Should I fast while breastfeeding?

:babycenter.co.uk

2012/07/23

1027

If you are breastfeeding, you are not expected to fast during Ramadan. Most Muslim scholars believe that women who are breastfeeding have permission not to fast. Some even say that it's wrong to ignore this act of kindness by fasting when you don't have to.

Your decision may be guided by the age of your baby. A baby who is tiny and exclusively breastfed has different needs from a one-year-old who eats other foods and only breastfeeds at night.

It may help to discuss your options with family and friends who fasted when they were pregnant. Or you could talk to a doctor or breastfeeding specialist, or an Islamic sheikh.