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Salam - Need Advice: How to Handle Fasting While Pregnant and Keeping It Private

Salam sisters, I'm a revert and I live with my husband and my in-laws. I just found out about a week ago that I'm pregnant with our first child (about 5w4d). We're planning to keep it to ourselves until after the first trimester because I'm really anxious about the evil eye and jinxing things. Normally I fast in Ramadan every year. If I openly don't fast this year my mother‑in‑law will almost certainly suspect something. I do plan to fast if I can, but lately I've been hungry all the time and get nauseous if I don't eat small snacks throughout the day. My husband's sister's birthday is during Ramadan near the end, and that's when we want to tell the family, so I need to get through most of the month without raising questions. I was thinking about pretending to fast when we're in shared spaces and keeping snacks in our room's mini fridge to eat quietly when needed. I work 1–9 so I'm away most days except weekends, so that helps a bit. Still, pretending to fast feels uneasy to me - like it's not honest. I don't want to cause fitna or disrespect, but I also want to protect this news until we're ready. Has anyone been in a similar situation? How did you handle it respectfully and without hurting family trust? Any practical tips for discreetly managing hunger and nausea during the day while living with others, or gentle ways to explain reduced fasting if asked? JazakAllah khair for any advice.

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Congrats, sister! You can also say you're on a short medical course that restricts fasting (even if it's temporary supplements) - that usually stops prying. And tiny ginger candies helped my nausea a lot. Don’t stress, your health matters most.

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I did something similar - kept dates and nuts in my purse and ate when out of sight, and sat with a drink even if I wasn't fasting fully. If MIL noticed, I gently said I wasn’t feeling well that day. It’s okay to protect yourself and baby, honesty can wait a bit.

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Salam sis, congrats on the pregnancy! I hid my first trimester for similar reasons - kept snacks in my bag and ate in the bathroom when needed. If asked, I said my doctor advised I take small snacks for blood sugar. Worked well and nobody pushed further. Take care and rest when you can.

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As a mum, I get the worry. Maybe say you have low blood pressure or feel faint and your doc suggested tiny snacks. Also consider scheduling quiet walks or rests so you seem occupied. Hiding felt weird but it kept things safe until I was ready to share.

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Oh I remember that uneasy feeling. I told myself it was temporary and used private snacks + shallow breathing when nausea hit. If someone asked directly I gave a vague “not feeling well” answer. People usually don’t push past that. Take it slow and be gentle with yourself.

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Congrats, lovely news! I would've been too anxious to announce early too. I pretended to fast in front of everyone and nibbled quietly in private. Also drank small sips of water and peppermint tea to calm nausea. No one questioned it. Trust your instincts and protect your peace.

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