Lent and Pregnancy

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Hello all. I wasn’t sure whether to put this in Spirituality or Family Life, so please forgive me if this is the wrong section.

This is my first pregnancy, so I have never been pregnant during Lent. I was wondering if anyone would be willing to share what they have done in the past for a fulfilling Lenten journey during pregnancy?

There are already so many food and beverage restrictions from being pregnant and I have not been able to talk to my doctor yet about whether or not fasting is advisable. I know there are other things you can do, but those are the types of things I have felt really good about during past Lents. I guess I have always been better at depriving myself than adding religious practices, other than stations. Maybe that is what I really need to do and be better at it this time, adding more daily prayer time.

I really look forward to hearing your suggestions and past experiences.
 
It takes discipline to faithfully make the Stations each day, and also serves to bring you closer to the Lord, and to greater appreciation of all that He endured for our sins, and how great His love.
You do need to protect your baby’s health. Perhaps also there are some unnecessary treat you could give up at some times during Lent.
However, I do recall a priest saying that penance is often what we take up, not what we give up, and if, for instance, what we give up is perhaps a less kind reaction and word for a kindly reaction and word, then we are living in the spirit of holy penance
 
One can eat in a penitential way when one cannot fast for health reasons. Stop using condiments and salt, maybe eat food at room temp instead of hot. Give up some of the foods you really like.
 
You are not expected to fast when you are pregnant, and it is inadvisable to do so. There are other things you may do, such as other acts of self-denial (give up those bad habits), acts of charity, etc.
 
Chiltepin said:
Hello all. I wasn’t sure whether to put this in Spirituality or Family Life, so please forgive me if this is the wrong section.

This is my first pregnancy, so I have never been pregnant during Lent. I was wondering if anyone would be willing to share what they have done in the past for a fulfilling Lenten journey during pregnancy?

**There are already so many food and beverage restrictions from being pregnant and I have not been able to talk to my doctor yet about whether or not fasting is advisable. **I know there are other things you can do, but those are the types of things I have felt really good about during past Lents. I guess I have always been better at depriving myself than adding religious practices, other than stations. Maybe that is what I really need to do and be better at it this time, adding more daily prayer time.

I really look forward to hearing your suggestions and past experiences.
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re: the bolded. Please, please, talk to your doctor. In most pregnancies, there are not very many food or beverage restrictions. It sounds like your doctor may have you on a special diet and only he/she can advise you regarding changes to that diet.
 
You get a free ride this time!
Those who are excused from fast or abstinence Besides those outside the age limits, those of unsound mind, the sick, the frail, pregnant or nursing women according to need for meat or nourishment, manual laborers according to need, guests at a meal who cannot excuse themselves without giving great offense or causing enmity and other situations of moral or physical impossibility to observe the penitential discipline.
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ewtn.com/expert/answers/fast_and_abstinence.htm
 
Remember, Catholic fasting is not what most people even call fasting. For 2 days during Lent we are asked to eat one regular meal and two smaller than normal meals with no snacking in between. It is not as if we are asked to go even one day without food.
 
Hey, me too, only this is my 4th preg. i will give up coffee, junk food, sweets, things i shouldn’t be into… i think t.v., westerns try to go over good books. My friend m@de @ little crown of thorns with tooth picks for the thorns, when ever someone s@crifices something they t@ke @ toothpick out. Thought tht w@s @ good w@y to encour@ge extempor@neous s@crificing. (@ button is broken.)
 
Castello said:
Remember, Catholic fasting is not what most people even call fasting. For 2 days during Lent we are asked to eat one regular meal and two smaller than normal meals with no snacking in between. It is not as if we are asked to go even one day without food.
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But those of us who are strong enough, can fast more strenuously and not eat those 2 light meals.
 
You don’t have to give up food, there are other options. And substituting fish for red meat on Friday’s isn’t that much of a hardship as you are still getting that much needed protein while pregnant and there are lots of other good forms of protein besides red meat. Oh and congrats 🙂
 
Those of us who have been pregnant can tell you that pregnancy is the original sacrificial penance! It will be soon enough before you’re deprived of initimate knowledge that you have feet down there somewhere! 😃

Seriously, though, pregnant women, hypoglycemics, and other people with health problems that would be exacerbated by fasting are exempt from the requirement to fast. If you wish to substitute a separate penance, that is OK, as long as it does not pose a risk to your pregnancy. The health, well-being, and comfort of your unborn child must come before anything else you do, no excuses allowed.

You may appreciate this quote about penance, from Mother Angelica:
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    Penance doesn’t mean a thing if it’s not God’s Will. St. Theresa of Avila was so determined that she was going to do all these penances one Lent. Well, she got into bed and was so sick that everybody had to wait on her. She complained to the Lord and He said to her: **“That was your penance, but this is mine for you.”**
    We all have ideas of how we’re going to be holy and how we’re going to do penance. It’s amazing what we’ll do if it’s our will, but if it’s God’s Will, we all scream. *
 
Yes it’s true that pregnant women do have a dispensation from fasting for Lent, or they don’t have to go to the full extent of fasting. Just eat what’s right for you and your child! You’re so blessed to be bringing another one of God’s children into the world, let us make sure he (or she) is delivered safely, surely, soundly, and holy. Maybe, as others have suggested, give up things or habits which you find pleasure in, such as a certain TV show, less TV overall, maybe limit your computer time to no longer than 30 minutes a day–or a week if you’re willing! You can also take up something - studying the faith more deeply, spending more time in prayer, which will no doubt affect and being graces to your soul and the child’s!

