NURSING AND TISHA B'AV- ANY ROOM FOR HETERIM??

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Forum -> Yom Tov / Holidays -> Shabbos, Rosh Chodesh, Fast Days, and other Days of Note

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amother

Sun, Jul 06 2014, 2:20 am

This is the first time that I am EBF round tisha B'Av time. Previously, I have either been pp, not nursing, or super-low on milk (and it was a pushed-off tisha b'av anyway).

Just wondering if there are any heterim not to fast tisha b'av if u are nursing. I am not asking smothers to pasken a shaila for me. I am just curious if there is even any point in my asking a shaila. I am a very bad faster generally- I get dehydrated (even without the nursing), migraines, feel very faint- and if there is even a chance of getting a heter, would like to do so. I once fasted yom kippur whist pumping for a baby, and ended up throwing up, because I was so dehydrated.

Any info?

Thank you!

Dev80

Sun, Jul 06 2014, 2:32 am

It's worth asking.

Even if the answer is that you need to (try to) fast you'll be given guidelines for when to break it based on how your feeling (feeling nauseas, faint, etc) and how to do it (with shiurim). I had that for one of the years I was pregnant, I had guidelines last year when nurisng but BH took prevenitive measures so I didn't need to break it.

Definitely ask and feel good (and start pumping now Wink

)

kol_yom

Sun, Jul 06 2014, 3:04 am

In many chassidic circles a woman gets heter to not fast on tisha be'av when nursing. I dont know about other communities though.
In my community nursing on tisha be'av always got a heter, unless the child was just nursign as a "snack" then there was no heter.
Good luck!

FranticFrummie

Sun, Jul 06 2014, 3:52 am

Even if you normally have a very easy fast (which it sounds like you don't), you should ask anyway. You never know when your body might decide to go wonky on you, and having extra information is always a good thing. If you go into the fast knowing the guidelines, you'll be a lot less stressed, and that alone can help keep your milk supply up.

SS6099

Sun, Jul 06 2014, 4:00 am

Definitely worth asking. I always got a heter not to fast when pg or nursing on tisha bav. YK obviously not Sad

Dolly1

Sun, Jul 06 2014, 7:09 am

Where I grew up there were never any heterim for women not to fast. But since am living in Israel, lots of nursing mom´s I know, got a heter not to fast. Some ppl say that Rabbanim are more lenient here cuz of the heat...
Am not sure how it works but it definitely pays asking.

Ruchel

Sun, Jul 06 2014, 7:37 am

Always ask. I had shiurim several times (yes I know some hold it doesn't exist on TBA but it does).

proudema

Sun, Jul 06 2014, 8:03 am

Definitely ask. I got a Heter to break my fast after chatzos when I was nursing.

amother

Sun, Jul 06 2014, 8:15 am

thanks, everyone, for the responses. Does anyone know of a posek in Yerushalayim whom I could approach about this?

granolamom

Sun, Jul 06 2014, 5:55 pm

I got a heter to break my fast after chatzos while nursing, and at anytime when I was nursing + pg
I dont usually fast well even when not nursing.
I think it always pays to ask. but be sure not to downplay your concerns.

amother

Tue, Aug 05 2014, 1:33 am

I made the mistake of attempting the fast with a not quite 1 year old EBF child and chronic low milk supply. My husband told me not to do it and called the lac consultant. My lactation consultant (frum lady) ended up ordering me to stop. I ended up with a breast infection because he was desperately sucking on empty breasts to get food that wasn't there. My child ended up with green stools. He was sucking all the liquid out of me that he possibly could, but there was no nutrition in it. Your child is not allowed to fast, and if your fast causes your child to fast, you are indirectly causing your child to fast. I also had been nursing clean until that point and I believe this episode cause my period to return. NOT WORTH IT. I was later given a heter by a rabbi to not fast as long as he was nursing until he was 2 for sure and then see at that point how I needed to proceed.

lili

Tue, Aug 05 2014, 2:54 am

I got a heter not to fast at all, (nursing nearly 1 y old) but I felt bad and just broke my fast now at chazos.

5*Mom

Tue, Aug 05 2014, 3:19 am

When nursing, I have always asked and been told to eat on 9 Av. My rav doesn't ever use the word heter; he says I am obligated to eat.

I don't know where women got this idea that they are asking for a way out, a special permission slip from the rabbi. The purpose of asking a rav a halachic shaila is in order to clarify our halachic obligation, no more, no less. Sometimes one is obligated to fast. Other times, one is obligated to eat. There is no room for guilt or shame or funny feelings of any sort.

little_mage

Tue, Aug 05 2014, 4:22 am

In the laws of Tisha b'av that my rabbi sent out, it states, "Pregnant and nursing mothers who feel weak are exempt from fasting and are not required to eat less than the shiur or to fast part of the time."

I've got a nine month old who is still mostly breastfed, so I'm starting the fast, but if I start feeling sick or overly dizzy, I'm done.

ElTam

Tue, Aug 05 2014, 7:55 am

Interesting. Our rav does not give a heter for nursing mothers. I EBFed all my kids on Tisha b'Av and Yom Kippur. My supply did drop as the day went along, but I really, really, really hydrated for several days before and did okay. Not that it was fun, but it was doable.

notshanarishona

Mon, Sep 15 2014, 2:05 am

Bump.. Any tips for y"k? Made it half way through 9 av and then was too dizzy to stand up and my baby was screaming the whole day and wouldnt sleep from hunger.

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