oct 10 2016, 2:07 pm

We found out about 2 weeks ago that we are expecting twins. I'm currently about 25 weeks and very nervous about the upcoming fast. Any tips on things I should do (I'm already drinking Gatorade) to prepare? How will I know if it's a point where I need to break the fast to have tsps of drink, and when I should break entirely if it comes to that?

B"H it's been a healthy pregnancy so far and my doctors don't foresee any immediate issues, but I'm really nervous about pre-term labor anyway. They're my first, so I have no idea what labor would feel like and don't want to miss any signs. I would really appreciate hearing from some other twin mommies about their experiences.

Thanks in advance!

Miri7

Mon, Oct 10 2016, 2:46 pm

Talk to your LOR. I was advised during a high risk pregnancy to do shiurim rather than risk having break the fast entirely. I tend to dehydrate and trigger contractions pretty easily. But that's just me and there is no way to know if this is your first pregnancy.

Israeli

Mon, Oct 10 2016, 3:10 pm

Like everyone else said talk to your rabbi and dr.
I'm sure your rabbi will tell you this but sometimes I hear woman who totally miss the boat on this- the ONLY doraisa on Yom Kippur is fasting. Davening is not and going to Shul is definitely not!
Wishing you an easy Yom Kippur and healthy babies bshaa Tova

amother

↑ Azure

Mon, Oct 10 2016, 3:17 pm

Thanks everyone! Our Rabbi was actually our first call after we found out and he said I should fast as long as I can, and then go to shiurim. I don't plan to get out of bed at all the whole day, and DH will be davening at a shul down the street so he'll be coming back constantly to check on me.

The Rabbi just wasn't very helpful at saying what "as long as I can" means, so I was hoping for maybe some guidance on how I'll know when it's time to switch to shiurim.

amother

Chocolate ↓

Mon, Oct 10 2016, 6:08 pm

I was pregnant with twins over yom kippur also. By that time I was already high risk of delivering early ( I was dilated and not due for two months). I was on bed rest at the time so I had to do shuirim right away. I'm assuming since bh everything so far has been okay, the Rabbi is not concerned. If I had asked my doctor, he would not let me fast at all.

amother

Orange ↓

Mon, Oct 10 2016, 6:35 pm

I would not fast on yom kipper. This is my second pregnancy (singleton) and both I eat/drank shiurim. Do not risk going into labor for this. When you aren't adequately hydrated the uterus will start to contract

amother

Mint ↓

Mon, Oct 10 2016, 7:03 pm

amother wrote:

I'm not commenting regarding twins since that might be different.
But, for single no-risk pregnancies, fasting shouldn't cause any problems so I find this strange. I was told to only take that when pregnant if I start feeling dizzy, until then to rest the whole day to prevent getting to that stage.

Shiurim is also called breaking your fast. Not deoiraisa, but derabbanan is also important. (Most mitzvos we keep are derabanan.)

debsey ↓

Mon, Oct 10 2016, 7:05 pm

Many years ago, I fasted on Y"K with a twin pregnancy. Had no adverse effects. Other than the fact that it was twins, the pregnancy wasn't considered high risk and I had never gone into preterm labor so we weren't worried about it. Nowadays, I'm much older and I'm in a high risk pregnancy so my rav told me that I have to do shiurim.

"As long as you can" is hard to define. The problem is if contractions start, they don't always stop. Ask your rav to clarify what he means. If you feel dizzy? Lightheaded? have stomach pains? Throw up? and then act accordingly.

amother

Beige

Mon, Oct 10 2016, 7:05 pm

amother wrote:

Not sure if this is something that's recommended, but when my cousin was expecting her twins, she did IV for yom Kippur

My rav holds it's better to drink shiurim than to do an IV as r moshe was against it.

I'm 23 weeks with twins and my doctor said that I absolutely must drink. Preterm labor is extremely common and even if you are having a good pregnancy you can still go into labor prematurely with twins from being dehydrated.

Not only did my rav tell me to do shiurim, he told me that I should do it also at night even if I'm feeling ok.

Please please speak to your doctor and find a rav that is more well versed in this area.

amother

↑ Orange

Mon, Oct 10 2016, 7:14 pm

amother wrote:

I probably should have included that I have a history of preterm labor and pregnancy loss.

chatz

Mon, Oct 10 2016, 7:52 pm

Your personal history makes a difference. How you handle pregnancy, how you handle fasting.

I fasted during a twin pregnancy without any issues. Second trimester. I didn't know it was twins then.

Speak to your Rav and doctor. Either way, make sure you are well hydrated before the fast.

essie14

Tue, Oct 11 2016, 4:31 am

amother wrote:

Shiurim is also called breaking your fast. Not deoiraisa, but derabbanan is also important. (Most mitzvos we keep are derabanan.)

Shiurim is NOT called breaking your fast. Please don't give misinformation.

amother

Pearl

Tue, Oct 11 2016, 4:42 am

amother wrote:

My rav says that if I'm already at the point of debating whether or not I'm feeling bad enough to break my fast then it's probably time to do so.

Most people are not cavalier about eating on Y"K and wouldn't break their fast on a whim. If you feel weak or dizzy or unwell or start having contractions then you have to do what's best for your health and that of your unborn children and start getting fluids into you immediately. Measure out the correct number of ounces ahead if time and have Powerade or chicken soup or some other nourishing liquid available.

sourstix

Tue, Oct 11 2016, 4:53 am

Please speak to a rav that can guide you better and to the doctor if he can guide you better. This could become complicated faster then you want to. Why not get iv? Hope you do well hatzlacha and beshaa to a healthy babies and mommy.

amother

↑ Mint ↓

Tue, Oct 11 2016, 7:54 am

essie14 wrote:

Shiurim is NOT called breaking your fast. Please don't give misinformation.

Yes it is called breaking the fast, not doiraisa, but like any other derabbannan (which is most of the mitzvos we keep).

The reason some people are required to do it is that is better to be oiver a derabbann if that will prevent them having to come on to being oiver the doiraisa. But, that requires direction from a Rav, not ones own judgement.

watergirl

Tue, Oct 11 2016, 8:17 am

amother wrote:

It is absolutly NOT breaking your fast, but you shod be given a psak to do so. You dont need to make kiddush before shiurim and you dont need to make up the fast. Shiurim is as if youve fasted fully, halachically.

amother

↑ Mint

Tue, Oct 11 2016, 8:23 am

watergirl wrote:

If it's not called breaking your fast according to derabbanan, then please explain why one needs a psak to do so? Why isn't everyone taking shiurim, not just people at risk?

The answer is because according to derabannan, one is not allowed to eat or drink anything at all on yom kippur. Min Hatorah shiurim is okay and therefore some people get a heter to do that when necessary.