For new mothers, the month of Ramadan can be quite a challenge as they are expected to eat and drink regularly so that they can breastfeed their babies. Fasting while nursing your child can seem like a grey area, but it really isn’t. Here are a few things that are relevant to breastfeeding while fasting.
Changes
NCBI’s (The National Center for Biotechnology Information) research on both the breastfeeding mothers who fasted and not fasted during Ramadan shows that there’s no significant change in the quantity of the breast milk produced as most of the micronutrients remained unchanged.
Growth
Neither the weight nor the growth rate of breastfed babies will be affected. Your baby will be used to your milk changing a little already, depending on what you eat and how much he needs to feed.
Health
A mother that fasts and the one that doesn’t will have the same chemical balance in their bloodstream; which suggests that their bodies are functioning equally well.
Difference
For mothers who fast more than 24 hours some micronutrients such as zinc, magnesium and potassium will be slightly less in the breast milk. That’s why breast feeding mothers should always have their sehri.
Break the fast when needed
However, being a new mom requires you to be alert at all times, because raising a tiny human require a whole lot of energy. So, at some point if you feel like calling quits due to a parched throat, dizziness or lack of stamina, you should immediately break the fast with water. Add sugar and salt to the water. Even after this, you still feel weak, consult to your doctor.