Can You Still Participate in the Nativity Fast While Pregnant or Nursing?
I can hardly believe the end of the year is here. Less than 2 months, at the time of writing, and 2025 comes to an end. For Orthodox Christians, this means the Nativity fast (also known as Advent) is right around the corner.
If you’re here, chances are that you are either pregnant, nursing, or both, and you’re wondering whether you should or even can follow the prescribed fast of the Church. Well, you’re in the right place! As a mother to four children, aged 7 years and younger, a priest's wife, and an Orthodox Christian, my whole life, I think this is a wonderful conversation to have. Of course, this shouldn’t be in place of a conversation with your parish priest or spiritual father; merely this adds to the discussion.
Can pregnant or nursing mothers fast? Should we? What is the fast really about? Why do we have to fast when the rest of the world is celebrating *before* the feast of Christmas? How can we remember the spirit of the fast without missing out on essential nutrients required for growing another human, whether in the womb or out?
Let’s dive in.
What is the Nativity Fast
Just like Great Lent prepares us for Holy Pascha, the Nativity Fast helps prepare our hearts, minds, and souls for the coming of the Christ child. As the world celebrates Christmas from now until December 25th and then stops all festivities immediately on the 26th, we set ourselves apart by slowing down and intentionally preparing for the feast, rather than celebrating the feast *before* the feast.
Unlike Great Lent, the Nativity fast has less strict fasting rules. For the majority of the fast, we abstain from meat, poultry, dairy, and eggs, but can still consume all seafood, wine, and oil on every day but Wednesday and Friday.
So, while the world indulges in every fancy it likes, we focus on fasting to help us draw closer to Christ and depend more fully on Him than on our own strength. But does this include pregnant and nursing mothers? Most say no.
Should Pregnant or Nursing Mothers Follow the Nativity Fast?
I wrote an article here, thoroughly discussing fasting while pregnant or nursing. But I will reiterate here: the Antiochian Archdiocese states, “The Church has always provided dispensations from fasting regarding specific illnesses, the very young and old, pregnant women and nursing mothers. Yes, children are growing but can do some level of fasting. Where your family is at in the fasting discipline is what needs to be determined with your parish priest (or spiritual father).”
So while we may want to fast out of our own ascetism, it’s not only not recommended by the church, but expert dieticians do not recommend a vegan diet while pregnant and nursing.
Lily Nichols, RDN, states, “The following nutrients are challenging to obtain from a vegetarian diet:
Vitamin B12
Choline
Glycine
Preformed vitamin A (retinol)
Vitamin K2
DHA
Iron
Zinc
If you follow a strictly vegan diet, meaning you consume absolutely no animal foods—no meat, poultry, fish, dairy, or eggs—some of these nutrients may be impossible to obtain from your diet.”
These essential nutrients are necessary for the mother and baby during pregnancy and breastfeeding. And though you may be able to grow a baby on a vegan diet, your pregnancy will likely be harder and your recovery much longer because you don’t have the nutrient stores required to grow and nourish a brand new human and heal from pregnancy and birth.
With that being said, there must be a way to observe the spirit of the fast while still nourishing your body and not feeling burdened from making multiple meals for your family.
Fasting Is About More Than Food
I remember in seminary when I talked with other mothers about the demands of pregnancy, caring for a home, working, and the need to prepare multiple meals, both fast-friendly and non-fast-friendly. I was working full-time as a labor and delivery nurse, and I just had zero energy to make multiple meal options.
Luckily, my spiritual father at the time encouraged me to simplify meals and just make what I could eat. No need to overcomplicate it. He also reminded me that fasting isn’t just about what goes into our mouths, but what comes out. If you follow the fast to a tee but your health and baby suffer, are you really glorifying God and honoring the life he has given you to protect?
So, while I still tried to make at least dinner fast-friendly, I lowered my expectations and realized fasting is about so much more than food.
9 Ways to Observe a Modified Nativity Fast
Eight years into motherhood, marked by constant pregnancy and breastfeeding, I have found ways to observe the fast that work more on my heart while I still must nourish my body and baby.
I hope you glean some ideas to pray about and discuss with your spiritual father.
Abstain from bacon, pork, or extravagant cuts of meat like steak
This may sound silly, but as someone who loves bacon, it takes sacrifice to abstain from these fancier meats. I can still get the nutrients needed from other animal products, so for me, this allows me to “die to self” and eat basic animal products when necessary
Limit sweets or give them up altogether
I have a major sweet tooth, though I am working on changing that! But, again, if we are trying to dull the passion of gluttony and sweets leads you to sin, then perhaps limiting those is a good step to take. Because the truth is, sweets provide no nutritional support and are just empty calories – unless you’re making homemade fresh milled, sourdough cookies, which I don’t think majority of people are…
Keep meals simple
This is one tip that has changed food prep in my home. We stick to about 14 or so basic meals and just rotate them throughout the fast. I choose meals I know my family loves and try not to stress out about lack of variety. If there is a protein and veggie component, we fill the gaps with sourdough bread and call it good.
