breastfeeding vegan - b12 deficiency ?

Question

I am breastfeeding my one month old baby. i have been vegan since before i was pregnant however since he was born his weight gain has been slow. I did some research and found out about b12 deficiency causing slow weight gain. I am wondering if any VEGAN moms have had this problem, and if taking a daily b12 supplement corrected the problem, if so, how long did it take??

I am not going to change my eating habits unless his pediatrician recommends it. Please don't waste your time telling me to eat animal products. Thanks for your consideration.

I am going to ask his ped. on mon when her office is open, in meantime i am looking for similar experiences in other vegan moms, just for my own curiosity over the weekend.

Answer 1

I am answering from the perspective of knowing a little about vitamin B-12. I have to do an injection of B-12 once a month, not because I am vegan (I'm not) but because my body cannot absorb vitamin B-12 from food that I eat. It is an easy thing to do, no big deal. So that may be something you need to consider anyway. However, if you yourself are truly deficient in B-12, you need to get it checked out - it can be very serious. Best of luck.

Answer 2

Sometimes it is just a matter of what products you choose to eat. I was a vegetarian while pregnant and breastfeeding and my daughter gained weight better than my 2 friends babies. My friends ate meet and were not able to breastfeed, they had to supplement, I never did. I did eat beans, and milk products however, i was not vegan just vegetarian. There are health food stores that carry vegan products with the protien you and baby will need and that should work very well. See if you have a Seventh Day Adventist Conference office, book and food store near you because you can eat anything they sell. Seventh Day adventist do not eat meat or meat products either.

Answer 3

Why would you ask us when you can ask his pediatrician? You said it yourself.

Can you supplement with some formula? I know to some women this is an insult, but all mothers want the best for their children. There may be something else going on here, and it may have something or nothing to do with you being a vegan.

Before changing anything, check with his pediatrician. While it's easy to look things up online, don't assume that it's the end all.

Answer 4

If you take a vitamin then you'll be fine and it will start gettin in your blood stream. It should start circulating in a few weeks to a month. You shouldn't have to eat any animal products.

Answer 5

It never ceases to amaze me that people steadfastly cling to a dietary regimen that absolutely requires synthetic supplements in lieu of natural sources.

http://www.vegsoc.org/info/b12.html

Wow.

Did any of your research involve "omnivore"?

Answer 6

Yes, true vegans have difficulty getting enough vitamin b-12 which is vital for health. Particularly during pregnancy and infancy. That's because b-12 is also called folic acid, and I am sure you are aware how important that is during pregnancy.

" If, on the other hand, you are consuming no animal protein at all -- no fish, meat, poultry, eggs or dairy products -- you will need to make sure you get enough vitamin B12 to prevent your baby (and you) from becoming deficient in this vitamin. Vitamin B12 supplements and vitamin B12 fortified foods are available. Supplementing your baby with vitamin B12 is an option if you are vitamin B12 deficient, but you would still need the vitamin B12 for yourself (and if you're getting enough, baby won't need the supplement)."

------------

Dietary Sources
The only reliable unfortified sources of vitamin B12 are meat, dairy products and eggs. There has been considerable research into possible plant food sources of B12. Fermented soya products, seaweeds and algae have all been proposed as possible sources of B12. However, analysis of fermented soya products, including tempeh, miso, shoyu and tamari, found no significant B12.

Spirulina, an algae available as a dietary supplement in tablet form, and nori, a seaweed, have both appeared to contain significant amounts of B12 after analysis. However, it is thought that this is due to the presence of compounds structurally similar to B12, known as B12 analogues. These cannot be utilised to satisfy dietary needs. Assay methods used to detect B12 are unable to differentiate between B12 and it's analogues, Analysis of possible B12 sources may give false positive results due to the presence of these analogues.

Researchers have suggested that supposed B12 supplements such as spirulina may in fact increase the risk of B12 deficiency disease, as the B12 analogues can compete with B12 and inhibit metabolism.

The current nutritional consensus is that no plant foods can be relied on as a safe source of vitamin B12.

Bacteria present in the large intestine are able to synthesise B12. In the past, it has been thought that the B12 produced by these colonic bacteria could be absorbed and utilised by humans. However, the bacteria produce B12 too far down the intestine for absorption to occur, B12 not being absorbed through the colon lining.

Human faeces can contain significant B12. A study has shown that a group of Iranian vegans obtained adequate B12 from unwashed vegetables which had been fertilised with human manure. Faecal contamination of vegetables and other plant foods can make a significant contribution to dietary needs, particularly in areas where hygiene standards may be low. This may be responsible for the lack of aneamia due to B12 deficiency in vegan communities in developing countries.

Good sources of vitamin B12 for vegetarians are dairy products or free-range eggs. ½ pint of milk (full fat or semi skimmed) contains 1.2 µg. A slice of vegetarian cheddar cheese (40g) contains 0.5 µg. A boiled egg contains 0.7 µg. Fermentation in the manufacture of yoghurt destroys much of the B12 present. Boiling milk can also destroy much of the B12.

Vegans are recommended to ensure their diet includes foods fortified with vitamin B12. A range of B12 fortified foods are available. These include yeast extracts, Vecon vegetable stock, veggieburger mixes, textured vegetable protein, soya milks, vegetable and sunflower margarines, and breakfast cereals.

http://www.vegsoc.org/info/b12.html

Reference Nutrient Intakes for Vitamin B12, µg/day. (1000 µg = 1mg)

Age RNI
0 to 6 months 0.3 µg
7 to 12 months 0.4 µg
1 to 3 yrs0.5 µg
4 to 6 yrs0.8 µg
7 to 10 yrs 1.0 µg
11 to 14 yrs1.2 µg
15 + yrs 1.5 µg
Breast feeding women 2.0 µg

-----------------------

When adults adopt a strict vegetarian diet, deficiency symptoms can be slow to appear. It may take years to deplete normal body stores of vitamin B12. However, breast-fed infants of women who follow strict vegetarian diets have very limited reserves of vitamin B12 and can develop a vitamin B12 deficiency within months [7]. This is of particular concern because undetected and untreated vitamin B12 deficiency in infants can result in permanent neurologic damage. Consequences of such neurologic damage are severe and can be irreversible. There are many case reports in the literature of infants and children who suffered consequences of vitamin B12 deficiency. It is very important for mothers who follow a strict vegetarian diet to consult with a pediatrician regarding appropriate use of vitamin B12 supplements for their infants and children [7].