Decrease in Iron After Childbirth
Question
Answer
Hello and blessings
Low iron stores do not prevent one from fasting, but only if her hemoglobin is usually high and now it is below 9.
Attached are the instructions of our teacher, the Rav, regarding fasting for nursing mothers.
A nursing mother fasts on Yom Kippur. She should prepare well for the fast by drinking plenty of grape juice during the two days before the fast. If she is able to pump milk, she should pump before the fast so that she will need to nurse less and will lose less fluids. It is also recommended that immediately after the fast ends she drink a large amount of grape juice in order to restore her milk supply.
A nursing baby: if he eats pumped milk, one should make sure to prepare a sufficient amount for him before the fast. If the pumped amount is not sufficient, or if the baby only nurses and does not eat from a bottle, and the mother does not have enough milk for the baby, and the baby does not eat other food, and if the mother fasts this would endanger the baby — the mother should drink grape juice in shiurim every four minutes. And if that is not enough, she should drink normally [and generally drinking without eating is sufficient].
Source
Azamrah Lishmecha 305
