The FastDay Forum

Hello everyone

I think the answer to my question is probably going to be quite straight forwards but thought I would ask this anyway.

Me and my hubbie are going to start trying to have a baby, I have seen on here that some women have noticed their periods doing strange things (I havent experienced this personally but I havent been fasting long enough anyway) but I am wondering if this is something that interrupts most womens cycles then would it decrease the number of days I am fertile etc.

My AF is very regular exactly every 28 days so I know when I am ovulating/fertile and all the rest of it. So I am a little worried that the 5:2 is going to mess with my system.

Do any other women have experience in TTC and 5:2?

I know that the 5:2 isnt recommended whilst you are pregnant which is fine but while trying?

Fasting is not new and muslims/buddhists are having babies. They fast and not have fertility problems because of it. Relax and let nature takes its course.

True

[carorees]

This question has been asked a couple of times before, but sadly, we still don't have definitive answers. I agree though with Aina that fasting has been used for so many centuries without any noticeable effect on fertility!

Here are the previous threads:
viewtopic.php?t=3287&p=29947
viewtopic.php?t=3965&p=37773
viewtopic.php?t=3022&p=26961


Good luck with it!

Thanks I guess I will just make more of an effort to keep track of my cycles should they goes array

I think that the type of fasting we do with 5:2 would have no effect on your ability to conceive because it is only a relatively small calorie reduction over a week . If you were following a severely restricted, very low calorie, diet which affected your menstruation, then that would be a completely different matter. Whatever you decide - have fun trying!

LOL thats the plan

No my diet isnt severely restricted any other time, I am not over weight and my BMI is healthy so I dont foresee it giving me any problems, I mainly wondered as I know you're not supposed to follow this while you're pregnant.

Have a look at mumsnet. Lots of discussion on this there.

I would actually exercise caution on this one as most of us don't know we are pregnant until at least several weeks from egg fertilisation and by then (if following the plan) you would have done at least 6 to 8 days of fasting, at a time when growth, not repair, is the important thing for your body (I am not a doctor, but the idea of fasting per the original MM documentary is to lower the hormone that drives cell growth).

You are a healthy weight already, so it wouldn't hurt to suspend fasting while you are trying. What's the harm and why risk it? You can always go back to it later. Also, if you are trying, read up about the importance of taking Folic Acid!

I personally would not be fasting while actively trying to conceive especially when within the healthy BMI range.

I would recommend going to a suitably qualified physician and fasting under strict medical supervision if for some medical reason you had to fast.

I acknowledge that the effects of fasting on pregnancy are not researched (ethically it can not be done). I do have to ask you a question which I don't expect you to answer online but please do think about it. How would you feel if you were pregnant and then lost your baby because you were fasting?

I can't speak for other religions and their requirement for fasting when pregnant but as a Catholic pregnant women are exempt from fasting.

In Islam too pregnant and breast feeding women are exempt from fasting, but not those TTC. As someone who had problems TTC and with AF issues I would advise caution too if indeed it is something that you are struggling with x

Thanks for your replies

@TiareMaori I have started taking folic acid already
@TheFrog I am not worried about answering the question, I would be absolutely devastated if I miscarried even moreso if it was due to fasting so really you've answered my question for me, and I probably shouldn't even thing about dieting whilst trying
@Umleila its far too early to tell if we're struggling we've only actively been trying a couple of months anyway

Have a look at mumsnet. Lots of discussion on this there.

Brace yourself first!

I'm scared of Mumsnet.

LOL I have heard..... well I lets just say the reviews of Mumsnet leave a lot to be desired from what I can tell :/ I might leave Mumsnet until I am a little braver!