Pregnancy updates: Insha-Allah 80 more days to go!

Alhamdulillah not that many days left now. Had my Glucose Tolerance Test (GTT) and once again the result was positive. Alhamdulillah in every situation insha-Allah. I did try to eat more fruits and vegetables and fish during this pregnancy but I guess it’s in my gene so couldn’t really avoid gestational diabetes. So got it for the third time now and the part I hate most is how now I’m no longer a low risk pregnant woman anymore for the health professionals! I have been summoned to go to see my special Diabetes Midwife as soon as possible and also from now on I have to have a regular appointment with the consultant. I am also expected to give birth at a special hospital where they apparently are more able to deal with high risk woman like moi! You get bombarded with all the stuff which 'can go wrong' from now on given you got GD such as the baby can be quite big so you may not be able to have a normal vaginal birth, baby may also develop diabetes, I may have diabetes too within five to ten years time and so many other things to consider! And also sometimes people think you get GD because you must be over weight or obese. I remember with my last pregnancy when I was diagnosed with GD I did ask my Diabetic midwife why it keeps happening to me when my BMI is quite good and I am no way an obese person alhamdulillah. She told me as my dad got type 2 diabetes, I am more likely to have diabetes too. With both pregnancies I was able to control my blood sugar just with diet alhamdulillah. This time I am hoping I will be okay insha-Allah. The more I am reading about pregnancy and natural birth, I am confident Insha-Allah it will be okay.

Sometimes, Gestational diabetes can lead to toxemia. Toxemia is pregnancy induced hypertension. Severe toxemia, however, can cause many health problems. Serious Toxemia may develop into something called pre-eclampsia, which can then lead to eclampsia, followed by a serious complication called the HELLP Syndrome. Toxemia starts to develop as the placenta begins to develop. Toxemia is most likely to occur during first-time pregnancy. I did develop Toxemia with my first pregnancy. I think just couple of weeks after I was diagnosed with GD I started to have very high blood pressure. The causes of Toxemia are not known. The symptoms of toxemia are elevated blood pressure, protein in the urine, and hyper-reflexia (extremely fast reflex responses.) Other symptoms may include bloating of the hands, feet and face due to fluid retention.

I believe with my first pregnancy, I was really very worried for the baby and there was obviously fear of birth too. I was told to take lots of rest but I felt too stressed to rest. I think having GD I felt like I was doomed. It almost felt like I got untreatable cancer or something really terrible ! For a long time I didn’t know how to explain what I was feeling like. But alhamdulillah recently reading quite a lot of books on natural birth and pregnancy, finally I am able to describe properly how I felt and what really went wrong in my case with my first pregnancy. Some medical experts believe that diagnosing GDM (Gestational Diabetes Mellitus) can lead to a strong nocebo effect. If a diagnosis of GDM causes high levels of stress and worry for the mother, her stress hormone levels can rise and be transmitted to her baby, increasing the risk of poor growth and premature birth. I strongly believe, I was feeling much stressed and as a consequence developed pre-eclamsia. Now I know it must have been the nocebo effect. At least I got a phrase to explain what I went through alhamdulillah! There was a research done by the U. S Preventive Services Task Force which reported, “In the first few weeks after screening, women who screened positive for gestational diabetes may report higher anxiety, more psychological distress and proper perceptions of their general health than women who screened negative.” This is exactly what I went through and ended up in the hospital and had to stay a whole week to get my blood pressure down but nothing really changed so they induced me at week 34 and my son was born six weeks early! For me, the hospital birth was horrible. I just didn't know what was going on as I was just getting bombarded with too much info and risks associated with all the procedures! I thought I am going to die! But Alhamdulillah he was all right and I was also doing fine so we came back home the next day. I must say we were extremely lucky ALHAMDULILLAH! I kept asking Allah swt for His Rahma (Mercy) and Help (Nasr) . Subhanallah you feel amazed how quickly your duas get accepted ! Allah swt is always very kind to me!

But with my second pregnancy when I was once again diagnosed with GD I decided not to worry and think too much about it. I was enjoying my time with my toddler son as much as possible and doing my diet and exercise. Alhamdulillah I didn’t develop pre-eclamsia and my daughter was born at 39 weeks. Alhamdulillah the labour was also spontaneous (not induced like my first one) and quick alhamdulillah. In fact it was so quick that cudn't get to the hospital on time and gave birth at my bedroom surronded my peramedics. Felt so relieved and great alhamdulillah! I felt like I was in total control , not treated like an object ( like at my first birth experiance at hospital !).

