Do Vegans really believe this?

Question

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070509/ap_on_re_us/vegans_baby_death;_ylt=At9i4SPpfmwoNDOxQWVcBpFvzwcF

Is not breastfeeding your child because breastmilk comes from the human animal taking vegan philosophy too far? Personally, I'm appalled that anyone would be so arrogant as to use any philosophy as a justification for not taking their child to a doctor and starving their child to death, but that's just me. I'm not vegan, so I'm asking for an honest and informed answer:

--Does veganism mean not going to a doctor?
--Does being vegan mean that soy-based formulas are also out of the question?
--Do any other vegans out there think that these parents were just ignorant, or that they were deliberately neglectful?
--What can other vegan parents do to avoid malnourishing and/or undernourishing their kids?

I do have something of an idea of what being vegan entails... However, the article states that these people used being vegan as a reason for why they never took their child to a doctor, why they fed the baby as they did, and so on. Since I only know the very minimum of what goes into being vegan (the diet) and not the nitty-gritty of the lifestyle, I asked these article-specific questions.

I am not ignorant; by asking questions like these, I am proving that. Had I been truly ignorant, I would never have asked the questions at all.

Answer 1

I am vegan.

I would and do take my child to the doctor when he is sick.
I do not see how breastfeeding is "against the vegan code of ethics" seeing as how vegans are trying not to exploit ANIMALS, if they thing a breastfeeding child is exploiting its own mother, then wouldn't pregnancy alone be violation enough?? I think soy-based formulas would be an Ok thing to do, if say, breastfeeding failed for some reason. I'm sure there are even Vegan formulas out there (ones that do not contain ANY dairy by-products).
I think these parents were using their veganism (actually, they followed a "Macrobiotic" diet, which is much stricter even than veganism) as some sort of excuse, or maybe they really were that ignorant.. And the guy who came up with the whole macrobiotic thing even said, this diet is not for growing children.
Vegan parents can follow a healthy diet themselves, look at the food pyramid. Whereever there is an animal product, it can be replaced with some mixture of protein, fat, etc. For example, meats can be replaced with nuts, beans, soy, etc. Children should be fed a wide variety of fruits and vegetables anyways, and whole grains, legumes, nuts, etc shouldn't be overlooked as they often are in this Fast Food Nation.

I am vegan, have been for 3 years. Prior to that, I was a vegetarian since the age of 10. I do my research and have had very good health. I hope to encourage my son to embrace a vegan lifestyle as well.

Answer 2

Dogs are omnivores and can be fed a diet of vegetable and fruit based dog food. So vegans can feed their dogs a healthy vegan diet as well. No, it's not unhealthy to feed your dog a diet that lacks in meat. Dogs are like people and can live a healthy life without any meat. Cats on the other hand are carnivores but can still be fed a diet consisting of plant matter. In the wild a feline will eat quite a lot of plants to supplement their diet. Also vegan cat food is scientifically designed to benefit a cat’s physical growth. Vegans tend to be people that care for the wellbeing of animals. So when it comes to adopting an animal, vegans don’t normally shy away from the opportunity. A "true vegan" would want what’s best for the animal. And if they can provide the animal with food, shelter, attention, then there's no reason for the "true vegan" to shy away from the opportunity, especially if they're animal lovers.

Answer 3

There are many, many ways to lead a vegan lifestyle without malnourishing anyone. If any vegan refuses to breast feed for the reasons you mentioned I am shocked. They do not know the reasons behind being vegan very well, do they? And as soy is a vegetable, I am sure no vegan would have a problem with soy based formula, so long as it didn't contain other animal products. I am not a vegan, but I have many friends who are, and from what they've told me, the vast majority of vegans choose not to consume or use animal products because of the terrible ways those animals are treated in captivity and/or because they do not believe its right to kill another living creature for food. Human breast milk does not come from captivity, nor does any living creature die from it, so it shouldn't be a problem for vegans. Many will site the health benefits of a vegan lifestyle, which can be many if veganism is practiced correctly, but I have never known a vegan who chooses that road purely for the health reasons.

Answer 4

Vegans don't believe that. Crazy people believe that. If the mother is vegan, the breastmilk is.

Vegans go to the doctor if they need to, although many aren't as medicine happy as most people are
Some soy formula has animal derivatives, but there is soy formula that doesn't
I think they were stupid and/or cruel. They should definitely go to jail.
Being malnourished isn't a problem for an infant if he/she is being breastfed or formula fed and fed ENOUGH. When they get older, you should see a dietician unless you know FOR A FACT that you know what to feed your child

Answer 5

im not vegan but i know that they don't believe that. vegans believe that we should not use things that come from animals. like cows milk is meant for calfs, breastmilk is meant for babies. also i don't know what you are talking about for the doctor. doctors have nothing to do with being a vegan. and also the soy based formula is what a vegan would use for their child if they were not going to breastfeed because the others have cows milk. if anyone here is ingnorant, it is you and you should stop believing things that are not facts

Answer 6

Many of the newstories about that baby state that she WAS breastfeeding as well. Also one news story said she had NO food in the kitchen, not for her, the baby or her husband.

These people are clearly insane.

"The kitchen cupboards in the parents’ apartment were empty at the time."
http://www.wsbtv.com/news/13245543/detail.html

"The mother initially told police she fed her baby organic apple juice and soy milk. But the soy milk containers in her apartment clearly state that soy milk is not to be used as a substitute for baby formula, her lawyer admitted. At trial, the mom said she also fed her son breast milk and soy milk formula."
http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/atlanta/stories/2007/05/02/0503metvegan.html

Also their baby was 3.5 lbs you have to have seen that baby starve. I mean it probably weighed at least 6 lbs at birth.

Answer 7

i know some Vegans, they breastfeed, go to the doctor, i think it's like anything, all Mormons do not believe in having more then one wife only a few, I would not judge all vegans, by the ignorance of a select few

Answer 8

Have you not heard the story of the two vegans who were just sentenced to life in prision because their 6 week old died of malnutrition due to they were only feeding him soy milk and apple juice.

Answer 9

I don't think this was right on the parents part. But then again who are we to judge these people. they had firm beliefs. Again I don't think it was right. but if you read the article it says he was on soy based formula, In my opinion they use horrible judgement and obviously didn't see there child loosing hella wieght

Answer 10

From the story...
"No matter how many times they want to say, 'We're vegans, we're vegetarians,' that's not the issue in this case," said prosecutor Chuck Boring. "The child died because he was not fed. Period."

That is a pretty clear response to your question.