Nursing Maxi Dress

This super comfortable nursing maxi dress offered by Figure Maternity 8, is perfect for the modest Muslimah.  This is nice everyday-wear that can be dressed up or dressed down.  Checkout their other maxi dresses for prints and other colors. 

Tutorial: How to Make a Khimar from a Bedsheet

Khimars are provide great coverage for breastfeeding mothers, it is a hijab and nursing cover all in one!  Save money by making your own, it is super easy!

So, I was at the thrift store and I saw this bedsheet.  Immediately, I knew this color and fabric would be perfect for a khimar.  So, I found these instructions online and adapted them to make a khimar with an attached headband that ties in the back.  Please forgive my poor quality pictures, I was 9 months pregnant and had to two toddlers “helping” me when I took these pictures.  FYI, I’m only a beginner sewer so if you prefer to do things a better way, feel free.

Supplies

bedsheet

sewing machine (it can be handsewn as well)

stickpins

yardstick or ruler

fabric pen or marker

Start off by cutting off the widest seam on the bedsheet.  Set this to the side  for later.

Next, Fold the sheet in half along the width with the right sides together and anchor it with some fabric weights (I used cans).  Starting at the fold and 40 inches from the open edge (or however long you would like the back to be), draw a straight line that is about 18 inches long.  As you can see, the yardstick is parallel to the open edge.  Then, draw a straight line about the same length, starting at the far right side 40 inches down from the fold. I put red lines on the image to show you how this should look.  These straight lines are made to ensure that the front and back have the same shape.

Next, draw a curved line connecting the two lines (yes, free hand!).  And cut along your one big line.  It should look something like this.

Now take that long strip of fabric we cut earlier from the widest seam.  Fold it in half and with the raw edge closest to the open edge, slip it over this end of the sheet.  Make sure the sides stay even (this will be the headband).  Pin it in place on both sides (do not pin it shut).  Make a small mark on both sides along the pins 6 inches down from the top peak.

Open the khimar and sew from one “six inch” mark to the next, attaching the headband to the khimar (be careful not to sew the khimar shut).  This is the portion that will be on the forehead (about 12 inches in length).  The loose ends will be the ties.  After sewing, you can goto the mirror and “try on” the khimar by tying it behind your head and pull the sides to the front.  Use a safety pin to mark how far you want the khimar to be sewn up under your chin.  No one likes a choking khimar.  If you don’t want to bother with trying it on, just turn the khimar inside out and sew it shut (leave a face opening), starting from the bottom.

I realized I got a better fit by making my line 3 inches from the edge.  Then I sewed it up to the safety pin.  If you need better guidance, turn your khimar inside out, draw a  line along where you want your seam and pin it shut.  Then, sew from the bottom up, removing the pins as you go.

Lastly, hem the bottom of the khimar.  I didn’t bother with pinning, I just turned it up about inch and sewed.

Depending on the size of your sheet, your ties may be too long.  Cut them to your preference, I like mine long so I can tie it easily behind my head.  You can sew the ties shut on end or leave them raw (I left mine raw because this is just a house khimar.  Plus they don’t show because I tie mine under the khimar).

That’s it!  You are done.

* Please do not copy or duplicate this post.  Provide a link if you would like to share.

Interview with Momprenuer Yasmin Begum of Nursing Muslimah

1. What inspired you to start your business? I quit my job when I was 5 months pregnant with my first son. Since then, I have been a stay-at-home mum for about 4 yrs plus. The daily routine of taking care of the kids and the house and the lack of adult interaction finally got to me and I seeked for something which would give me some sense of self.  I toyed with the idea of starting my own business for quite a while but I was not convinced of the business propositions and ideas that came my way. Then “Nursing Muslimah” came along and we have not looked back since. 
2. Briefly describe your business.

   “Nursing Muslimah” is a registered company specializing in a range of nursing wear, including traditional wear such as Nursing Jilbabs and Kurtis. Our range is international – we carry well-known and popular brands such as Adrinis, Fabulous Mom, Milk Nursingwear, La Leche League and Uber Moms as well exclusive items from our own “Nursing Muslimah” label. All our nursing and maternity tops and dresses are ¾ or long-sleeved and they cover well below the knee. Due to requests, we offer modest short sleeved tops as well. 

