Are fasting days useful?
Doctors may grow concerned if mothers gain a lot of extra weight near the end of pregnancy as being overweight is often associated with the development of gestational diabetes and preeclampsia, which can lead to complications in childbirth.
It is also the main reason for macrosomia (too large a child, due to which natural childbirth becomes impossible). In addition, gaining extra pounds in the last few weeks of pregnancy can make it harder to lose weight after childbirth [1]. But during 34 to 40 weeks, you can make choices to support your health and your baby’s.
You do not need to invent fasting days for yourself. For many people, severe, short-term diet restrictions cause them to overeat in the long run. It can be more effective to simply avoid foods [2] that most often lead to excess weight gain, including:
white bread;
sweet breakfast cereals and instant cereals;
pastries and sweets;
chips;
processed meat (sausage, ham);
energy drinks.
How can they be replaced?
whole wheat bread;
sugar-free granola and whole grain cereals;
fruits and vegetables;
fish and poultry;
milk.
Some mama’s may choose to try intermittent fasting. Long-term observations of Islamic women showed that during Ramadan (a period of intermittent fasting), pregnant women gain less weight and the likelihood of developing gestational diabetes decreased by one and a half times [3].
