Do vegan parents breastfeed their babies?

Question

I mean humans are animals, and that of course means breastmilk comes from an animal so what do you think.

Oh and I am asking vegans here not people who are gonna say "Of course they can since the female isn't tortured while she breastfeeds" or some dumb crap like that.

Oh and I know vegans don't drink milk, and since technically cows aren't whipped or beaten while they are being milked it doesn't torture them, you can't say what I just quoted above.

Answer 1

This question about breastfeeding has been asked about three times within the last day. As for cows not being tortured, heh, go tell that to the cow that was force fed hormones, artificially inseminated, and then had it's calf taken away to a slaughter house within 24 hours of birth.

You have a total misconception of vegans. True, vegans do not eat any animals or animal by-products because we don't want to contribute to the suffering of other creatures. There's no way for a vegan to tell if free-range or organic farms are actually cruelty free so we avoid them all. A mother breast feeding her milk is something completely differernt though. There is no suffering, you are doing what is expected of you as a mother. Vegans should encourage breastfeeding. That's the only way to give your baby what a human baby truly needs as far as nutrients. I personally don't understand why some women want to give their child another animal's milk instead of their own. If I had a child, I would breastfeed it and wouldn't even dare try to give it a cow's milk because that milk is meant for a calf, just as my milk would be meant for my baby.

Answer 2

to the above poster, that infant died because all its parents were feeding it were soy and apple juice. those parents were stupid and neglectful, yet it had nothing to do with vegan or not vegan. if they were not vegan and only feeding the kid soy and apple juice, the kid would die just the same.

there are plenty of babies raised completey vegan and they are very healthy.

of course vegan parents breast feed. their milk, by nature, was meant for their baby. just like a cow's milk, by nature, was meant for their calf.

yes, cows are tortured even in the milking process. it isn't the sunny farm you must be thinking of where the cow is milked by hand. the population of today's world is huge and therefore the demand is high - production has to be quick and produce enough for the billions. therefore, the cow is pumped full of hormones that abnormally causes her to produce milk at a rate unnatural to her body. what does this cause? deformed utters because they are so painfully heavy and sagging. then they are hooked up to these metal machines that pump their milk. this is so painful it causes them to blister and bleed. that is why there is pus in milk (since this is on one particular subject, i won't go into all the other nasty things in milk). not only that, but she is constantly insemenated to keep her pregnant so her body keeps producing milk. her baby doesn't even get any of the milk that is meant exclusively for that baby. instead, it is taken from her directly. you know what's crazy? and so many people don't seem to care about this at all. . .cows form a very strong emotional bond with their babies and when those babies are taken from them, they kick their tiny stalls in frustration and cry. but they'll never see the baby they are mourning because that baby is tied down in a tiny crate, starved for a bit so their muscles turn tender and killed soon after so people can gorge on their "veal" like obvious gluttons. . .

Answer 3

Of course vegan mothers can breastfeed their kids, vegan fathers, however, might have some difficulty...lol.

http://vegetarianbaby.com/articles/breastfeedinginfo.shtml

What other animal drinks milk after being weaned? None! Vegans don't drink cow's milk because it was made for a baby cow. Human milk is made for baby humans.

Honestly, I really don't see how breastfeeding has anything to do with being vegan. We use things nature intended us to use, and we don't use things nature didn't intend for us to use.

Answer 4

Yes- because it is their milk, and they are choosing to do so. Vegans have issues with animal products because the animal is harmed/killed in the process of getting that product.

And honestly, I'd rather my child have something I made rather than a product that is formulated at a big company somewhere- especially since then I would never *really* know what was in it.

Answer 5

This IS a good question; I understand the confusion since milk is an animal product. Breastfeeding is an exception to that rule.
I'm a vegan of 13 years, and I've always supported breastfeeding.....because it's natural.

Answer 6

Yopu are demanding what people can't say and expect a respectful answer? Babies drinking their mothers milk is natural, pumping a cow with hormones so she produces milk and then hooking her up to a machine is not natural.

Answer 7

Hi,
vegan or not vegan.
Must we not use common sense and do what is best for the child.
We are created to feed our children with our milk.
All animals do, don't they.
How can there be any doubt about what to do?

Answer 8

LOL your sidelines are funny. Bottom line: This is how we are created.. as mammals we are to nurse our young. So in this case we nurse our human babies.
I find it so interesting that this comes up so often. There is natural order in this world.

Answer 9

Generally speaking, vegans don't attempt to keep their infants on a vegan diet. This is simply not possible to do, as infants can't consume many of the dietary replacements adult vegans eat. In fact, there was a recent story of a couple whose infant son died because they tried to keep him to a vegan diet. In my experience, most vegan mothers breast feed (and many for a longer time) because it prolongs the introduction of animal by-products to their children.

Answer 10

GREAT QUESTION
i'm sorry i havent a clue about the answer, but wanted to say awesome point, thats got me thinking now!