Birth Archives - AskTheRav

I’m due for a baby a couple days after Rosh Hashanah. I usually run late. If I go into labor on Yom Kippur…

...What is allowed in regard to drinking/eating, showering, or anything else to ease that time? Once active labor has begun you should drink regularly - not small amounts at…

Should the man light Shabbos candles the first Shabbos after birth if the wife already got back home?

No. המנהג הובא בשוע"ר סי' רסג, ה, אך ראה הגהות לסידור רבינו הזקן ע׳ כח. ומשמע שם שזוהי הוראת אדה״ז והצ״צ. וראה הנסמן בקיצור דיני ומנהגי נש״ק ה,…

I am making meals for Shabbos for several kimpatur, plus a meal during the week for another kimpatur (Shifra & Puah). I want to know if I may use Maaser money to buy the ingredients needed to cook the food?

Making food for such a mother would be considered a non-obligatory Mitzvah and therefore would be allowed to be paid for from Maaser funds (and you do not need to…

When one had a baby boy and did not say הטוב והמטיב immediately, what is the time limit to making this Bracha? (Same question with regard to שהחיינו for a baby girl).

So long the Simcha is still fresh and strong. טעמים ומקורות: כמה שיטות בדבר, ראה בהנסמן לקמן. וההכרעה כבפנים: ראה מו״ק להיעב״ץ רכד. פמ״ג בא״א רכג, ג. משנ״ב…

Can a baby boy wear gender neutral clothing that a baby girl has worn before?

Yes. However, the very first garment after birth should not be one that the opposite gender has worn before. In today’s day and age where mothers give birth in the hospital, people…

שאלה: האם יש התייחסות מהרבי להשקלא וטריא אם ללדת בבית או בבית הרפואה?

תשובה בשיחת י״ט כסלו תשמ״ז (סה״ש תשמ״ז א ע׳ 146 ובהערה 10) בקשר עם תליית שיר המעלות בבית הרפואה, נזכר בדרך אגב, ש״בימינו אלה מסיבות רפואיות יולדות הנשים בבית…

Can one make a Shehechiyanu on the birth of a baby girl during Sefiras Haomer?

Yes. Sources: ובמכ״ש מבין המצרים כשיפסיד הברכה - ראה שו״ע או״ח תקנא, יז. רמ״א שם. ולהדיא כתב כן בסי׳ יעב״ץ דיני ביהמ״צ ח, ברואה חבירו ביהמ״צ. וראה גם…

Regarding a Kiddush for my daughter’s birth, can I do it on Friday night after the meal? Similarly, can I do it during the week?

The custom of hosting a celebratory feast for the birth of a daughter has early origins. The Gemoro in Bava Basra (91a) states that Boaz had thirty sons and…

Is it In accordance with the code of Jewish law for an unmarried 37 year old Jewish woman to go through the procedure of having her eggs frozen?

First of all, I want to give her a Brocha that she find her Bashert very soon so this answer will only have to be theoretical. There is room…

I am pregnant and have had to do an ultrasound as per Dr request. In such cases, should I ask the technician specifically not to tell me the baby’s gender? In other words is there a Makor for not finding out before birth?

One should avoid discovering the gender of the fetus. Sources: ראה ב״ר סה, יב: שבעה דברים מכוסים מבני אדם וכו׳ ואין אדם יודע מה בעבורה של אשה. וכ״ה…

Can one bring a Shir Hamolas card into the labor room to be visible during labor (for the woman to feel safer)? Can it be see through? Would these issues apply to a picture of a Tzadik?

It must be covered with two covers, one of then not visible. This does not apply according to Halacha to a picture of a Tzadik. Nonetheless, Chassidim have a…

At what point can one consider a woman a Yoledes and can start calling a taxi and do Melachos with a Shinui?

See here and here.

לאחד מהמקורבים שלנו נולדו בן ובת תאומים, הם רוצים לקיים מנהג ישראל לעשות סעודת הודאה/קידוש לכבוד הבת, האם יכולים לצאת ידי חובה בסעודת הברית בתור סעודת הודאה על הבת או צריכים אירוע נפרד?

יש לעשות קידוש או סעודה בנפרד, או לפחות כשאי אפשר או כשיש צורך - לייחד משהו מיוחד (תבשיל מיוחד, אורח מיוחד וכו׳) בסעודת הברית עבור - ולזכות - הבת. …

What is the Chabad Minhag in regarding purchasing new items for a baby before he/she were born. And does it also apply to things that are necessary immediately after leaving the hospital?

Although some have the custom to refrain from buying clothing and other items for a baby until it is born, there is no explicit Torah source supporting this tradition.…

Is it Minhag Chabad to say Shecheyanu when a father first holds his baby daughter?

He should say Shecheyanu when he sees her for the first time. Sources: סדר ברה״נ יב, יב. יש הטוענים שמנהג חסידים לא לברך. וכמדומה גם הגרמ״ש ע״ה אשכנזי מסר…

What is the Minhag/Halacha for Anash regarding making a Brocha on the birth of a child? The mother saying Hagomel upon giving birth?

The Brocha for a boy - Hatov V'hameytiv immediately upon hearing the news. For a girl - Shecheyanu when seeing the baby. The mother should wait till she could…

I have seen about the Chiyuv Aliya a husband has when the wife goes to Shul the first time after birth, and after 40 days from birth etc. What do we do in practice? My wife had a baby few days ago and went to Shul for Mincha today already. When do I need Aliyos, besides the Shabbos before and day of the Bris?

These Minhagim should be kept. If she already went to Shul, then you should have an Aliya the next opportunity, which will anyhow be the Shabbos before the Bris. Since…

It is brought in Tzava’as Rebbi Yehuda Hachassid that a mother should start nursing on the left side. Is this the practice L’poel too?

Yes, where possible. Sources: יוסיפון יא. צוואת ריה״ח נה. שיירי כנה״ג יו״ד קעט, בהגה״ט ל. שבעים תמרים סט. כה״ח או״ח של, נז. שם יו״ד קטז, קמט. שו״ת בא״מ ח,…

Is the Halacha different regarding Onos that are within a couple of months post birth? Must they all be kept? Is the difference only regarding Veses Kavua. How does it work?

After a birth one must keep the Onos (Hachodesh, Beinoni, Hafloga) only after she started having her period again (which usually will not happening for a couple of months…