So this time I am not worried anymore alhamdulillah. Everything is in Allah swt’s control. He know what is best for us so no point getting stressed! Alhamdulillah doing my almost sugar-free diet, eating more fruits and veg and protein and trying to do some exercise too with my kids! There is this channel (SKY 275 Body in balance) I recently came to know through one of friend which shows quite a lot of yoga and belly dance stuff so trying to follow the exercise with my children! They love seeing their ‘eccentric’ mum doing all the crazy and funny moves so alhamdulillah having a quality time with my son and daughter. They find it quite amazing that their mum got a big tummy. They do try to communicate with the baby through the belly button as if that’s the window from which they can see the baby and baby can see them. I never felt that much strong movement with my other pregnancies. Mashallah the baby moves a lot especially when I go to bed at night. I feel so wonderful touching my tummy. I am so eagerly waiting for meeting my baby Insha-Allah! Please do keep us all in your duas my dearest blog readers :-)

100 more days to go Insha-Allah!

According to my pregnancy countdown, only 100 more days left insha-Allah! I am very excited but also quite worried as well. I really don’t want to have gestational diabetes and pre-eclampsia again. I hate thinking about getting induced especially before 38 weeks. This time alhamdulillah I am trying hard to avoid any sugary and carbohydrate-rich food as much as possible. Since last couple of weeks I have started my high protein diet. I know diet during pregnancy is not really recommended but I don’t think I am doing a proper high protein diet as my body does need a bit of carb as well. I am trying to eat as many veg and fruits as possible with a little bit of rice or wholemeal bread. Whenever I feel hungry, I am eating fruits, cheese string, cottage cheese or couple of nuts and drink lots of water ( no juice alhamdulillah) to fill myself up. I am also trying to have lots of fish through out the week thanks to my dear friend J as she occasionally sends me some yummy fish dish alhamdulillah. As a pregnant woman, I feel so lucky and blessed to have family and friends who cook for me. May Allah SWT reward them abundantly for all the efforts and love for me, ameen.

So far , I am feeling okay alhamdulillah. But I do suffer from occasional aches and pains and cramps. I got my exercise bike down ( thanks to yobo) but I haven't done that much exercise as I feel lazy. I am also thinking that taking care of my young chlidren should be enough exercise but I know deep down that this is not really a good excuse!  Insha-Allah hope to start soon.

Going through pregnancy is not easy but hope we will get reward insha-Allah for every second of it. It is actually seen as a form of struggle ( jihad) in Islam. So we are mujahidas Insha-Allah and there is this tiny mujahid in my tummy who is dependant on me! Most of the time, the doctors and midwives give us this impression that we pregnant women are in great risk of health problem but we tend to forget that for the babies in our womb life is not that easy either. I was reading an article where it was mentioned that for babies to come out from their mothers’ womb is also a very difficult journey. The more we know about pregnancy and child birth we can end up feeling a bit scared but I just try to remind myself that everything is in Allah’s control. Insha-Allah things will be fine. He SWT is in full control and He SWT knows what is best for us so Insha-Allah no worries! La Hawla wa la quwwata illah billah. Allahmumma la sahla illa ma’ja’altahu sahlan, wa anta taj’alaul hajna idha shi’ta sahla. O Allah! There is nothing easy except what You make easy. And You make the difficult easy if its Your Will.

Seen my baby today for the first time!

Alhamdulillah I had my first scan today. This was the anomaly scan which is done usually around the 20 weeks of pregnancy. I was quite excited but also worried thinking what if the baby is not healthy. But alhamdulillah baby is alright. As soon as I saw the baby I felt so glad looking at its tiny body and hearing the heartbeat alhamdulillah. The scan lasted for 15 minutes. The sonographer asked me at the end whether I have any question. I was tempted to ask the sex of the baby but thought I am glad that the baby is healthy so what more to ask, alhamdulillah. Moreover, my husband doesn’t want to know so I thought I will respect his wishes. I thought of finding it for myself and keep it a secret but my problem is I cannot keep a secret for a long time :-) 
Anyways, I bought the scan photo to keep it in my baby journal. I have kept all the scan photos, hospital tags, etc of my children. I have tried to write as much as possible in details about the whole experience and of course the labour as for me that’s the time I felt like I am on an emotional roller coaster and so many things were happening. During the last moment of labour, I feel how helpless I am and in need of help and mercy from Allah SWT!