3. What has been your biggest success?  The acceptance of our products and our loyal membership. We are blessed with a low “unlike” rate from the time we started till now. 
4. Where do you get inspiration for your products?  We put in effort sourcing around for good suppliers as well as working on our existing tops and dresses. We also read up on fashion magazines and women magazines for ideas.
5. What do you think are must-haves for breastfeeding mothers?  Good Nursing Bras, Nursing wear and a nursing cover. These would give a new mom the confidence to feed on the go. A good breast pump is also recommended to help the milk production but nothing is better than direct latching 🙂
6. What is your secret to balancing family and business?  I wish I knew if there is such a secret 😀 I do my best and I have a good business partner (Wahida) who supports me well. We have supportive husbands and we try our best to excel in our roles as wives, mothers and mumpreneurs.  Wahida and myself take over fully on some days so that the other could have a break from the store. 
7. What do you love about being a mom and a momprenuer?  Being a Mumpreneur, I love the flexible timings the most. Although we could end up working the whole day, it is purely at our own time and we are answerable to only ourselves. Being a mom, I love everything about it! Especially, being adored by my 2 boys. 
8. What is typical day like for you?  Currently, I am doing a part time project. So, my hubby and I would drop off the kids in school and go off to our work places. I would come back home earlier and do some household chores or check on the store. Then I go off to pick up the kids and housework continues once they are back till they are asleep. My PC and laptop would be on during the times I am at home to check on the store. While out, I work using my smartphone and address as much customers as I could. Intense “Nursing Muslimah” work would commence once the kids are asleep or hubby takes over. At other times, I run errands once the kids are in school. Well, typically a day similar to any stay-at-home mum, I guess! 🙂
9. How do you recharge?  I love to watch movies and going for a good meal. If time and situation allows, nothing recharges me like going on an overseas trip! 
10. Do you ship international?  Yes, we do.
11. How does ordering work on your website?  Currently, we work by liaising via email from our facebook shop. www.facebook.com/nursingmuslimah. We have ready stocks as well items for pre-order. We work closely with our customers through email and we have regular updates on our wall. Customers could email us their preferred items or inquiries at nursingmuslimah@gmail.com
12. What is next for Nursing Muslimah?  We are currently working on our e-commerce store. We are working on a comprehensive online store which would be accessible to all and not only FB users. Insha Allah, that should be completed in the coming months and ordering would be much easier and seamless. 
13. Please give us your best advice for breastfeeding mothers.  It is not easy and at times it could be demoralizing and depressing. The Almighty knows your efforts and what you are going through. Just give what you have, for a single drop is still better than nothing. Make lots of prayers and supplications and insha allah, the journey would  be smooth and rewarding. 

Why Muslims Should Start a Mommy War

One of the most debated topics in the acclaimed “Mommy Wars” is breastfeeding versus bottle-feeding.  Self-proclaimed “lactivists” proudly stand for breastfeeding while their formula-feeding opponents generally express indifference to the whole issue.  I think it is ludicrous to debate about something that has been around for thousands of years (breastmilk) versus something that has been around for 50 years (formula).  But, I think the discussion is a healthy medium to promote the unmatched benefits of breastfeeding in a society where bottle-feeding is the cultural norm.  This controversy should be brought up in the Muslim community, where encouraging mothers to breastfeed is nearly taboo.  From my experience, sisters are light-hearted about the recommendation to breastfeed in the Quran and are very reluctant to mention the importance of breastfeeding in Islam.  Influenced by popular culture, many Muslims have adopted the myth that formula is superior (or equal) to breastmilk.  Then, there are those who feel that breastfeeding is immodest and should be forfeited to maintain one’s dignity.  Lastly, for many who are first generation Americans, bottle-feeding is a status symbol, a sign that they are truly American.  However, our brothers and sisters are missing out on the barakah of breastfeeding by disregarding this truly forgotten sunnah.  If more of us followed the divine guidance of Allah (swt), we would avoid some of the common perils of artificial feeding such as contamination, constipation and obesity.  As an Ummah, we should do more to encourage each other to breastfeed, providing the perfect form of nourishment for the mind, body and soul of a child.  Insh’Allah, more Muslim mothers will learn about the superior benefits of breastfeeding and will be motivated to adjust their lifestyle appropriately when they do become mothers.  Lastly, we should not neglect or shun the mothers who do commit to breastfeeding their children.  Instead, we should be openly proud and supportive of the fact that they are gaining reward from Allah (swt) “for every drop of breastmilk.“  By promoting breastfeeding, we are not only protecting the health of our children, we are strengthening our families, our community and our future.

12 Reasons Why Breastfeeding is A Fading Art in the Middle East

While doing some research online, I found this intriguing book review by Hannah Katsman from GreenProphet.com.  The book entitled “A Fading Art: Understanding Breastfeeding in the Middle East,” writen by Dr. Modia Batterjee, attributes the high infant mortality rate amongst Muslim countries to the lack of breastfeeding.