God Bless :signofcross::byzsoc:
 
TheRealJuliane said:
But those of us who are strong enough, can fast more strenuously and not eat those 2 light meals.
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That is my understanding.That one should eat no more than what would be considered one full meal.If need be,food can be broken up into two smaller meals,both of which ,together amount to one full meal.
 
A lenten sacrifice doesn’t always have to be a take away. You could add something that you would not normally do, like a special daily prayer time, or do a unselfish good deed for someone everyday.
 
I’m breastfeeding an infant so I’m cutting out soda and I’m getting rides of 40 bags of stuff in our house.
 
Chiltepin said:
Hello all. I wasn’t sure whether to put this in Spirituality or Family Life, so please forgive me if this is the wrong section.

This is my first pregnancy, so I have never been pregnant during Lent. I was wondering if anyone would be willing to share what they have done in the past for a fulfilling Lenten journey during pregnancy?

There are already so many food and beverage restrictions from being pregnant and I have not been able to talk to my doctor yet about whether or not fasting is advisable. I know there are other things you can do, but those are the types of things I have felt really good about during past Lents. I guess I have always been better at depriving myself than adding religious practices, other than stations. Maybe that is what I really need to do and be better at it this time, adding more daily prayer time.

I really look forward to hearing your suggestions and past experiences.
Click to expand...
I agree, with all the foods and beverages that us pregnant women are already giving up, it’s hard to find something else to add to it! Especially that first time, it feels like you’ve always got to think about the rules of what is ok to eat and what isn’t. During my first pregnancy, my family all told me that I didn’t have to do anything, but I felt like I just had a “get out of jail free card” if I did it that way. It just felt weird to “not do anything” during Lent. Pregnant women are not required to fast. We have to keep our unborn baby healthy first, and fasting would not be healthy for us. I do give up meat on Fridays and Ash Wednesday, though. I actually brought this question to a priest, because I just didn’t feel right about not giving up something.

The priest told me that the point of Lenten fasting isn’t just giving something up. He told me that anyone can give something up–even 10 year olds can give up candy or pop for Lent without complaint. So he challenged me to actually *do *something with my Lent, do something that would help me grow in my spiritual journey. Volunteering, reading the scriptures, saying a rosary a day, or going to adoration frequently were some things that he suggested to me. That first Lent I made it a point to go out of my way to do something nice for someone every day; I figured that would also be a good exercise to prepare me for motherhood. And it was hard! I grew more during that Lent than I ever did with just giving something up! Don’t get me wrong, fasting does have major benefits if it’s done as a true sacrifice, but I just found that I got more spiritual growth out of doing something extra–sacrificing my time.
 
SummerSmiles said:
I agree, with all the foods and beverages that us pregnant women are already giving up, it’s hard to find something else to add to it! Especially that first time, it feels like you’ve always got to think about the rules of what is ok to eat and what isn’t. During my first pregnancy, my family all told me that I didn’t have to do anything, but I felt like I just had a “get out of jail free card” if I did it that way. It just felt weird to “not do anything” during Lent. Pregnant women are not required to fast. We have to keep our unborn baby healthy first, and fasting would not be healthy for us. I do give up meat on Fridays and Ash Wednesday, though. I actually brought this question to a priest, because I just didn’t feel right about not giving up something.

The priest told me that the point of Lenten fasting isn’t just giving something up. He told me that anyone can give something up–even 10 year olds can give up candy or pop for Lent without complaint. So he challenged me to actually *do *something with my Lent, do something that would help me grow in my spiritual journey. Volunteering, reading the scriptures, saying a rosary a day, or going to adoration frequently were some things that he suggested to me. That first Lent I made it a point to go out of my way to do something nice for someone every day; I figured that would also be a good exercise to prepare me for motherhood. And it was hard! I grew more during that Lent than I ever did with just giving something up! Don’t get me wrong, fasting does have major benefits if it’s done as a true sacrifice, but I just found that I got more spiritual growth out of doing something extra–sacrificing my time.
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Nice post! 🙂
 
One more time.

Fasting - 2 days (Ash Wed and Good Friday) we eat one meal, 2 smaller meals and don’t snack in between.

Fridays - we don’t eat meat.

That is it, those are the laws of the Church.

Sometimes we confuse the voluntary sacrifices and good works that we are encouraged to do during Lent with the Fasting and Abstainance.

We may choose to give up soda or bread or candy or beer or TV or the internet… those are voluntary “fasts” of a sort. What we give up must be something GOOD - it is not a sacrifice to give up an evil or a vice.

We may choose to add some prayer or act of charity, reading Scripture or attending Masses or mowing the lawn for a little old lady - those are good works, they do not take the place of giving something up (again, giving something up is voluntary anyway).
 
I’ve never been pregnant, but I have a huge list of food restrictions so I know something of what you are talking about. Maybe lent is the time to practice giving up these restirctions more joyfully and fruitfully. Just because you are not giving them up “for lent”, does not mean that you are not giving them them up during lent (as well as at other times). I liked reading the other suggestions here as they apply to me as well, I think that I will add stations of the cross.
 
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