For last couple of weeks I have feeling the movement of my baby. Mashallah it is a very wonderful feeling. Sometimes it feels so amazing that a tiny living being is floating in my tummy Subhanallah! Once upon a time nothing was there but through Allah SWT’s will this tiny being is growing inside me Subhanallah. It reminds me the verse in the Qur’an where Allah SWT says that once nobody knew about us and then through His will we came to existence and only through His mercy we have grown but unfortunately most of us feel that we are independent of Him and can do whatever we want without His help! May Allah SWT save us from being so arrogant to think like that and may Allah SWT help us to love Him more and get closer to Him, ameen!

Alhamdulillah I'm pregnant :-)

I am so glad to let you know that Alhamdulillah I am pregnant with my third baby and hope to meet my newborn in April Insha-Allah. I am hoping to share my experience as a pregnant mother of two on a regular basis up to my due date insha-Allah. I hope my posts will help all the sisters out there who are interested to know more about this great journey Insha-Allah. Please share your views through the comments section insha-Allah.

Alhamdulillah Allah (SWT) has blessed us with two children. Our son is 3 years old and our daughter is 20 months old. I am in my 20th weeks of pregnancy. Alhamdulillah up until now I haven’t really suffered many problems. I did go through usual morning sickness during first trimester a little though. Morning sickness is definitely a misleading name for this unpleasant side-effect of pregnancy. Around 80% of pregnant women suffer from nausea and not just in the mornings! Many women feel waves of nausea throughout the day and some feel sick all the time. Research shows it seems to hit a peak at around 9 to 10 weeks and generally starts to improve after the 14 week mark. Nobody really knows what causes it but experts believe high levels of circulating hormones are to blame.

As I am in my second trimester, I am not feeling that sick anymore alhamdulillah. To avoid feeling sick, it is very important to eat on a regular basis but not eating too much as that will definitely make you feel sick. It is better to eat a little amount of food and wait till the food is digested properly. Make sure you are not starving yourself as that will trigger more sickness. Snacking on healthy starchy carbohydrates such as wholemeal toast and sandwiches, bananas etc keeps blood sugar topped up and ensures your stomach is never completely empty. Sipping water or any other juice throughout the day can prevent dehydration. You need to get used to frequent trips to the loo as this is very common at this stage of pregnancy. This is caused by uterus expanding and pressing down on bladder. But don’t cut back on liquids as this only makes the problem worse and can also put you at risk of dehydration. It is recommended to drink eight glasses of water a day and practise pulling up pelvic floor muscles to control bladder. During my first trimester I also had frequent headaches which are quite normal and are thought to be caused by fluctuating hormones. I did try to avoid taking paracetamol but when it was quite unbearable I took two paracetamols to get rid of the headache.

With my first two pregnancies, I did not really experience cramp during the first and second trimesters but with this one I get frequent cramps. These shooting pains in the calves tend to get more frequent and painful as pregnancy progresses. When it happens, straighten your leg and foot and pull your toes towards your body to ease cramp or try walking about in bare feet on a cold floor. For me massaging the affected area helps a lot.

I have been having my vitamin supplements from the very beginning as I was also breastfeeding my daughter. It is highly recommended to take folic acid which is an essential B vitamin that can reduce the risk of baby developing a neural tube defect such as spina bifida (where a gap develops in the spine and damage to the central nervous system occurs) by up to 75 per cent. Ideally we are advised to take a supplement in the first three months before conception and then during the first three months of pregnancy. You can also get folic acid by eating foods such as leafy green vegetables, yeast extract, fruits and wholemeal bread and cereals. I love eating lots of broccoli and feel good thinking I am having quite a lot of folic acid insha-Allah. However, it is hard to get enough from diet so it is recommended that pregnant mothers should take a 400mcg supplement everyday. I have been having Pregnacare tablets.

