Almighty Allah 
has bestowed upon married women the gift of pregnancy and nurturing a child within us to increase the Ummah. Since finding out about my surprise pregnancy, I’d like to share with you my pregnancy diaries! I hope it will provide an insight into the highs, lows and emotions that we all may feel during this blessed time, in sha Allah. I would like to start off by congratulating all mums to be and wish you all a happy and blessed pregnancy! So here it is – the pregnancy diaries that will take you through all the trimesters right until the much-anticipated D-Day (the birth)!
Finding out!
It was the early days of the blessed month of Ramadan and fasting had just begun. During the first few days, I was feeling quite nauseous and a little dizzy. I didn’t think anything of it and I put my symptoms down to the fact that we had only just started fasting – it must be my body getting used to being without food!
I was still nursing my 2 year old son on demand, so there was no way I could be expecting…at least that’s what I kept telling myself. I already have 3 children: my eldest daughter just turned 6 years old, my first son was 4 and my second son was only 2 years. Having a 4th child was not something that me or my husband were planning or even thinking of. Allah is the Best of all planners.
As the 7th day of fasting was approaching, I felt myself feeling increasingly dizzy, more nauseous and extremely hungry. I took a pregnancy test and confirmed that I was expecting alhamdulillah, but began to worry about how I was going to cope with 4 little ones! I was reassured by my husband that we should never worry about having more children or whether it would decrease our sustenance. We should leave all matters in the hands of Almighty Allah for children are a real blessing from Him and He would always provide a way for us insha’Allah. I think it is important to remember that however challenging or difficult parenthood may be, there are innumerable rewards and blessings in bringing up children, and this was something that I reflected on as my initial fears subsided.
It’s also good that there are resources such as sites like https://yourlovingchoices.org/.
Managing nausea in pregnancy
Many expectant mothers experience some form of nausea during the first trimester, ranging from mild to severe. Here are some helpful remedies that I found beneficial to help calm the sickness:
- A hot cup of ginger tea
It really seemed to give me a boost of energy and helped to calm the nausea down. Try boiling a few thin slices of raw ginger in water for a few minutes, and add honey for some natural sweetness. - Keep energy levels up with dates
Dates contain natural sugars that can provide additional energy and is beneficial for both mother and baby. - Take a quick break or rest
Rushing around with the kids can be quite hectic and you can often feel drained out. It may help to take a quick break by resting on the sofa or bed for some time until you feel refreshed again. - A spoonful of honey
I found that a spoonful of honey helped me when I was feeling nauseous, as it also helps to increase energy and has nutritional benefits for mum and baby. It is also great for those sisters who have a sweet tooth!
Dealing with weaning whilst pregnant
The doctor had advised me to slowly wean my two year old son off nursing, but I didn’t realize that was going to be so hard. My youngest son just didn’t want anything but my milk at first! Slowly but surely, I persevered in trying to wean him off and he eventually came round.
If you are a nursing mother and are expecting, try not to cut out breastfeeding completely. I found it more beneficial to take your time and slowly wean the child so they don’t feel completely confused that it is being taken away, and it gives them time to adjust to fresh milk or the bottle. There can be tears and challenges when trying to wean your baby whilst being pregnant, but perseverance is key and eventually they will adapt.
