Fasting on YK and risk of premature labor

amother

Gardenia

Fri, Sep 22 2023, 12:55 pm

amother OP wrote:

I'm getting tested for gestational diabetes literally a few days after YK. At this point, I can't know if I have it or not.

Sorry but chances are that you don't. I understand you are nervous but unless you have not been feeling well in general in a way that suggests you have gestational diabetes that's a lame line. This is yk. It's from the torah. It's not like the other fasts.

amother

↑ Peru

Fri, Sep 22 2023, 1:13 pm

amother Leaf wrote:

Yup. As I said earlier, I have HG pregnancies and I eat and drink absolutely zero- ZERO!- in the beginning. After a few weeks I have iv and nutrition TPN, to keep me alive, but no- one day of fasting is not a big deal

And to the poster who said she trusts her mind over a ravs psak… well that’s about the most arrogant thing I’ve ever heard
Hashem created your mind and your limited understanding. You know, the same Hashem that gave us the Torah, the day of Yom Kippur, the punishment of kareis, the very pregnancy and body you are talking about to begin with! He also gave rabanim the tools to understand the Torah.

If you truly believe that your mind knows more than your Creator’s… then I’m not sure this is the site for you.

Thank you for saying this. I’m floored at all these comments making fun of people for letting men have power over them (yes, our rabbonim are all men, and yes, we listen to them, duh) or insisting that someone should be able to drink shiurim because of some pregnancy anxiety (yes, a severe anxiety disorder might warrant shiurim, but what op is discussing isn’t anywhere close to that). Like who are these people irl? I don’t know anyone who talks like that. It’s really disturbing to read.

amother

Lime

Fri, Sep 22 2023, 2:33 pm

amother OP wrote:

I'm getting tested for gestational diabetes literally a few days after YK. At this point, I can't know if I have it or not.

I've had GD 4 times and fasted yk every time without a problem (and yes, doctor said it was ok). The one time I needed insulin, wasn't until a few weeks after yk. If I'd been on insulin it would have been a different story and I would have been advised not to fast, but dangerous hypoglycemia doesn't really happen with GD unless you're on insulin.

finallyamommy ↓

Sat, Sep 23 2023, 9:58 am

I’ve only been pregnant twice but I have never fasted while pregnant, it is so dangerous.

Tisha bav for my first pregnancy, first trimester, I didn’t fast at all. YK, 15 weeks or so, I ate and drank in shiurim.

Second pregnancy I was again told not to fast at all on TB - that was third trimester, 35 weeks or so, but admittedly I had GD.

Then he was six weeks old on YK and I again did shiurim.

amother

↑ Cyan

Sat, Sep 23 2023, 1:51 pm

amother Dustypink wrote:

As a believing Jew it shocks me to be reminded that there are women out there who will submit to committing an aveirah for which one is chayav kares because they decided it risks the lives of their unborn babies despite thousands of expectant women fasting every single YK without any harm.

This is not a chumrah. It's yom kippur for crying out loud. Please don't decide the halacha for yourself! Can you really take that achrayus?

Drinking shiurim is not issir karet.
No where is it written, that you have to ask a rav to get a heter to eat.
Women can learnbthe halache and take responsibility for what they are doing. It does not mean they are any less religious than you.

amother

↑ Leaf

Sat, Sep 23 2023, 5:35 pm

finallyamommy wrote:

Tisha bav and yk are not even comparable
Was this done with a rav? It may have been too dangerous for your personal situation, but not for a regular pregnancy

amother

Buttercup ↓

Sat, Sep 23 2023, 7:11 pm

amother OP wrote:

I'll be 23 weeks on YK. My rav says to ask my doctor, my doctor is impossible to reach (I've called and messaged 4 times, they say they'll ask him and get back to me but they never do).

When I googled though I found link after link from reliable medical sources saying that fasting is never recommended during pregnancy, that even refraining from eating for just 13 hours can put you at greater risk of premature labor, and that weeks 22-27 are an especially risky time.

