Saving Lives on Shabbos part2 vol. 4, no. 7
Any procedure which the dangerously ill person needs which can certainly wait until after Shabbos should be delayed.
If one needs more light in order to heal a dangerously ill person he may turn on extra lights as he needs. One may also turn on lights if the ill person is afraid of the dark or needs to feel secure that those that are helping him can see properly. If possible one should turn on the lights in a different than normal manner.
It is also permitted to turn off the lights so that the ill person can sleep. However if this can be accomplished relatively easily by moving the ill person to a different room or by covering the lights one should try to do so to avoid desecrating Shabbos.
One may open a refrigerator if he needs to remove something for a dangerously ill person, even if the light will turn on. He should not close the door unless the sick person will require items in the refrigerator later on which must stay refrigerated. In such an instance he should remove the light bulb first before closing the door in order to avoid further Shabbos desecration.
One may adjust the thermostat to raise or lower the temperature if the ill person requires it. One may turn off an air conditioner which disturbs the sick person if changing the direction of the air flow or other changes will not be effective.
For a period of three days after giving birth a woman has the halachic status as a dangerously ill person. Therefore if someone who has a reasonable knowledge of her medical situation would recommend a desecration of Shabbos to sustain the mother’s health one may desecrate Shabbos even if the mother says she does not need it. Even if a doctor says she does not need it but the new mother feels that she does, one may desecrate Shabbos if necessary.
During the next four days one may not desecrate Shabbos for her if she says she does not need it, unless a doctor specifically says that she does. If she does request something which would require a desecration of Shabbos and she is known as an individual who would not request such a desecration unless she really feels that she needs it, one may desecrate Shabbos for her.1
1) Shmiras Shabbos 32
