If a woman is Vegan & has a child that they want to raise Vegan does that mean they can't breast feed?

Question

I ask because breast feeding is just giving the child the milk from an animal. Sentient or not.

Answer 1

Breast milk was MADE for the baby. Vegans (in most cases anyway) don't drink cows milk because they feel it was created for baby cows, not humans and that it's not our right as humans to take from the cow. Basically. I'm not vegan, so if I'm off base here, I apologize.

In any case, from what I understand of veganism, they have no qualms about kittens nursing from cats, calves nursing from cows, or baby humans nursing from their human moms. It's how nature intended it.

Answer 2

Veganism is a philosophy and lifestyle. Vegans don't like the idea of taking milk (and other products) from, for example, a cow because it was not intended to be consumed by humans so in a way "stealing" from the animal. It's the principle.
With this in mind it's prefectly acceptable for a human baby to breast feed from it's mother and still be vegan as that's what nature intended (the breast feeding not the being vegan).

Answer 3

Breast feeding is giving the child milk from it's mother, not from another individual and not from another species.

Humans are the only species that consume the milk of another species. And then we wonder why we have so many health problems.

Breastfeed is safe, natural and healthy for a baby. In fact, it's the perfect food for an infant. As such, it fits with the vegan lifestyle and is generally the preferred choice.

Answer 4

Oh brother! Yes, vegan's breastfeed. A mother feeding her baby is not causing suffering or exploitation of another animal and is a totally natural thing to do.

I have to question some of these answers you are getting though. Humans are animals. Human is a species of animal just like a tiger is a species. I didn't realize so many people skipped that day in Biology class.

Answer 5

I believe the vegan philosophy is that you don't take ANOTHER creature's milk or other by-products, but use your own (breast milk) to feed the baby. As far as I know, animals give milk only when they're pregnant, which goes to prove that milk produced naturally is intended for offsprings only.

Answer 6

Cheers - that's almost clever.
I'm a vegan. The reason for being vegan, for most people, is the keeping in captivity and mistreatment of animals. The idea is we don't want to support it. Breast feeding doesn't have anything to do with that.

Answer 7

Of course it is allowed.

Vegans don't use cow's milk because it would be stealing something that belongs to the cow and because it would be supporting the dairy industry which does a lot of harm to animals.

On the other hand, a woman's milk belongs to her, and so she is free to give it to her baby (as she should), and doing so harms no one and there is no theft.

You wouldn't be very happy if I stole from your wallet to treat myself to dinner out. Yet I am perfectly free to use my own money to do so. Same thing with milk - a woman is free to give away what her own body produces, but not take from others who don't have the ability to consent to giving the gift.

Answer 8

Unfortunately, I've heard of some extremists. which is rather redundant when you say "vegan", that think soy formula is better than mother's milk.

Human milk is the optimal food for human beings. Anyone who would deny an infant mother's milk needs psychological help rather urgently.

What's absurd are all the answers claiming human beings aren't animals. I wonder what other option they pick, vegetable or mineral? But since being vegan means denying you are an omnivorous animal in the first place, I guess it's not surprising to pretend we aren't really animals.

Don't get me wrong, a vegetarian diet that contains animal derived foods like milk and eggs that do no require killing is perfectly healthy and valid.

Answer 9

What's wrong with you? Breast milk is the best thing ON EARTH for a baby! All the antibodies it needs come from the mother's breast milk. It's a food! A food a baby requires to give it the best chance to build antibodies; to support growth and bone development; and to bond absolutely with its mother. Don't be a grockel! Being a vegan has nothing to do with mother's milk - it's nothing (in any way, shape or form) like cows milk! Give that baby titty and watch it thrive! :-}

Answer 10

No, it does not mean that. Milk exists for a reason. It's for feeding your own offspring. Vegans wouldn't give milk from other animals to their children, but they would give their own to their children because that's what it's for, and it's natural. And despite what other people has said, we ARE animals, just like every other living creature on this planet.