Fasting & nursing | Imamother

greeneyes

Thu, Sep 20 2007, 3:17 pm

This is going to be a new experience for me and I'm SCARED . I do NOT fast well normally, and I'm afraid of being even weaker than usual, plus having the baby to take care of... so what's your experience been? Is it a lot more difficult than when not nursing? How about the baby... will I need to supplement with formula?

shoshb

Thu, Sep 20 2007, 3:33 pm

I've never received a heter to not fast on Yom Kippur for nursing while otherwise healthy. Doesn't mean you won't, but I never did.

It depends very much on the age of the baby. I was usually OK through the morning, but it got more difficult as the day progressed, and I often supplemented late afternoon/early evening.

My Rav told me that my fasting is more important than dh's davening, so if I'm so sick that I can't care for the baby, it's better for him to care for the baby while I'm in bed, than for him to be in Shul.

Nicole

Thu, Sep 20 2007, 3:50 pm

I highly reccomend pumping before (though it's kind of late now) and/or supplementing with formula and last year I ended the fast lying on the floor trying not to pass out! LOL

don't worry though- rest rest rest! don't tire yourself out. and try to nurse less if you can...

sunset

Thu, Sep 20 2007, 3:51 pm

first experience for me too-my baby's 3 months. tisha b'av I tried to fast but since it was within 30 days I was allowed to break it-which I did like an hour b/f it was over.

good luck to you!-the advice I got was drink alot of water and take extra vitamins a few days before. and koolaid too-someone told me it really helped them fast easier.[/img]

songbliss

Thu, Sep 20 2007, 6:34 pm

I am usually a good faster, but last year with my son who was then 1 1/2 months old I was so weak by the end it was horrible!!

this time I have another baby who is not even 3 weeks yet, and the rav said that I have to pump as much milk as I can before the fast to supplement if I feel weaker by the afternoon or if the baby gets edgy from being hungry. but I also bought formula just incase he is too hungry & I'm dehydrated.

I think its ok for this 1 day to supplement with formula, I think its better than getting sick and you're baby starving!! (with my 1st I think the milk was so unsatisfying so the baby just wanted to eat aaaaaall day... I was so dehydrated it was scary!)

as for eating, my mom told me that I should eat alot of meat and drink water at the same time.

when you have meat & water the meat holds the water in you're system like a camel so you will not dehydrate Very Happy

Hashem_Yaazor

Fri, Sep 21 2007, 6:58 am

Sutchki, if it makes you feel better, the fast now is over earlier than TB, and it's not as hot Wink

I would only supplement with formula if absolutely necessary, and then nurse a lot on Sunday to make sure your supply goes back up. Pumping breasttmilk of course is better than formula, but I understand if that's not an option for everyone.
Nurse lying down; you get to rest and conserve some energy that way. Bonus: your baby might fall asleep and let you take a nap too Wink

You fasting is the most important part as opposed to any other avoda of the day.

Seraph ↓

Sat, Sep 22 2007, 11:03 am

Oh my gosh.... not fun at all...
I was told by a rav and doc to do shiurim from the start. I was pretty sick fri night- chills and shaking (and really really painful engorgement), had so many blankets on that I probably sweated out all my fluids, got up for a sec and was about to pass out, then threw up... over the course of the day, nearly passed out 4 times. didnt leave my bed with the baby- was afraid I'd pass out and drop him. he was constantly hungry and it hurt me to nurse him- engorgement, plus has to be something else because it killed when he sucked. I tried supplementing a drop with pumped milk, but he didnt really take much.
was the hardest fast of my life...

↑ Ruchel ↓

Sun, Sep 23 2007, 7:01 am

breslov wrote:

oy vey, you may want to tell your doctor, who could tell you you don't fast at all if you ever give birth close to YK again...
Are you feeling better?

shalhevet

Sun, Sep 23 2007, 7:03 am

Ruchel wrote:

breslov wrote:

oy vey, you may want to tell your doctor, who could tell you you don't fast at all if you ever give birth close to YK again...
Are you feeling better?

Eating is only allowed on YK if it's dangerous. Being miserable is not enough.
Hope you're feeling better now breslov.

↑ Ruchel

Sun, Sep 23 2007, 7:16 am

shalhevet wrote:

Ruchel wrote:

breslov wrote:

oy vey, you may want to tell your doctor, who could tell you you don't fast at all if you ever give birth close to YK again...
Are you feeling better?

Eating is only allowed on YK if it's dangerous. Being miserable is not enough.
Hope you're feeling better now breslov.

I am sure some doctors would think being that sick is dangerous.
Each person has to see with their own doctor and then report to their own rav. If they're being told no, then it's "no". If they get a heter, that's nice to not fast when you could have one.
Some communities also seem to be stricter than others on this.

greenfire

Sun, Sep 23 2007, 7:50 am

p.s. with a newborn it can be dangerous ... to both of you ... I had my first within 30 days of tisha bav ... it was really beyond difficult - I never knew you could break your fast ... until then h asked a rav ...

it's similar for YK only with shiurim ... small amounts at specific intervals ... one must definately consult with rov ...

↑ Seraph

Sun, Sep 23 2007, 1:31 pm

greenfire wrote:

All my symptoms were with drinking shiurim from the get-go... Didn't help. And my husband was just telling me to break the fast 100% but didnt want to ask a rav because he didnt want to have to shlep up the hill and back to ask the rav and then report the answer, because he wasnt either feeling well...

Feeling a lot less dizzy now, and less like a truck hit me. I was majorly dehydrated, what can I say? And dehydration makes me nauseous...

chocolate moose

Sun, Sep 23 2007, 1:58 pm

Not everyone has it so hard in the beginning. I had a baby in Elul and fasted normally - hard, but nothing unusual.

It's helpful to give a bottle in the late afternoon, but someone else, other than you, should give it.