Why then is the standard that pregnant women do fast on YK? And what should I tell my rav? (He says to start shiurim if you're having regular contractions but at that point isn't it a little too late??)

I did not read this thread, but ill just say, whilr ive never been at your stage, only 12 to 18 weeks and 9th month, I ask every pregnancy, and even my twin pregnancy (14 wks) was told by whichever dr in the practice I asked, that its not a problem for me. All not jewish btw. I have a largeish family.

Certainly I know ppl whi have been told to eat shiurim. Usually those having or have a history of having, problems in their pregnancy.

Obviously, be responsible and take it easy, also, I do think you need to get the go ahead from dr.

Also, really annoying that your dr not responding. Next pregnancy remember to ask at your appt.

amother

↑ Olive ↓

Sat, Sep 23 2023, 7:39 pm

amother Milk wrote:

As a thinking person, it shocks me to be reminded that there are women out there who will submit to hunger and risk to the lives of their unborn babies because a man told them to, and it shocks me that men force this on women. I'm not even a feminist. Just a person who can think for themselves. Whatever happened to using your own reason? I don't care what any rabbi says. I will not fast during pregnancy. It's just crazy.

You sound like an apikores

amother

↑ Buttercup

Sat, Sep 23 2023, 8:15 pm

amother Milk wrote:

What about what drs say?

Mine where not concerned what so ever.

amother

↑ Dustypink

Sat, Sep 23 2023, 9:29 pm

amother Cyan wrote:

The poster I quoted made no mention of doing shiurim, just said "I will not fast on YK".

And nowhere is it written that one may eat on YK without asking a rav.

In any case, shiurim are not so simple. Definitely not a shayla someone can decide for themselves because they "feel" that fasting is dangerous for their unborn baby.

Some of these comments.... Can't Believe It

amother

↑ Olive ↓

Sun, Sep 24 2023, 4:17 am

amother Dustypink wrote:

Agreed. I can’t believe some comments on this thread.

amother

↑ Olive

Sun, Sep 24 2023, 4:19 am

amother Cyan wrote:

There’s a reason we ask shailas to rabbonim.
Do you also believe in women rabbonim?
Women can learn Halacha but we CANNOT paskin shailas ourselves.

↑ finallyamommy ↓

Sun, Sep 24 2023, 4:34 am

amother Leaf wrote:

Tisha bav and yk are not even comparable
Was this done with a rav? It may have been too dangerous for your personal situation, but not for a regular pregnancy

Yes, of course it was done with a rav 🙄

And I think at least one of those tisha bavs was nidche actually, so you’re right.

But, no, at 14-15 weeks with a regular uncomplicated first pregnancy I was still told BY A RAV to do shiurim ON YOM KIPPUR. I’m not sure why this is so shocking.

amother

↑ Mint

Sun, Sep 24 2023, 4:47 am

finallyamommy wrote:

Any chance you're in Israel? Rabbeim tend to be more lenient on fasts there because it tends to be hotter. Im 32 weeks pregnant now in Lakewood and was told specifically only start shiurim if xyz and there's no reason to start out because there's no other health factors. Shiurim weren't even brought up the YK I fasted at 15 weeks. However in Israel at 8weeks pp I was told to start drinking if I felt my baby wasn't getting enough milk.

↑ finallyamommy

Sun, Sep 24 2023, 4:52 am

amother Mint wrote:

I am in Israel actually. Thank you for the explanation, I didn’t know there was such a difference, I haven’t been in America for YK since probably 2009.

To the six people who gave me passive aggressive “hugs” and the one who insinuated that I paskened for myself. Rolling Eyes

- well here you go. Would you like the name of the rav in Israel while I’m at it?

SuperWify

Sun, Sep 24 2023, 5:16 am

I’ve fasted twice over tisha Bav and Yom Kippur whilst pregnant and got to a point of feeling faint and blacking out. I had a few pretzels and shuir of grape juice and was fine to finish the fast by all 4 fasts. And yes, I get extremely guilty doing it on Yom Kippur but it is what it is.