Karva Chauth, the festival of romance and devotion is here and it holds special importance for most women in India. The idea is to fast and pray for the long life of the husband. Women also dress up on this day and only break the fast after the first morsel of food and the first sip of water is given by their husbands. It is customary to observe Nirjala aka without water fast on this day. BUT what about fasting for pregnant women? All the mothers-to-be planning to fast MUST be extremely careful. During such circumstances, women opt for falahar aka fasting with fruits and water. There is a belief in Hinduism that once you start fasting for Karva Chauth, you mustn't leave out even a single year. But if you are pregnant then you need to take some special precautions during Karva Chauth fast. Let's discuss. Karwa Chauth 2020: Fasting for Your Husband's Long Life? 5 Tips to Sail Through Your Karva Chauth Vrat Smoothly Before the Moon Rise. 

  • Firstly, you might want to not keep the fast. Seek forgiveness and dodge the fast for this year. That is the best option. However, if you insist, be extremely careful.

  • Consult a doctor. Tell your doc that you plan on fasting and abide by the suggestions they give. Fasting during pregnancy, especially the lack of water in the body can jeopardise the health of both the mother and the baby. Therefore consult an expert, preferably the one whom you go to regularly.

  • Hunger may make you feel dizzy, if you still have morning sickness, you must immediately eat something or consult a doctor.

  • Take proper, nutritious foods and prenatal vitamins during the sargi.

  • Do not fast Nirjala (without water).

  • If you experience weakness in the body, eat fruits at regular intervals.

  • After fasting don't binge eat, avoid excessive food.

While it is always suggested that you give up on fasting during pregnancy but if you insist on doing it, you might want to keep the falahar fast instead of the Nirjala fast which is also not good for your child's health with you. If you are going to keep the fast of Karvachauth during pregnancy, then you should keep the Falahari fast keeping in mind the health of both you and the child, not keeping the Nirjala fast.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 02, 2020 01:33 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).