The safe way to fast when pregnant

You may be wondering, is it permissible for someone to fast during a young pregnancy? Actually, this all depends on the condition of you and the fetus. For some people it may not be a problem, but for others it may pose a risk. Even if you are fasting during young pregnancy, you should still meet the important nutritional needs of you and your fetus.

Is it okay to fast when you are young?

Fasting or not is an option for pregnant women. The ability of each pregnant woman to fast can vary. This will depend on your overall health condition, the stage of your pregnancy, and how your pregnancy is progressing.

Fasting while pregnant may be a little risky for you. When pregnant young, your body needs a lot of nutrients to support the development and growth of your baby in the womb. Pregnant young is a stage where your pregnancy is in need of a lot of important nutrients. So, observing a fast at this time may increase your risk of having a low birth weight (LBW) baby. In addition, dehydration due to fasting can also decrease kidney function and the amount of fluid that surrounds your baby.

However, not a few studies also report that fasting during pregnancy does not affect the health of your pregnancy and baby. As in a study published by the Iranian Journal of Pediatrics in 2010 which states that fasting pregnant women with proper nutrition does not have an impact on the growth of their babies and the timing of the baby's birth.

So, fasting when pregnant or not it all comes back to you. If you feel healthy and strong, you can fast with a record of the nutritional needs that you and your baby need to fulfill properly. This is important to prevent the possibility of your baby being born with LBW, premature, and other bad possibilities.

Tips for running fast during young pregnancy

Running fast while pregnant is not an easy thing. Even if you are fasting, you must keep on meeting your nutritional needs every day. This is for the sake of your health and that of your baby in the womb. Remember, your nutritional needs increase during pregnancy. So, you have to eat more when fasting. The following are tips so that you can still meet your nutritional needs while fasting.

1. Drink lots of water

When you are young and about to fast, make sure you drink plenty of water when breaking your fast and suhoor. You need to drink at least 8 glasses or 2 liters of water per day. This is important so that you avoid dehydration while fasting.

If you feel very thirsty, weak, dizzy, and want to pass out in the middle of your fast, it's best to cancel your fast to prevent possible bad things from happening.

Avoid drinking caffeinated drinks, such as tea, coffee, and soft drinks because these drinks encourage more fluid to be lost from your body.

2. Eat nutritious foods

When pregnant and fasting, consume various types of food, so that the needs of carbohydrates, protein, fat, vitamins, and minerals are met properly.

You are advised to consume 5 servings of vegetables and fruits per day to meet your vitamin and mineral needs.

Also make sure you eat food sources of folate, iron, vitamin A, and calcium, which can be obtained from green vegetables, meat, and milk. These nutrients are important for you to fulfill in the early days of your pregnancy.

Avoid consuming foods with high sugar levels but zero nutrients. These foods will only fill you up but don't contribute much nutrition to you. At least you need to eat 4-5 times from opening time to dawn so that your nutritional needs are met.