She blames formula companies for heavily marketing their products to mothers and healthcare professionals in these countries.  Consequently, bottlefeeding with formula is highly practiced in predominantly Muslim countries such as Pakistan where “the number of feeding bottles sold annually, if placed end to end, would reach Mt. Everest.”  The book focuses a lot on Dr. Batterjee’s study of Saudi women who often do not breastfeed for the following reasons:

• Working outside the home
• Due to lack of breastfeeding women in extended family, women have not observed any relative breastfeeding women
• Traditional, extended family structure is less prominent
• Healthcare workers do not know much about breastfeeding
• Formula companies heavily promote bottlefeeding
• Older generation of women, who did not breastfeed, have influence on younger women

There are also cultural beliefs and practices that prevent women from successfully breastfeeding in the Arab World, which include:

• Women are separated from baby after birth and baby kept in nursery throughout the hospital stay.
  
• Babies are often served formula and/or tea to help soothe their tummy or help them sleep.
• After being supplemented with formula in a bottle, many babies prefer the bottle and will refuse the breast.
• Many women doubt they have a sufficient milk supply and/or do not know the signs of a satiated baby.
• Babies are often not correctly latched-on
• Women are often given pain medications during birth which effects the mother and baby as they initiate breastfeeding

Since I aspire to be a health educator for Muslimahs these articles were very beneficial for me and insh’Allah I can get my hands on a copy of this book.  As brothers and sisters in Islam, this information can help us to understand the factors that prevent our mothers from breastfeeding.  Insh’Allah, more children can benefit from the Barakah of Breastfeeding  and live longer lives.  May Allah (swt) make it easy for us all.   Links to the book review are below.

Part 1

Part 2

Does Breastfeeding Break Wudu?

The first time I saw that sisters were asking this question to scholars online, I laughed.  It has never crossed my mind that breastmilk could be considered  najis.  But after some thinking, I realized that there are many valid reasons to ask this question. Though breastfeeding is not sexual, it is an intimate act of feeding.  And living in a culture where breasts are appreciated more for being erotic than for feeding infants, it is understandable that people will have this idea.  Another reason people may have this doubt is that breastmilk is another body fluid like blood and semen which do compromise wudu.  However, scholars unanimously agree that breastmilk and breastfeeding does not break the mother’s wudu.  See the following links for more info.

My wife is breast feeding my child. I wanted to know if breastfeeding invalidates wudhu, as she sometimes prays straight after having fed our daughter.

Does the milk that comes out of a breastfeeding womans breasts nullify wudu?

Does breastfeeding break wudu?

Article: The Importance of Breastfeeding the Muslim Child

The Importance of Breastfeeding the Muslim Child

This is a great article which basically encompasses a lot of issues I would like to discuss on this blog.  It’s a good read for anyone who is considering breastfeeding or who would like to understand more about why it is important for Muslims to breastfeed.

Oh No! My Child is Turning Two and He is Not Weaned

Many mothers worry if their child is still nursing beyond the age of two years.  As a mother myself, I understand that certain challenges can prevent a child from completely weaning as expected.  However, mothers should not put undue hardship on themselves if their child does not weaned by their second birthday.  In the translation of Surah-Al Ahqaf verse 15, Allah (swt) shows his compassion for mothers, “And We have enjoined upon man, to his parents, good treatment. His mother carried him with hardship and gave birth to him with hardship, and his gestation and weaning [period] is thirty months. [He grows] until, when he reaches maturity and reaches [the age of] forty years, he says, “My Lord, enable me to be grateful for Your favor which You have bestowed upon me and upon my parents and to work righteousness of which You will approve and make righteous for me my offspring. Indeed, I have repented to You, and indeed, I am of the Muslims.”

Naturally, weaning is a gradual process that differs for each child.  While there is a recommendation to breastfeed for two years, there is no obligation to wean at two years.  Also, there are different allowances for the length of time one can breastfeed in Islam.  Please read the following questions answered by qualified scholars to learn more about this issue.

Can I breastfeed after two years, or is it sinful?

What is the minimum age that a child should be breastfed?

Breastfeeding longer than two years in the Shafi Madhab

Is it permissible to breastfeed a child over two years old?

Is it permissible for the mother to breastfeed her child for longer then two years if there is a need?

Great Articles on Weaning:

Weaning: How does it happen?

Natural Weaning

Baby Knows Best: Baby Led Weaning Promotes Healthy Food Preferences

Allah’s Mercy for Breastfeeding Mothers

Many women dread breastfeeding, discouraged by other women’s horror stories of painful sucking, plagues of mastitis and low milk supply. However, these women are an exception to the billions of women who have successfully enjoyed breastfeeding their children. Breastfeeding is a natural experience for mother and baby, and in many ways Allah (swt) has made it easy for us. As the translation of Surah Al-Sharh verse 6 states, “Indeed, with hardship [will be] ease.”

Here are some ways that Allah (swt) shows us mercy:

• Baby first food, the nutrient dense colostrum, is made in the breasts of the mother while she is pregnant. Therefore, the food is ready for whenever he is born.
  

