I've been a vegetarian for a long time now and I'm very picky with what I eat. Now I'm preg. Should I stop...

Question

being a vegetarian until my baby is born for the sake of my childs health b/c I'm picky?

I don't get enough protein, but for myself I don't care, but my child I want the best health and functioning.

Answer 1

You might want to consult a dietician just to make sure you're getting everything you & your baby need, since by "picky" I assume you're not eating a varied & healthful diet. Of the vegetarian moms I know, 1 wasn't eating what I would consider an especially healthy diet (too many refined carbs, not many veggies) but all of her kids have been healthy. Maybe she just got lucky. A vegan mother of 2 that I know consulted a dietician for her first pregnancy, just to be on the safe side. Again, beautiful, healthy kids.
If you don't have any diet-related health problems, you're probably eating healthier than you realize & you may find yourself enjoying veggies & other good things that didn't appeal to you before you conceived. Congratulations & good luck, & if you have any doubts about maintaining a healthy veg. pregnancy, find one of the many books on the subject and/or talk to a dietician.

Answer 2

Do what you have to for your child.

But, if you are so sure you don't get enough protein it's time to change your diet anyway. Maybe not giving up vegetarianism, but eat more tofu, or legumes, or other sources of protein. If you're going back to being a vegetarian after the baby is born, you're going to have to have a balanced diet then too, for you and the child. So don't look for a quick fix, solve the problem.

Answer 3

There is no reason for you to eat meat if you are not craving it. I went through an entire pregnancy meat free. Then when I got pregnant with my son I craved meat and so I started eating it. Both of my children are very healthy. Let your body do the talking and believe in your ability to know. Any brown rice and bean or lentil makes the perfect protein. There is also a lot of protein in hemp seeds, hemp milk & eggs.

I agree about the soy statement. Soy is really high in estrogen and can cause issues. Soy and corn are two of the first genetically modified items in America. While pregnant I would limit the soy intake but if you do have some, I would make sure that soy and corn are organic. If it doesn't state that it is organic, then you have a 98% probability that it is GMO.

You can check out info on them at
www.organicconsumers.org
Just search for it....there's several things there to check out.

Good Luck!!
And feel free to contact me with any questions.

Answer 4

Why would you stop? Meat and other animal products have concentrations of pesticides higher than any plant food. The pesticide residue found on fruits and vegetables is trivial compared to that found in the flesh and excretions of farmed animals. I cannot say that it is justified to deviate from your normal dietary beliefs and include dead animals in your diet for the health of your unborn child.
http://www.pcrm.org/health/veginfo/vsk/pregnancy.html
http://www.eatright.org/cps/rde/xchg/ada/hs.xsl/advocacy_933_ENU_HTML_(Draft).htm
http://www.veganhealth.org/articles/preginfchil
http://www.veganhealth.org/articles/realveganchildren

You should have a veg pregnancy and raise healthy vegetarian children. It is the most important contribution that you can make to proving that being veg is a healthy way of life. If you want to do everything you can for your child, do your own research and see for yourself. I recommend that you take a good prenatal multivitamin just like all pregnant women should as well as some flax seeds to mix with peanut butter and a good DHA supplement. It should be impossible to not get enough protein if you eat like a pregnant woman should, while not gorging yourself on junk food.

Answer 5

With every meal your daughter eats she should be eating Fruits & Vegetables w/ Whole Grains, Soy, Beans, Peanuts & Other Legumes. Have her eat lots of fruit! If she only likes carrots and corn then she better be eating those two vegetables every single day. She really needs to find a GREEN leafy vegetable because they are the veggies that are packed with iron! Convince her to eat cooked broccoli maybe? She MUST eat beans or some other type of legumes because they are very very important in a vegetarians diet. you really can't be a vegetarian without eating vegetables. Its just not healthy. Then again eating meat without eating vegetables is just as bad, even worse.

Answer 6

As mother who went veg due to my gag reflex spewing up every time I thought about meat when I was pregnant, I can honestly say my son was born at 9 lbs. 5 oz. and still alive. I ate very little meat (prior to researching I just had the thing covered with as much crap to disguise it and it's flavor), nor did I eat much of anything and the stuff I did eat was far from healthy. Your body knows what it's doing to make a being inside of you. Basically it comes down to at least eating! Almost everything has some type of nutritional value to it and your body takes what it needs (extra for the little one). If you are super picky, double up what you do eat throughout the day. If you feel you must go back to eating meat (really that's your call), try reading up on some stuff first (sorry no longer have those website on hand) and then maybe due very little meat (again your choice). However, there are sources of protein out there that are complete with the essentials: quinoa, hemp seeds (go for the shakes for better flavor). Do as many type of beans as you like, go for all sorts of nuts and seeds, and try to eat veggies and fruits galore (better if raw). Fruits and veggies, contrary to popular belief, have amino acids in them! Every living thing has amino acids in them. And in fact red meat when cooked kills some of the essential amino acids, like Lysine.

And I'm assuming that as vegetarian you will try to breastfeed, but then would you still not be veg when breastfeeding as you are still unsure? Something to consider!

Answer 7

Pregnant Women Should Not Eat Soy Products and many vegetarians consume high amounts to substitute for the meat.

Answer 8

I am a veg too and don't think I'm really qualified to give you anything other than my opnion. What you could do is consult your doctor and follow any recommendations he/she might have as far as making sure you consume the right amounts of protein, folic acid, etc.

I think if you get the proper nutrition you'll be fine. Best of luck to you and your precious baby!

Answer 9

Ask your doctor. Honestly I might consider it depending on what your "normal" dietary intake was. Keep a simple food diary for a few days and tally up what you eat. That will give you a better idea of just how much you are eating and whether you need more of something.

When my daughter went veggie I pulled a few recipes out of the history books for her.

She named this "Sloppy No Joe's" They are completely vegan and honestly awesome. The main ingredient is TVP. TVP is soybeans with all the starch pulled out. High fiber and low fat.

Answer 10

The child needs a good balance of nutrients. As long as you find a veggie instead of meat to provide the child with plenty of protein, I don't think you should stop being vegetarian.