Jul 20, 2009
Have any moms out there done a spiritual fast while nursing?
Sleek asked:
I used to fast regularly. The longest I’ve fasted was for four days at a time which I did weekly. The spiritual breakthroughs I experienced were amazing. Since giving birth, I figure I will wait until my baby is weaned, probably in about 12-15 months, but if I have another baby soon, it will be possibly a couple of years before I can fast. I also used to do colon cleansing and other detox diets. I’m not really asking about that although I could REALLY REALLY use that now, I can see it in my eyes and feel it in my energy levels. I want to know your ELABORATED opinions on fasting while breastfeeding and not just “don’t do it!!!” responses. If anyone out there has done it or knows someone who’s done it, your input would be so valuable! I’m not planning to do it, just wishing and wondering. My baby is 3 months, supplemented with about 6 oz. formula daily and at the top/above her weight level for her age. Thanks for your help!
I used to fast regularly. The longest I’ve fasted was for four days at a time which I did weekly. The spiritual breakthroughs I experienced were amazing. Since giving birth, I figure I will wait until my baby is weaned, probably in about 12-15 months, but if I have another baby soon, it will be possibly a couple of years before I can fast. I also used to do colon cleansing and other detox diets. I’m not really asking about that although I could REALLY REALLY use that now, I can see it in my eyes and feel it in my energy levels. I want to know your ELABORATED opinions on fasting while breastfeeding and not just “don’t do it!!!” responses. If anyone out there has done it or knows someone who’s done it, your input would be so valuable! I’m not planning to do it, just wishing and wondering. My baby is 3 months, supplemented with about 6 oz. formula daily and at the top/above her weight level for her age. Thanks for your help!
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You should ask your doctor and your child’s doctor before you even consider fasting while breastfeeding.
Personally, I’d wait until after I’d weened my child before attempting a fast.
Your child gets nourishment from your ****** milk, and if you’re not eating, you won’t get that nourishment, so your child won’t either.
Everything you eat (or don’t) goes into your ****** milk.
I’m not an expert, so that’s why I say talk to your doctor AND your child’s doctor, or talk to an expert on breastfeeding, whose reference you can get from your doctor.
As far as I am aware, most religions excuse pregnant and/or breastfeeding mothers from ritual fasting.
Breastfeeding research tells us that short-term fasting (not eating) will not decrease milk supply, but that severe dehydration can decrease milk supply.
The link below may have some information that could help you make your decision.
Some info on fasting while breastfeeding:
However, generally detoxing and other cleansing is not considered safe. When you detox the store chemicals get released into your blood before being flushed out of your body. That being said 1) if you waited until your baby was 6 months old or over 12 months old it would be safer 2) You could always pump a supply beforehand assuming your baby will drink milk from something other than your ****** (bottle, cup, syringe) and as long as you pump and dump while detoxing your supply would be fine.
The same goes for fasting it is somewhat safer as the baby gets older, however the older your baby the harder it can be to increase your supply if it drops. There are herbs that can help.
On a somewhat unrelated note, your “topping up” is concerning. Topping up threatens your supply and is not needed in almost all cases. And as someone who is obviously concerned about toxins in their body I am surprised you would feed that junk to your baby. I am not saying “bad mom”, however if you would like to discuss ways to eliminate the formula and the risks of formula feeding please feel free to e-mail me (consider including your e-mail address in the message as the 2000 character limit is annoying). My baby was 20 lbs at 4 months and exclusively breastfed until 6 months and even now doesn’t eat much in the way of solids (10 months). So I do have some knowledge of big babies.
Hope that helps somewhat.
the fasting will decrease your milk supply and cause you to suppliment more. Also you burn more energy and fat while breastfeeding so if you don’t eat you could start to pass out and have issues like that. Overall it is not safe so i would not recommend you do it
The colon cleasing is ok but talk to a lactation person about the detox diets
I agree with asking your doctor about fasting. There are some fasts you could do, though, that may not even interfere with ****** feeding – a Daniel fast (fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes), or Ezekiel’s fast, which is also complete nutrition. Or you could fast something besides food. Fast an activity that you regularly devote much time to (house work? ;0)) and replace it with time with God.