[dnetton]

Hello,

I'm new to this forum - and I have a question that didn't seem to fit in anywhere else under the "Fasting" categories.

I'm 7 weeks pregnant, having only found out last week and a regular Wednesday / Friday faster. I have fasted about 3 times during my pregnancy (before I knew I was pregnant). I want to know whether I should attempt to keep fasting - maybe reducing the frequency to once a week or fasting for just breakfast and lunch (sun down the night before to sun down the next day therefore eating dinner).

I remember in my readings (a saint's revelation) seeing something about Mary fasting during her pregnancy - but it was a only a reference to her actual fasting and there was no detail around what her fast was made of or how long it lasted.

I'm Australian - Medjugoreje is not widely known about here and largely (despite hosting world youth day last year) Australia is an increasingly secular society, so I'm not sure my Docor would understand.

My husband doesn't think it's a good idea either, but is unsure.

Does anyone have any thoughts or suggestions while I pray for an answer?

[OnASpiritualJourney2]

No! Fast from something other than food or add extra prayers - something that won't deprive your baby of much needed nutrition. By all means check with your doctor, but I can't imagine any saying that it's okay. Taking care of yourself to take care of your baby is doing God's will.

Welcome to the forum Dnetton! Please ask your doctor before Wednesday! I've seen some good ideas on what to abstain from in place of food.

[dnetton]

Thanks for your quick response.

You're right. I didn't mean to alarm you - I wouldn't do anything to endanger my pregnancy - it's just that Mary's messages never mentioned anything about being pregnant - only sick and I don't consider myself sick (maybe they do mention pregnancy, but I haven't seen anything about pregnancy in the messages). That an combined with having seen a reference to Mary fasting somewhere - I thought maybe I should try.

It's actually 1.25pm Tuesday 3.3.09 here in Australia, so I'll think about some other things to "give up" while I'm not able to fast on bread and water. Either that or I'll convince my husband to stick to fasting (he incidentally did his first fast last Wednesday (Ash Wednesday) which was also the day we confirmed our pregnancy. But he found it so hard to fast!

I'll see if I can pick up some tips for him on the other threads.

thanks again.

[OnASpiritualJourney2]

You're welcome - but my advice is only my opinion. It's awesome to see another forum member from Australia - there are a few and the numbers seem to keep growing! How wonderful that your husband is trying the fasts as well! Except for Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, the fasts that Mary asks for don't include limiting the amount of bread that you eat. If your husband was hungry, you might want to suggest that he eat more bread at each "meal". Lots of good advice in the other threads!

[starbright]

I doubt Mary has mentioned every circumstance that a person can find themselves in. I am sure she expects us to use our common sense.

[missy]

Hi,
I'm pregnant now and before. I fast from stuff like chocolate (hard for a pregnant lady), soda, TV, internet, talking for fun on the phone... I will try to avoid certain meats on Friday, like chicken or steak. Instead I have eggs, more cheese, other protein sources (pizza, bean soup, more milk). I hope this helps and CONGRATULATIONS and God bless!!!!!!!!!!!! How exciting!!!!

[dnetton]

Thank's guys - so much good advice - I feel like all of a sudden I have lots of people I can actually talk to about faith matters - something I haven't had before.

My husband is fasting again for the second time in his life today (it's 10.21am on Wendesday in Aus). I stocked him up on bread and advice I got from the other threads.

[OnASpiritualJourney2]

Good news! Another thing to remember is that even the visionaries sometimes end their fast at midnight! Sometimes it helps to know that there's an end in sight.

[LittleRed]

Dbetton,

I would say you have been given some good advise here....as someone in the medical profession, I would have to agree with no fasting while you are pregnant....and Missy gave you some great suggestions .....

Bless, Sharon

[gillasey]

How far along a pregnancy can be terminated if a developmental abnormality is detected? I thought you can elect to end the pregnancy until 22 weeks, if there are abnormalities in fetal development. Is that so?
______________
market samurai ~ marketsamurai ~ marketsamurai.com

[OnASpiritualJourney2]

Hi Gillasey - welcome to the forum.