• Milk comes automatically 3-5 days after birth, assuming the woman’s health is normal.
• Breastfeeding helps to prevent postpartum hemorrhage by shrinking the uterus to its pre-pregnancy size.
• Baby born with suckling and rooting reflexes that make it possible for him to breastfeed.
• Baby born with senses (sight, smell, touch) that allow him to find the breast.
• Breastmilk is sterile, meaning it is completely free of germs.
• Montgomery glands on the nipple secrete oils that lubricate, clean and protect the skin.
• Breastmilk is always warm.
• In general, a woman is born with everything she needs to breastfeed, no extra supplies are needed:)
• There are many medical, social and environmental benefits to breastfeeding
• Breastmilk adjusts to child’s nutrient needs
• Breastmilk is inherently regulated by a supply demand system

Preparing Your Child Care Provider for Your Breastfed Child

Six weeks after the birth of my second daughter, I felt pressured to return to work.  I had already started pumping and storing my breastmilk, and was struggling to find openings at daycares close to my home.  I was relieved when my Muslim neighbor informed that she would accept my children into her  licensed, in-home daycare.  She invited me to tour her home and at the end of the visit I told her that my newborn daughter would be fed breastmilk.  In a thick arabic accent she replied “Why do you do this?  You don’t use Good Start?  It’s really good for babies!.”  This should of been a red flag for me, but in a rush to get home, I simply replied “no”, and left.  To make feeding my child easy for her, I thawed the breastmilk overnight and filled sterilized bottles with individual servings.  I tucked a note in my diaper bag with instructions on how to warm the bottle, feed my child and store any leftover milk.    Our children went off to daycare and I went back to work.  However, after a few weeks, my husband and I observed that she was not properly handling the breastmilk which I partly blame myself for because I never addressed her preference for formula or reminded her of the note in the diaper bag.  Eventually, we decided that it would be best for me to quit my stressful nursing job and I became a fulltime stay at home mom, alhamdulilah.  Looking back on this experience, I realize that not only is there a knowledge deficit about breastfeeding in the Muslim community but also among child care providers.  Because working interferes with the nursing relationship, many mothers end up switching to formula when they go back to work.  Consequently, the majority of child care providers have little to no experience with breastfed children.  By preparing yourself and your child’s caregiver, you can ensure that your breastfed child is in good hands.

Choosing a child care provider

• Choose a daycare that is close to your job.  Therefore, you can nurse right before and after work.  Ask your boss if you can leave work to breastfeed on breaks.
• Choose a child care provider who has a positive attitude and supports your plans to continue breastfeeding.  A good caregiver will: allow you to breastfeed on-site before and after work, ask questions, be open to discuss your concerns, help to determine how much milk to serve at each feeding and will communicate any feeding problems.   A quality provider will not ask for back-up formula, express disgust with breastmilk, discourage you or feed your baby right before your arrival (because you will have told them that you want to breastfeed when you get there).
• Choose a provider who has experience with breastfed children or who is at least willing to learn how to handle breastmilk.  Make sure that they are comfortable feeding your child before you rush off to work.

Prepare your child care provider by:

• Making a date to spend a few hours together before you return to work. During this time, she can observe your babies hunger cues and you nursing, discuss any concerns and ask questions. You will be working as team so its important that you have a honest, open relationship.
• Providing written information about the proper handling and storage of human milk.
• Investing in wide-base bottles and teats that resemble the breast.
• Letting her know if you want your child to receive a pacifier for comforting.
• Demonstrating how to feed your baby the bottle. Many breastfed babies bottlefeed easier with the paced feeding method which mimics the natural flow of milk.
• Labeling all bottles with your child’s name and the date the milk was pumped. Some mothers also number the bottles to ensure that they are used before the next is opened.
• Introducing the bottle or cup-feeding to your baby a few weeks before you return to work. If the baby won’t take it from you, have someone else do it at least once a day.
• Showing her how your bottles are put together. Some of the more expensive styles have many parts and can be confusing.
• Asking her if you can store extra milk in the freezer.
• Giving her an opportunity to practice by having her watch the child for at least two short visits before you return to work.
• Discussing how she should feed your infant in case there is an emergency and you are not able to pick-up on time.

Additional Resources

Bottlefeeding Breastfed Babies– Nice article by author and IBCLC

How to Meet the Needs of Breastfed Babies in Childcare– Wonderful PDF, great for providers!

Bottlefeeding a Breastfed Baby: Ideas for Day Care and Others-Short handout PDF

20 Tips for Working and Breastfeeding

Parents Guide to Breastfeeding and Child care Centers

Insh’Allah this information is useful for those Muslimah’s who have to return to work or school.  Please Help Spread the Barakah of Breastfeeding by Following my Blog and telling others about it.