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

Sources

• ✓ 65:6 · At-Talaaq

  65:6 · Muhammad Marmaduke Pickthall

  أَسْكِنُوهُنَّ مِنْ حَيْثُ سَكَنتُم مِّن وُجْدِكُمْ وَلَا تُضَآرُّوهُنَّ لِتُضَيِّقُوا۟ عَلَيْهِنَّ ۚ وَإِن كُنَّ أُو۟لَٰتِ حَمْلٍۢ فَأَنفِقُوا۟ عَلَيْهِنَّ حَتَّىٰ يَضَعْنَ حَمْلَهُنَّ ۚ فَإِنْ أَرْضَعْنَ لَكُمْ فَـَٔاتُوهُنَّ أُجُورَهُنَّ ۖ وَأْتَمِرُوا۟ بَيْنَكُم بِمَعْرُوفٍۢ ۖ وَإِن تَعَاسَرْتُمْ فَسَتُرْضِعُ لَهُۥٓ أُخْرَىٰ

  Lodge them where ye dwell, according to your wealth, and harass them not so as to straiten life for them. And if they are with child, then spend for them till they bring forth their burden. Then, if they give suck for you, give them their due payment and consult together in kindness; but if ye make difficulties for one another, then let some other woman give suck for him (the father of the child).

• ✓ 2:233 · Al-Baqara

  2:233 · Muhammad Marmaduke Pickthall

  ۞ وَٱلْوَٰلِدَٰتُ يُرْضِعْنَ أَوْلَٰدَهُنَّ حَوْلَيْنِ كَامِلَيْنِ ۖ لِمَنْ أَرَادَ أَن يُتِمَّ ٱلرَّضَاعَةَ ۚ وَعَلَى ٱلْمَوْلُودِ لَهُۥ رِزْقُهُنَّ وَكِسْوَتُهُنَّ بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ ۚ لَا تُكَلَّفُ نَفْسٌ إِلَّا وُسْعَهَا ۚ لَا تُضَآرَّ وَٰلِدَةٌۢ بِوَلَدِهَا وَلَا مَوْلُودٌۭ لَّهُۥ بِوَلَدِهِۦ ۚ وَعَلَى ٱلْوَارِثِ مِثْلُ ذَٰلِكَ ۗ فَإِنْ أَرَادَا فِصَالًا عَن تَرَاضٍۢ مِّنْهُمَا وَتَشَاوُرٍۢ فَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْهِمَا ۗ وَإِنْ أَرَدتُّمْ أَن تَسْتَرْضِعُوٓا۟ أَوْلَٰدَكُمْ فَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكُمْ إِذَا سَلَّمْتُم مَّآ ءَاتَيْتُم بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ ۗ وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَٱعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌۭ

  Mothers shall suckle their children for two whole years; (that is) for those who wish to complete the suckling. The duty of feeding and clothing nursing mothers in a seemly manner is upon the father of the child. No-one should be charged beyond his capacity. A mother should not be made to suffer because of her child, nor should he to whom the child is born (be made to suffer) because of his child. And on the (father's) heir is incumbent the like of that (which was incumbent on the father). If they desire to wean the child by mutual consent and (after) consultation, it is no sin for them; and if ye wish to give your children out to nurse, it is no sin for you, provide that ye pay what is due from you in kindness. Observe your duty to Allah, and know that Allah is Seer of what ye do.

• ✓ Tafsir Ibn Kathir on 2:233

  Sunni

  Tafsir Ibn Kathir · 2:233

  This verse provides divine guidance to mothers about breastfeeding: they are instructed to nurse their children for the full period of nursing, which is two years. Breastfeeding beyond two years does not establish any legal kinship ties that prohibit marriage or other consequences derived from suckling. This is why the verse says, “for those who wish to complete the nursing,” emphasizing that nursing only creates legal bonds if it occurs before the child is two years old. Most scholars agree that breastfeeding can only create prohibitions when it happens before two years of age. If the child is suckled beyond that age, no prohibitions result. Tirmidhi narrated a hadith, transmitted through reliable chains, where the Prophet ﷺ said, “Breastfeeding only creates prohibitions when it causes the intestines to split within the breast and this occurs before weaning.” Tirmidhi considered this hadith hasan sahih and that the majority of scholars acted upon it. This means that suckling after two lunar years does not cause legal prohibitions by suckling. Supporting this are various reports that the Prophet ﷺ said about his son Ibrahim, who died at about one year and ten months, “He has a wet nurse in Paradise,” implying the completion of the nursing period, which supports the idea that nursing is valid only up to two years. Other chains from Ibn Abbas and others affirm this view, stating explicitly that prohibitions from suckling apply only during the first two years. Some companions and early scholars, including Ali, Ibn Abbas, and others, maintained that breastfeeding beyond two years does not prohibit marriage. The main scholarly consensus (jumhūr) supports this, including the major madhhabs of Shafi‘i, Ahmad, Ishaq, and others, with minor variations in the exact length allowed: generally around two years or slightly more, some up to three years. Abu Hanifa allowed up to two years and six months, and some reported up to three years based on different narrations. Maliki jurists have stated that if the child is weaned before two years and then breastfed afterward, no prohibitions result because the child is like one who has taken solid food. Umar and Ali reportedly viewed that no prohibitions arise after weaning. Aisha, the Prophet’s wife, reportedly observed that suckling an older child does have prohibitive effect, aligning with scholars like ‘Ata and Al-Layth. She would sometimes arrange for women to just suckle chosen men to create such bonds, illustrating a practice based on hadith of the Prophet ﷺ commanding the wet nurse of Abu Hudhayfa to nurse him even if he was older. However, other wives of the Prophet rejected this, and the general scholarly view trends towards no prohibitions result after two years. The verse also addresses the financial obligations arising from nursing: “And on the father is the provision for the mothers and their clothing according to what is acceptable.” This means the father must support the nursing mothers’ living expenses and clothing suitably without extravagance or stinginess, according to his means. The phrase “No mother should be harmed through her child” means she should not be forced to refuse nursing the child if it would harm the father’s ability to care for the child. But once the child is able to survive without nursing, the mother may refuse if she wishes, provided it does not cause harm to the father. Neither side may harm the other unjustly in this respect. Moreover, “nor should a child be taken from its mother” refers to the father not being allowed to remove the child from the mother to cause her harm. This is the understanding of early scholars like Mujahid, Qatadah, and others. Regarding maintenance of the mother, the inheritor is responsible to do the same as the father did, according to various scholarly opinions. The majority hold that the inheritor must maintain the mother’s rights fairly and avoid causing her harm. This ruling is supported by narrations from early generations, including Umar ibn al-Khattab. There is a report about possible harm from breastfeeding beyond two years, either physically or mentally, and a story from al-Thawri about seeing a woman nursing after two years and advising against it. The verse also sets terms for weaning by mutual agreement: if the parents consult and agree to wean the child before two years because they see it benefits the child, there is no blame. Both must agree, and one cannot act alone without consultation. This is a merciful concession from Allah to protect the child’s interest and ensure parents collaborate in childcare decisions. If the parents wish to arrange for another woman to breastfeed their child, there is no blame if they mutually agree on the terms and the payment offered is fair and accepted. This applies when the mother cannot or should not continue nursing and the father and mother consent. The verse closes with a reminder to fear Allah and be mindful of His watchfulness over all deeds — meaning that people should obey these rulings sincerely and with consciousness of God’s knowledge of their actions.