What is the ruling for a nursing mother if she fears for her own health?
[AR_ID:2283]
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1 Answer
Peace be upon you.
Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Khamenei (may Allah protect him):
If a nursing mother fears for her own health, she is not required to fast, and she must make up the fast later. Additionally, she is required to provide a compensation (fidya) as a precautionary obligation.
Source: Risalah of Prayer and Fasting, Issue 955.
Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Sistani (may Allah protect him):
A nursing mother with insufficient milk who fears harm to herself or her infant is permitted to break her fast. She must make up the fast later and is also required to provide compensation. For the compensation, giving 750 grams of wheat or its flour is sufficient, and any food, including bread or pasta, is also acceptable.
It is strongly recommended that she does not break her fast unless breastfeeding is solely dependent on her, meaning there is no other way to feed the child, even if it involves partial feeding with formula.
However, if partial feeding would harm the child, especially in the early days, and if using formula would prevent the child from drinking breast milk later, which would be detrimental to him, she is also permitted to break her fast and must make up the fast and provide compensation as mentioned earlier.
Source: Official website: 1, 2 + Minhaj al-Salihin, Vol. 1, Book of Fasting, Chapter 8: Cases Permitting Breaking the Fast.
May you be successful in all good.