I want to make a note about pregnany nausea/vomiting/food aversions. If you are in this season during the fast, please do not feel guilty for eating whatever you need to to survive the few months of sickness. For some moms, that means eating ice cream every day, which is their only significant source of calories. For other mom’s it may be ground beef as a daily staple. Ultimately, you must eat what you can to nourish your body, and your fast may simply be not complaining or turning every wave of nausea into thanksgiving. Check out this blog if you’re stumped on what to eat during your first trimester.
Make dinner meat-free
This is especially easy during the Nativity fast when seafood is allowed majority of days. If you focus on getting your “non-fast-friendly” foods in during breakfast and lunch, you can easily have a meat free dinner and not worry that you’re suffering on nutrients. But, if its a matter of food aversions or nausea, simply cook what you can and leave the animal protein on the side so your fasting family members can exclude it if they choose to.
Include more seafood rather than red meat for the fasting season
Like I said, seafood is blessed majority of days of the Nativity fast, so lean into it! Lily Nichols, RDN, writes, “Aside from DHA, fatty fish and seafood are among the few foods rich in vitamin D, a nutrient that most pregnant women are deficient in. Seafood also contains many trace minerals, including iodine, zinc, and selenium. Iodine needs are increased by 50% during pregnancy and deficiency is common. Iodine is necessary for normal thyroid function in both mother and fetus, and is essential to healthy brain development.” Real Food For Pregnancy
Remember to keep large fish to a single 6oz portion per week, so as not to increase chances of mercury poisoning. But there are still SO many options that are both nourishing and easy to prepare. Some of my favorites are shrimp, salmon, tilapia, sardines, and tune (in moderation). I’m also planning on working with clams and oysters this fast as well.
Include organ meat supplements or collagen/gelatin powders
If you really don’t want to cook meat during the fast (or can’t tolerate it because of nausea), you can always lean back on a good organ meat supplement. Yes, you can argue you’re still consuming meat, but like I said, you need to! And an organ meat complex is a great way to fill in the gaps. I like this one from Paleo Valley or this one from Ancient Nutrition.
I also love adding collagen and gelatin hot drinks this time of year. It’s a great way to make sure you’re getting enough protein in your day.
Add more prayers/scripture into my day
The season of the Fast is meant to prepare our hearts for Christ’s coming, what better way than to talk with Him through the Holy Scriptures. Whether that’s with a physical Bible in hand while sipping a warm drink or listening to an audio version while doing the dishes or reading on your phone while nursing the baby, the Bible is SO accessible.
Additionally, there are many great apps that make the prayers of the Church accessbile. Ancient Faith, Patristic Nectar, Ekonia, just to name a few.
Listen to a theological book instead of a secular book during the fast
I am an audio book fiend. I’m sure you can relate to the little time spent sitting as a mother. That’s why I prefer audio books. One resource I absolutely love is called, Athonite Audio, on Spotify. He has recorded hundreds of spiritual books and it’s free to listen! It’s under the podcast tab so you don’t even have to have Spotify premium.
I know Audible also has a few Orthodox books as does Patristic Nectar. You could also pause your secular podcasts and choose more Orthodox focused discussions for the season.
Don’t get involved in the hustle of the “season”
This one if very important any time of year. The world tells us to speed up, consume, don’t worry, and the Church tells us to slow down, breathe, and pray. So, while it’s easy to celebrate the feast before the feast, try not to. Live in this moment, preparing for the Nativity of our Lord. That doesn’t mean don’t set up the Christmas tree or engage in some holiday traditions, but push back on the idea of this time of year being stressful and find the joy and peace instead.
Pregnancy and Nursing Is Not the Time to Follow a Strict Fast but You Can Still Follow the Spirit of the Nativity Fast
I firmly believe that the reason St. Paul says women will be saved through childbearing (1 Timothy 2:15) is not simply through the labor and birth process. You are given your whole pregnancy, labor, birth, and motherhood as an opportunity to find sanctification. And not observing the strict fast is a dispensation because the Church, in her wisdom, knows this better than we do.
But this doesn’t mean we should throw away the spirit of the fast. We can still find slowness, peace, and thankfulness for our Sweet Jesus’ coming to earth. What a magnificent gift to be pregnant or nursing during this time! You can relate so deeply to Mary, the Theotokos.
Don’t let this season pass you by without finding the true meaning of the fast, love and service to our good Lord who deigned to be incarnate for our sakes.
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