I have no idea what is legal as far as the time frame for "terminating" a pregnancy. Is this your baby you are concerned about? I know that I've read many stories written by mothers who were advised by their doctors that their baby wasn't developing "normally" and they were advised to abort. These women chose to continue to give their precious babies every opportunity at life, and many were born completely healthy. Others did have some health issues, but they were able to love their children no less and their lives were enriched in countless ways. I can't imagine if they had chosen to abort their babies how much of their lives would have been spent in agony wondering what if the doctors were wrong, or what gifts and blessings would this child have brought.

I'm sure many others will have more to say on this, but I can assure you that you and your precious baby are in my prayers. I'm hoping and praying that you give him or her every opportunity to see the face of his or her loving mother.

[OnASpiritualJourney2]

I just did a quick google search to see what your baby is doing at 22 weeks old. Did you know that he or she already has eyebrows and eyelashes? She is capable of conscious thought and has basic memory. She can even dream!

[missy]

I used to work in the NICU and I can definitively tell you that many times the doctors are WRONG about fetal abnormalities!!! Also trust in God....I had a 20% chance of carrying my current pregnancy to term. I am 37 weeks and to be induced in 13 days!!!! I'm finally off of bedrest after 7 months!!
I've taken care of 23 weekers before too as well as a host of other babies with health issues. I've seen miracles and tragedies. I once saw an "aborted" baby, 21 weeks, come to our NICU because he did not die right away. We didn't have equiptment small enough to save him. He lived for 5 hours......unheard of a true miracle!!!!!!!!!! The neonatologist just held and rocked him until he died in his arms.
In this pregnancy I was told my placental tear would only get worse. I was told that I had a bilobed placenta and there was a good chance my baby would die at delivery. I was told my baby was too big. My tear lessened in size and they were wrong about all of the other stuff.
I hope I'm not upsetting you, but I just wanted to let you know that medical science is far from perfect...our fragile lives are truly in God's hands only!!!!!!! Good luck and God Bless!!!!!!!!!!!

[Catter]

Hi
I have the same problem as you. I have been fasting for 3 years on bread and water on Wednesdays and Fridays and have also conicidentally have been trying to get pregnant around the same time. I find it hard to find bread I like and so end up really only drinking water. I am now 3 weeks pregnant, only found out yesterday and we are ecstatic but wary in case something happens. I am worried about fasting but I feel like a fader or guilty if I don't fast. I have read the replies you received and feel now that maybe it won't be wise to fast, oh how hard this is going to be to not fast. I will however give up as much else as I can that doesn't harm my baby.

Yours. C.

[NOBLE WOMAN]

Catter: It is a sign of great love and obedience to God when we learn to turn to new forms of penance and sacrifice. Having a child is a great way to experience these. To feel uncertainty at giving up fasting is the only way the evil one can control you and may be cause unneeded suffering for a mother and unborn child. God sometimes needs our fasting from our emotions more than food. May God bless your union with your child and His peace reign in your heart and mind.

[Daybreak]

How far along a pregnancy can be terminated if a developmental abnormality is detected? I thought you can elect to end the pregnancy until 22 weeks, if there are abnormalities in fetal development. Is that so?
______________
market samurai ~ marketsamurai ~ marketsamurai.com

In the eyes of the world ending life before 22 weeks and beyond is just fine. In the eyes of God, life begins at conception, so whether 1 second old or 9 months old, that fetus is His beloved child same as you and me. If someone hunted you or me down with the intention of ending our lives, it would be murder. When a doctor purposely hunts down a fetus, which is really a human being, with the intention of destroying it, that's murder too.

So, sure, a person can elect to end a pregnancy at about any time, but should she? Nope.

[Catter]

Thank you for your very kind words, as one other person said earlier it is great to be able to talk to someone about this.
Thank you again and God bless you. C.

[Justme]

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