Is there advice on what a woman should do during pregnancy?

Question

Women are a bit more concerned about their daily tasks during pregnancy since their actions would affect their child in many ways. Is there anything on this matter in Quran and Ahadith?

Answer 1

Here are some useful advices:

http://www.al-islam.org/marriageandfamily/68.htm

http://www.al-islam.org/heavenlypath/7.htm

http://www.al-islam.org/upbringing/13.htm

Also you can find more at his digital Islamic library

http://www.al-islam.org/

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Some selection of them:

(a) Food: A foetus in its mother's womb, feeds and grows on the nourishment in her blood. Therefore, the mother's food should be nutritive enough to provide the elements needed by the baby as well as for the welfare of the mother. Therefore any lack of vitamins, proteins, fat, sugar or carbohydrates in the mother's intake of food would inflict harm on the baby's health.

"Imam Sadiq (A.S.) stated: 'The food of a foetus, is provided by the nourishment that the mother receives'."[256]

A major problem which confronts most of the pregnant women is that during either the whole or the majority of the pregnancy period, they lack a well-balanced appetite for food, as they develop craving for certain foods while being repulsed by others. Because they generally eat less, during this period, they should make sure that their food is not stodgy and at the same time nutritious enough to provide the essentials for the baby.

Following up a food program in this phase of pregnancy is extremely difficult, particularly for those of low income and those who are unaware of the nutritional values of different foods.

A great responsibility rests with the father who should do his utmost to provide essential foods for his wife. Carelessness on the part of the father would be harmful to the growing baby, for which he would be held responsible in both this world and in the world Hereafter.

(b) Mental State: A mother, in her pregnancy, needs serenity and should experience a sense of love towards life. This is beneficial to both the mother and her baby. The father, being responsible for providing his wife with a peaceful and lively atmosphere, should try even harder during the period of her pregnancy. The husband, through kindness and love, should behave in such a manner that his wife can feel proud and happy about being pregnant; she should feel proud that another life depends on her and that she is responsible for its welfare.

(c) Refrain from Jerky Movements: A pregnant woman should avoid strenuous activities and should rest a great deal. The lifting of heavy objects or fast body movements could result in irreparable harm to her, the baby or both. Pregnant women should refrain from doing any heavy work, and their husbands should volunteer to carry out such activities.

(d) The Fear of Labour: Delivering a baby is not always an easy event. Labour pains can sometimes be severe. Pregnant women often worry about the pain involved and the possible risks associated with child birth, followed by the period of convalescence after giving birth. Although women should be able to cope with pregnancy, labour and feeding their babies, men should also share in the responsibility of bringing up their children.

Although an embryo is conceived in women's womb, there is also the father of the baby who has played an important role in its conception. So men should make certain for their wives' comfort during child birth and be handy if anything should be urgently required.

It is both an Islamic and a human duty of husbands to do their utmost for their pregnant wives to provide medical care and facilities for an easy delivery. A man should try to be with his wife after the birth of their child; but if unable to do so, he should phone her or send a relative to stay with her. He should try to bring her back home himself and help her with the housework so that she can get sufficient rest to regain her lost energy. A man, who treats his wife well, will be rewarded by Allah.

"The Prophet (SA) of Allah stated: 'The best of men is one who treats his wife well and I, amongst you, am the best man with regard to the good treatment of my wife'."[257]

"Imam Sadiq (AS) stated: 'May Allah bless a man who creates a good relationship with his wife, because Allah has appointed man to be the guardian of his wife'."[258]

A man, who treats his wife well, will make the atmosphere of his family life warmer and will strengthen its foundations.

His wife, in turn, would never forget her husband's love and affection. As a result the bonds of matrimony become stronger.

Answer 2

To the really nice Answer of Battle of Karbala I would add these Statements from Qur'an and Sunnah which includes clear advises on what should a pregnant woman eat:

• Eating Dates and especially rotob/rotab رطب (fresh dates) (Quran 19:23-25). I heard a scholar explaining this and adding that one of the most common issues during pregnancy is the iron deficiency and dates and especially rotob/rotab have large amounts of it! And they also ease the childbirth as the Verses (which are an advice from our Creator himself by the words of the unborn child 'Isa (Peace be upon him))!
• This also goes ahead (to some extent) with a hadith, which i couldn't find at all in the major Sunni sources, but was mentioned in a shi'i book called makrim al-akhlaq مكارم الاخلاق (See also this link in Arabic):

  قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم : « أطعموا المرأة في شهرها الذي تلد فيه التمر ، فان ولدها يكون حليماً نقياً »

This narration implicates some character trait to the (to be born) child if his mother has eaten dates in her last pregnancy month!

• In the same book you may also find ahadith which advises to feed the pregnant woman milk and quince, again with some results in the character traits of the child!
  

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Ahadith about things the Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) used or advised to eat are available in Sunni sources but not on the topic of pregnancy, as far as i can tell. For example one of the most authentic ones is this about fresh dates and melons from Jami' at-Tirmidhi. And her's one about dates in general.