– Expectant mothers must fast on Yom Kippur regardless of where they are in the pregnancy.
– If there are complications in the pregnancy then a Sheila should be asked.
– If there’s a history of miscarriage then a Sheila should be asked.
– If one feels that she can’t fast, first ask the doctor and then speak to a Rav.
– If contractions start to become regular, start drinking 1 oz. every 4 minutes. If they don’t stop then go down to every 2 minutes. If it still doesn’t stop than drink as much as necessary.
– If you feel faint or weaker than you normally feel on a fast and lying down didn’t help, start drinking 1 oz. of a high calorie drink every 4 minutes. If that doesn’t help then go down to every 2 minutes.
– The biggest requirement of the day is to fast. Therefore, it’s more important to stay home and fast than to go to Davening and then have to break the fast.
– If the husband staying home will help the wife fast (ex. She can sleep late etc.) then he should stay home even if it means Davening without a minyan. However it’s better to hire a babysitter.
– Nursing mothers must fast.
– If a nursing mother feels that she might have permanent milk loss then a Sheila should be asked.
– Expectant/nursing mothers should drink a lot within two days of Yom Kippur.
– Expectant/nursing mothers should stay in a air conditioned room.
– Medicines that taste bad can be taken without water (this applies to everyone) If water is necessary then It should be less than a shot glass of liquid and something foul tasting has to be added to the water.
Eating Shiurim (small amounts) on Yom Kippur
If one has a heter to eat shiurim on Yom Kippur these are the guidelines:
– Eating and drinking are two separate halachos. If one is allowed to drink doesn’t mean they’re allowed to eat and vice versa.
– Most of the time, drinking suffices.
– The shiur for drinking is one cheekful of liquid. (before Yom Kippur, fill up one cheek with liquid and spit it out. A little less than that is the shiur).
– If this is too difficult then the measurement is 1 oz. of liquid.
– The shiur for eating is slightly more than 1 oz. (an average shot glass).
– One should start out eating and/or drinking every 9 minutes (from the end of the eating/drinking until the beginning of the next eating/drinking).
– If that’s not enough, move down to eating/drinking every 4 and a half minutes.
– If that’s not enough, keep moving down until 2 minutes.
– If one has a heter to eat and drink then one of each can be consumed every 9 minutes etc. (one food and one drink. They don’t combine).
– If one is drinking because of precaution then it should be water. If one is drinking because they are sick then drinks with the most calories possible should be used.
– If one has a heter to eat and drink but by drinking something with high calories they can avoid eating, that’s what should be done.
– As long as a food is pourable then it has the status of liquid and not food. For example, smoothies are considered liquids.
– If one starts eating/drinking and then realizes that they don’t need anymore, they must stop.
– If by staying home one won’t have to eat/drink as much then they are required to stay home. You must stay home even if you’ll end up drinking just one less oz.
– One Bracha rishona is made at the beginning of eating/drinking and another Bracha isn’t made unless one decided to stop eating/drinking and then starts again.
– No bracha achrona is said.
