Vegetarian Breastfeeding?

I was a vegetarian for years before I fell pregnant last year. I started eating meat again because I couldn't be bothered being extra vigilant with my nutrition and I wanted to be sure that my baby was getting enough of everything. She's almost three months old now and exclusively breastfed. I eat a really healthy diet of grains and fibre and leafy veges and bright fruits etc. All the good stuff. And lean meat. I've been thinking lately that I want to go back to being a vegetarian, was wondering if there are any other vege moms out there, and also is it a good idea? should I be concerned about my baby getting everything she needs? I take flaxseed oil supplements.

It's fine to be a vegetarian breastfeeder - there are loads out there. I can't really help as I eat fish too, so am not a vegetarian, but just think like this: in India, loads of people are vege and they all breastfeed just fine.

If you can eat nuts and LOADS of iron-rich foods like spinach and apricot then you'll be fine, as will bub. When you BF your body becomes super-efficient at taking the nutrients into your body and milk so you'll be at your healthiest ever, no matter what your diet.

Best of luck to you.

I'm veggie and was through the whole pregnancy and now BFing. My little boy is very healthy and was born at 4.3kg. As Rosehip said- plenty of Indian mums are veggie and BF and as my H says they have the smartest mathematicians in the the world ;)
If you have a good diet and take extra omega I couldn't see a problem. I take flaxseed oil too as well as a multivitiam. I was taking iron after the birth as I lost blood and was anemic but all is fine there now.

I was veggo throughout my pg and bfing. As long as you eat a balanced diet it's no problem. Plenty of meat eaters get sick or run down during pg and bfing because their diet is not balanced, same with veggos. The only issue I had was that I wasn't getting enough iodine and my thyroid went out of whack. Everything else was fine whenever I had blood tests. Good luck hun.

I am lacto-ovo vegetarian and have been for 16 years. I had a very healthy pregnancy and BF my DD for 14 months with no problems at all. She is very healthy and my milk supply was never a problem.

One thing I have found is that DD LOVES vegetables and will eat a much better diet than most kids her age with a greater variety of vegetables. She doesn't eat a lot of meat either out of choice but will happily sit there chowing down on chickpeas as a snack :lol:

I was vegetarian through both pregnancies. I breastfed DD up to 2 and a half. DS is still going and they are both healthy. I have been strong and healthy as well.