Pixie's Ramadaan: Personal Updates

Asalaam alaykom ramatullahi wa barakto ladies,: So sorry I haven't updated alot. I don't use net regularily even when not fasting, and it is hard to make time for it when I am trying to get to my Ramadaan goals: read the whole Qu'ran, memorize 3 new surahs, make all my sunnah prayers and do some extra dhikr and get on my duas (I am lazy at duas). That, and prepare Iftar meals, clean up, make sure husband gets up, animals get fed, and I respond to any greetings anyone has sent me. And before Ramadaan I was quite ill. I was having a heart condition related to the pregnancy, that has alhamdulilah, gone away now that I have been taking it easier. I am not allowed to walk for more than 10 minutes at a time just to keep the stress off the heart. Thus also, I haven't been able to take any more orders for the BeautifulMuslimahOnlineBoutique for the meantime. For those of you who sent me the first inqueries and recieved your abaya orders, thank you for your patience while I negotiated with the tailors;). [BTW, don't you just love how I have keenly hid my baby bump with our centerpiece lantern?]So, to answer the first of the many comment questions I haven't gotten around to answering yet, there is a big difference between fasting in Oman as opposed to fasting in Canada. In Oman, Islam is the major religion, and non-Muslims and those not fasting are actually requested not to eat, drink, smoke, chew gum, et all, in public. Which is ridiculous to me as Islam doesn't actually rule this, but almost all the expats respect it. I mean, if they have to eat they run to the bathroom and scarf down a bagel behind the bathroom stall doors in the mall. Also, for the men I guess it is easier, as women here tend to dress alot more modestly, even the expatriots, even though Oman has no enforced dress code. The Masjids proivde free suhoor and iftar for those less privellaged, there are sadaqah collection boxes everywhere, and anyone Muslim gets shortened working hours. There are Mosques on almost every street so going to and from Taraweeah prayers should be easy for everyone. These are the benefits that alas, Canada did not have. But unlike Canada, due to the large muslim population, you also get the "cultural" fasters. They overeat, don't pray, sleep all day, show-off by overdoing meals and buying new cars and clothes ect..... Yeah, not really doing anything but not eating. Not exactly Ramadaan.Question #2 {wa alaykom e salaam ramatullahi wa barakto Anna;)}: what is my take on fasting while pregnant? Well, for me personally, I don't believe it is obligatory to do so, but if one is at a stage in their pregnancy where they and the baby are healthy enough to sustain the fast, they should fast, as there is so much reward in Ramadaan, really, you wouldn't want to miss it if you didn't have to. Due to health reasons, I haven't been able to fast every day of Ramadaan so far. But I have, alhamdulilah, managed to fast more days than I haven't. For me, choosing not to fast depends on a few things. #1, if I start to have any health complications such as low blood sugar or blood pressure levels, heart palpatations, feigntness of breath, seeing splotches, or migraine headaches. All these are signs of "you can't fast now". #2 I throw up. Throwing up breaks the fast anyways so even if I intended to fast if I throw up, I call the fast off. #3 If the baby is hungry. I can tell my hunger pains from the baby's at this stage in the pregnancy. When the baby is hungry she makes me feel like I will be sick. If I am hungry it is a pain in my chest up to my throat. Also, the baby's hunger pains are accompanied by heartburn. Mine are not. This would differ between pregnant women but I know my body well enough to know what is me and what is the baby. #4 If one has to take any mandatory day time medications. I don't, so this doesn't effect my ability to fast. Those are the things that decide if I should fast or not. I also find, if you are pregnant, eating Suhoor is a must, AT LEAST a small cup of water, and 3 dates. The baby needs that or it will be tooooo hungry to healthily make it until magraib.
What is Pixie's average iftar?: My average iftar is very, very simple. It consists of dried omani dates (pitted or stuffed with almonds), water, fresh milk, fresh mango juice, sliced fruit (my baby loves plums and melon, her Mommy loves kiwi, and her baba loves grapes and apples), either bresh baked bread or samboosas, and some sweet treat (I like chocolate mamoul or puddings). Later, after magraib salat, we might eat a meat dish, or a soup and salad. For suhoor, since I am still throwing up in the mornings if I eat certain things, I limit myself to water, dates, and sliced melon, or some tomatoe juice. Nothing fancy.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Assalamualaykum Pixie,

This is such a cute post! MashaAllah!

Please take it easy on yourself with your health and everything.
I swear your baby bump is so cute!MashaAllah. May Allah reward you with all the blessings of this month and the coming months, ameen.

P.S. I don't think you should carry the lantern, seriously it looks so heavy!

Ws keader
Anonymous said…
Asalaamu alaykum, Pixie, dear!

I loved this post! It made me think toward next year when, Insha'allah, my dear husband and I will be moving into the same apartment (and the same city, for that matter! ;) around this time.

When I'm at the apartment I make soup, rice, a hot meat or veggie dish, salad and lots of fruit and veggies. Lol, the soup lasts all week and the rice lasts half the week; night of all I have to do is cook two chicken breasts or whatever and chop everything up!

Lol, reading that it looks like a lot but he always eats a lot, he is so active. Unfortunately, since we live so far apart we can't fast together

Hmm, I wonder what he digs up when I'm at school? O__O

I'm with you on the fruit in the morning, DH gets eggs. :)

<3 Anna

(Oh, and we break the fast with dates, if we can get them!)
zanjabil said…
Masha'Allah sis may Allah make your pregnancy easy. I have never been able to fast while pregnant the liquids have always been the issue, I get dehydrated too easily and have always have issues with migraines. I really enjoyed this post ! :)
Fatima Jane said…
asalaamu alaikum Pixie

When i look at these pics of you, pregnant, fasting, home-making, i feel so happy for you masha Allah.

May Allah grant you the highest place in Jannatul Firdous insha Allah. And may Allah continue to bless you and your family. Ameed
Anonymous said…
Hi Pixie!

Nice to see you posting here again :) and I am happy that everything seems to be well with you and the baby!

Take care,
Hannah (who loves your blog, but doesn't comment much :) )
Anonymous said…
Salamalaykum. Congratulations on your pregnancy. It's good to hear about Ramandan in a Muslim country. But I would advise not to fast during pregnancy at all, especially like you said if your blood sugar gets low. That can affect development, or so I heard. Best wishes from Canada.