Advice for Expectant Mothers

A query was asked on my Facebook page regarding the recommended Tibb an Nabawi advice for pregnant ladies and how to reduce the swelling which they experience as the baby grows in the womb.

Swelling is very common amongst the pregnant women, around 50% to 80% will experience it during their term of pregnancy.

First of all, ladies who are expecting should try and maintain a strict Tibb-e-Nabawi diet; they should enjoy the delicious foods of Talbinah (barley porridge), Nabeez (drink made with soaked raisins), Barley bread, pure home-made vinegar and curries/stews which have been cooked in the blessed olive oil. All these things are the codes of perfection on this planet earth. You can check the recipes section of www.tibbenabawi.org and there you will find all the blessed foods which are recommended.

Pregnant ladies should try as much as possible to stop eating wheat and rice (take barley instead), stop soda drinks, sweetened juices, tea / coffee, vegetable oils, pickles, salted foods, eggs and dairy products (particularly aged cheese), and all whatever is available as canned / packed foods from the market.

Vegetable are the best for adding to curries/stews, except do not use potatoes, lady finger (Bhindi), egg-plant (Baingan), cabbage and cauliflower.

Regular table salt (sodium chloride) should be removed completely from the diet and replaced with natural salts (Himalayan crystal salt or natural/organic rock salts). It is important not to take too much salt in any case as it increases the amount of water/swelling in the body.

Expectant ladies should avoid consuming Black Seed (Kalonji) and it’s Oil because it is strong and may not be suitable for them. Olive oil is better.

If they are experiencing uncomfortable swelling, they are advised to lie down on a bed to rest at often periods during the daytime, keeping cushions/pillows under their legs. It will keep their legs elevated (legs are in slightly higher position than the heart organ), this will relieve the swelling insha’Allah.

They are advised to drink water (6 cups in one day), not too much (too much water is hazardous) and not too little, and also they should take gentle walks (exercise) during each day as this will keep their body fluids moving and they will not collect in the legs. They should also see the doctor at regular periods to check that the pregnancy is going well and swelling is not being caused by any other health problem.

Hijama wet cupping treatment should be avoided at all costs during pregnancy as it may induce premature labour or miscarriage.

May Allah give all my sisters who are expecting a child a safe and healthy pregnancy and new baby insha’Allah.