Ramadhan: How to retain energy preggy mommy?

As-salaam alaikum.

How's everybody? How's fasting? Good huh? Alhamdulillah...
As for our family, we've been having sahoor together since day one. Yeah, together means with that (not so) tiny little tummy is included. Apparently, he wakes up earlier than the daddy. Ahha, sorry daddy. The son is a morning person and he has no problemo at all to wake up for sahoor. :D

Talking about fasting, I remember my fasting time during my pregnancy two years ago. I was about 4 to 5th months pregnant when Ramadhan came that year. Alhamdulillah, I'd passed fasting without fail. It wasn't that hard for me cause I wasn't a good eater during my pregnancy. Not a good eater, at all!

That was my story 2 years ago. Today, I witness three wonderful mothers striving their best to fulfill the Ramadhan fasting:-

The first one is my labmate, K. Su,- a 6 months preggy mother with a 15 months old toddler. She must have a very strong spirit to keep fasting while doing all the labworks and being a mother. As you may know, labworks are not easy. Handling chemicals, experiments, loading and unloading materials- these are not just challenging, but may also be dangerous! I know some of the experiments she is doing, cause I used to do that then. All I could say is, some of the chemicals used are very, very hazardous. One of it could intercalate your DNA if it penetrates your skin. How scary is that huh? :P And science experiments sometimes require you to stand for quite long, or if not, you have to walk to several places back and forth just to finish your work.

And...taking care of a growing up toddler is another completely challenging story :)

Same goes to my bestie, Puan Wafa, who is also a 6 months expectant mother with an energetic toddler in the house. She's a student, a mother, a wife... she's amazing!

Another one is my bestie since secondary school, Teacher Te'a. I can't imagine how she handles the naughty students everyday. I can't imagine her fasting days with the duties she carries on, plus her 7-8 months baby in her womb. That hasn't include the staircases and the long walking to each class! She told me that her doctor was not in favor to let her fasting during this holy month, afraid if the baby is malnutritions. But she wants to try. And she has not fail, yet. She said she's doing good. And she is confident the baby is also good.

And I believe there are a lot more wonderful preggy mothers out there striving hard to fulfill the Ramadhan fasting. InshaAllah, all your efforts gain rewards from The Almighty Allah. Ameen.

So here, I would like to share some tips to retain energy and nutrition while fastinng:-

1. NEVER miss sahoor
2. Drink a lot of plain water. Not necessarily during sahoor. You can drink at night.
3. Don't miss your supplement. Taking obimin alone should be enough. (for 2nd and 3rd trimester)
4. Some doctor will give you calcium tablet if you cannot drink milk and take less calcium base product. So don't miss it as well.
5. Sahoor with a healthy food. So that you could have enough vitamins and minerals the whole day
6. Ingest protein base products, as it takes longer time to get digested. Why? because protein slower the movement of food to the intestine. This means, you'll feel full for longer and hungrier later. Protein also have steady effect on blood sugar. This avoids quick steep rise of blood sugar as compared to carbohydrates, thus you don't get hypoglisemic (lack of sugar) easily. Protein from vegetable, poultry and fish are the best option. But, don't take excess protein base product and leave behind other needs. Key point: Make sure you eat a healthy diet. But it's good if you could maintain taking protein products in each diet.--> This doesn't mean you won't feel hungry. What's good about fasting if you don't feel hungry? fasting = hungry = totally make sense.
7. Iftar with also a healthy diet. Make sure you don't over stuff yourself. Leave greasy and oily foods at bay. 
8. Rest whenever necessary!
9. Keep yourself confortable

Anyway, always remember that fasting is not wajib for a preggy mother. Just break-fast whenever you think you and your baby couldn't afford fasting. Don't compare yourself with others, cause your body works differently with others. Your baby also 'eats' different amount of foods than other babies :P  

Happy fasting everybody!

Haaa, tak puasa ekkk!

AllahuRabbi, it's 2 a.m. already... Jangan terlajak bangun esok pagi udah le.... Takpe, Aaron volunteer jadi jam loceng almost every morning. Hehe