During the first trimester sometimes I did feel quite exhausted as I also need to look after my two babies :-) but alhamdulillah having a quick nap can really help in feeling better. I try to have nap when my chlidren are having their one. Otherwise it is not really possible to sleep as they are most of the time with me :-) . Anyways, I am looking forward to meet my baby insha-Allah ! Sometimes I do feel a bit scared thinking about the labour pains! But I have decided not to think too much and stress myself . I am always asking Allah (SWT) to make it easy and quick for me and bless us with a healthy and good Muslim baby. Please do keep me in your duas. Jazakallah khairan!

My pregnancy

Alhamdulillah I am pregnant for the second time. My son is 13 months old now and recently started walking mashallah. Insha-Allah I am looking forward to have another tiny angel after couple of months. I always wanted to be a mother and am so glad that Allah swt has granted me my wishes so quickly. The feeling is overwhelming. There is nothing in the world which can give that much pleasure, subhanallah. I am very grateful to Allah SWT. There is a supplication ( dua) taught by our beloved prophet Muhammad SAW which I like to recite as much as possible to thank Allah for all the blessing in my life. The supplication is really beautiful that’s why I would like to share this wonderful supplication with you all:

“Subhanallah wa bihamdihi ‘adada khalqihi wa rida’ nafsihi wa zinata ‘arshihi wa midada kalimatihi” which means “Glorified be Allah and praise is due to Him to the extent of the number of His creation and to the extent of His pleasure and to the extent of the weight of His Throne and to the extent of ink used in recording words for His Praise.”

However, life during pregnancy can be quite difficult too. Recently I have been diagnosed with gestational diabetes. It’s a form of diabetes which occurs during pregnancy and usually disappears after the birth. People who suffer from gestational diabetes are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes within five to 10 years. Sometimes diet is enough to control the blood sugar level but for some people they may need to take medication or insulin to control their blood sugar. Alhamdulillah up until now I am managing my blood sugar level just through the diet. With my first pregnancy I had gestational diabetes and after couple of weeks I came to know that I am also suffering from high blood pressures which lead to pre-eclamsia. I was induced at 34 weeks and Alhamdulillah was able to deliver my baby boy normally within couple of hours. Although the timing was quite early, he was healthy and didn’t have any problem Alhamdulillah. I believe babies are miracles. Allah SWT provides for them with lots of strength to survive in this world. As a first time mother, I was very scared and confused. I had a constant fear and doubt about whether I will be able to bring him up properly and whether I was doing the right thing at the right time. But Alhamdulillah things went well and mashallah he is a happy and healthy toddler now.

Although through out my pregnancy I had to go through different sorts of complications, I still believe I am very lucky Alhamdulillah. Allah SWT likes to give us test to see how we react to difficult situation. But one thing I have learned from my life is no matter how terrible things may seem, by the grace of Allah SWT problems eventually get sorted out. I feel closer to Allah SWT when I am in pain and sorrow. The feeling of being totally dependant on Allah swt but none else is really wonderful one. We are created by Him and we are always in need of His help. I have never felt disappointed after making a sincere prayer to my Lord. The more the difficulties the more the rewards are allocated for us. That’s how we are supposed to see our life.

While going through the difficult phase of pregnancy, I have tried to gain as much knowledge as possible from the Quran and the Sunnah of our beloved prophet Muhammad saw about pregnancy and motherhood and of course there is no end to learning. However, whatever I have managed to learn I would like to share with my sisters as it will definitely help us all to accept all the difficulties with ease. Knowledge gives us the firm conviction we need to worship Allah swt with love and sincerity.

In the Qur’an the word used for womb is Rahim, which comes from the same root as Raheem (Merciful). Moreover, a pregnant woman is literally referred to as one with a burden, dhat haml.

And for those who have a burden (pregnant) their term is when they bring forth their burden. 65:4

If they have a burden (pregnant) then spend on them until they bring forth their burden. 65:6

Although pregnancy is a beautiful feeling and state of being, it also has lots of complications attached to it. This is also a time of frequent urination, backache, leg cramps, bleeding gums, hair loss, and hormonal overloads, kicking from the inside out, tender breasts, groin pain, and of course plenty of everyday complaints. Moreover, pregnancy is also a risk to the health of the mother, ranging from high blood pleasure, low blood pressure, gestational diabetes, forms of cancer, potential blood clotting problems and a slew of other real medical dangers. So, pregnancy itself is a burden for the woman, not to mention the burdens of delivery.

