Vegan diet during pregnancy

Hi ladies,

Just wondering if we have any vegan mummys out there that might be able to shed some light on switching to a vegan diet whilst pregnant.

Long story short, I used to be a lacto ovo vegetarian, but started eating meat when I was pregnant with my first baby. Now I'm pregnant again and would like to switch back. I'm pretty clued up with how to get my protien and calcium from vege sources, but to be really honest I'm not quite sure how much of everything I need right now (I'm 24 weeks pregnant) I am of coarse taking a pregnancy multivitamin, but I know that they are a supplement, not a nutritional replacement.

I was also wondering if there are any things of particular note from vegan mummys to be aware of (like certain things to avoid). I know how much I love eating vego, but I just don't want to deprive my unborn bub from what they need to develope fully also.

I would really appreciate any feed back - positive or negetive.

Okie Dokie...

I don't eat meat and am allergic to diary, use vegan house and beauty/skin etc products but am not vegan because I eat eggs occasionally.

To be honest it's been very difficult during pregnancy because of a total lack of calcium intake (despite leafy greens and heaps of broccoli!) and am very worried about bone problems as a result.

If you can bare to eat and drink dairy I would suggest it for that reason. I get a good amount of iron between greens and supplements, but the calcium is the main problem. Even calcium fortified soy doesn't offer as much as dairy :-(

:yeahthat:

I am usually a vegan but now vegetarian since being pregnant. I take a range of supplements - zinc, magnesium, iron/folate & calcium!!! I think calcium intake is pretty vital so personally I wouldn't cut out dairy right now :)

My friend is a vegan and didn't alter her vegan diet whilst pregnant with her twins. She had the most healthy pergnancy, doctors were astounded by how healthy her and her bubbas were. Her gorgeous twins were born a very healthy 6pound 12oz each. Neither she or the twins had any deficiencies

You can definitely have a healthy and happy vegan pregnancy. I would recommend seeing a dietician who specialises in that kind of diet though to be onthe safe side. Plus you just get nagged a lot from doctors otherwise. I can give you a recommendation if you like of someone who does remote consults. Otherwise give the vegetarian society of qld a bell as they will send you a free starter pack including some info on being utd.

Great thanks ladies :D

Angelart & Holly - yeah I have always taken calcium suppliments. I'm not lactose intolerant, but I do find that dairy gives me aweful mucus problems (sorry for grossness) But yeah, I can't stand to drink milk as it really makes me cough, so really the only dairy I would get is from the occasional yoghurt or added dairy in foods. My only real dairy vice is cheese.... in particular - firm goats cheese. I just love it, so that would be a hard one to give up. I might just have to make an exception for it :rolleyes:
I do love love love my green leafy foods, so I hope thats enough. I did however today buy some more Rice milk (again not a big fan of soy milk as it too seems to make me cough) which is fortified with calcium... so I hope that helps.

As for Iron mine has always been low, so again supplements were needed. Funnily enough my sister who is Lacto Ovo Vegeterian (drinks milk & eats eggs) has a condition where her body produces too much iron even tho she hasn't eaten meat (or taken an iron suppliment) in over 15 years! He Dr has told her she has to stop eating parsley (yes Parsley) as he thinks it maybe contibuting to the problem :o So I think I might start using my parsley moreso too when I get this started... just need to water my pot of it more... and find the nasty grub that has been eating my leaves :angry:

Widdly - Thats really reassuring! Thanks for that... I'm battleing with a lot of negative opinions from family over my decision, so the more posative stories I can tell them the better :D

Nat - yeah I must admit that I way prefer rice milk over soy. Plus soy has so much sugar added! I refuse to give in to So Good!

I hate cow's milk. Bonsoy all the way! I don't have yogurt either, unless it's soy. I've added dairy into my diet in the way of cheese, icecream and chocolate! :lol: But it will all be given up once I have bubby. Like the others have said, a healthy vegan diet is perfectly attainable for you and bubs if it's done right :)

My understanding is that calcium problems in pregnancy show up in the form of osteoporosis in the mother more than bone problems in the baby.

Basically, the baby will suck the calcium from your very bones if you are deficient.

I've also read somewhere on here, and it was a comment that I took very much to heart, that it is important to have a good store of calcium in your own body for labor. Calcium is necessary for our muscles to work. So if we want them all working well for the labor process, we can't afford to run low on calcium during our pregnancies.

I think I read that we need about 1200mg of calcium daily when pregnant. That's about a litre of milk, or 2.5 cups of tofu, or 7 cups of steamed broccoli (ok, I like broccoli, but not *that* much).

Calcium is one nutrient I wouldn't personally risk being low on. YMMV of course.

Hmm, I better go get a glass of milk...

Hi Tenar -

My worry exactly. I have basically no calcium in my diet. Must really get on to supplements or I will regret it later. :-(

Tenar - Yeah I have been taking Caltrate 600 mg daily plus my Blackmores Pregnancy multi has 59mcg of calcium too (which is the same as 590mg right?) So I think I'm covered... plus I have my rice milk and green leafies.
I was a milk addict with my first pregnancy... in fact I had a really rotten diet whilst carrying DD. I drank about a L of milk daily (flavored & sweetened *shudder) loads of meat and cheese, actually loads of everything. Needless to say she was a whopper 9.2lbs... and I was a whopper after the birth too. I had gained about 25kg all up so it was a feat to lose it all afterwards.
I just want this baby to get good healthy foods and I would like to not have such an ordeal getting back into shape afterwards too. It was ok for me to have a terrible diet the first time coz I could rest and nap whenever I liked, but now I have my 2yo Daughter to entertain and keep up with. I also want to lead a healthy example to her. I just know I can't keep going on like I have been coz I've been feeling really sluggish, and I know that the days where I replace meat and diary I feel great.
But yeah I'm not looking forward to telling my Obs that I'm making the change... I don't think he'll be as unimpressed as my Hubby, I had to reassure him I would still cook his beloved meat :lol:

Nat, i forgot - there used to be a really good dietician in QLD who did remote consults to melb, as I considered it when pregnant with DS. So obviously a lot close r to you than me, I will see if I can hunt down her name and info