However, Allah SWT is very merciful to us. Whatever pain we go through in life, if we are patient enough to accept it without questioning our faith, then Allah SWT will reward us. It’s same with pregnancy. Here are some virtues of being pregnant:

It is mentioned that Rasulullah saw said: "Does it not please you (O Women!) that when you conceive from your husbands while he is pleased with you then that woman will receive such reward equal to that of a fasting person in the path of Allah and spending the night in ibaadat. When her labour pains commence the inhabitants of the earth and the sky are unaware of the stores of comfort that are prepared for her. When she delivers and breast feeds her child then she will be granted a reward for every gulp of milk, and if she had to remain awake during the night for the sake of her child, she will receive the reward of emancipating seventy slaves in the path of Allah. O Salaama! Do you know who these women are? They are pious, upright, and delicately natured but yet are obedient to their husbands and not ungrateful to them."

Rasulullah saw also said: "A woman from her pregnancy till the time of weaning her child is like one protecting the boundaries of the Islamic state. If she passes away during this period she attains the reward of martyrdom." So being pregnant is like being a mujahidah i.e. someone struggling in the path of Allah SWT to gain His pleasure. That’s why it is mentioned in one of the hadith that the woman who dies of labour pains is regarded as a martyr (shaheedah).Subhanallah what else we can ask for! We are already aware of the excellence of jihad in Islam and as women we are given the exclusive opportunity to engage in such a special form of jihad ! All praise belongs to Allah !

Through out pregnancy, it is recommended to ask Allah SWT as much as possible. In terms of what to read during pregnancy, the following supplications I have gathered from different source especially the Quran and the Sunnah:

Rabbana hablana min azwajina wa dhuriyyatina qurrata a’yuniw waj’alna lil muttaqina imama.

Our Lord! Grant that our spouses and our offspring be a comfort to our eyes, and give us the grace to lead those who are conscious of You. (25:74)



Rabbi habli mil ladunka dhurriyatan tayyiba. Innaka sami’ud dua.

O my Lord! Grant me from You a good offspring. You are indeed the All-Hearer of invocation. (3:38)

There is also a very beautiful dua from surah Ah-qaf (46:15) . I am just giving the meaning of the verses:

My Lord! Grant me the power and ability that i may be grateful for Your favour which You have bestowed upon me and upon my parents and that I may do righteous good deeds such as please You and make my offspring good. Truly, I have turned to You in repentance and I am one of the Muslims.



Hasbunallaahu wa ni'imal wakeel

Allah suffices us and He is the best guardian.

Also it is mentioned that Fatima (radiyallahu anha) reports that when it was time for her to deliver her child, "Rasulullah (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) sent Umme Salma (radiyallahu anha) and Zainab (radiyallahu anha) to me with the instruction that they read Aayatul Kursi, surah Al-Falaq and An-naas and the following verse for easy delivery:

"Inna rabbakumullaahul ladhiy khalaqas samaawaati wal ardha fiy sittati ayyaamin thumma-stawaa alal arsh, yughshiyl llaylan nahaara wa yatlubuhoo hatheethan was shamsa wal qamara wan nujooma musakh-kharaatim bi amrihi. Alaa lahul khalqu wal amru, tabaaraka llaahu rabbul aalameen. Ud'oo rabbakum tadharru'an wa khufyatan, innahoo laa yuhibbul mu'tadeen." Surah Al-A'raf (7:54-55)

Indeed your Lord is Allah, Who created the heavens and the earth in six days and He rose over the Throne (really in a manner that suits His Majesty). He brings the night as a cover over the day, seeking it rapidly and (He created) the sun, the moon, the stars subjected to His Command. Surely, His is the Creation and Commandment. Blessed is Allah, the Lord of the A’lamin (mankind, jinn and all that exists) Invoke your Lord with humility and in secret. He likes not the aggressors.



May Allah SWT give us the strength and patience to go through the different phases of pregnancy and Insha-Allah grant us healthy and pious offspring and reward us for our struggle, ameen.