Issues with Vegan Pregnancy

Oct 27, 2009 12:08

 Hello All! I've been in this community for quite some time but this is my first post. So, hello!

I am a pregnant vegan (5 months, woo-hoo!) and very confident in my health and the health of my baby. As Im sure you can imagine, other people feel a bit differently. I'm lucky enough to have incredibly supportive friends and family and midwives, but ( Read more... )

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Comments 25

confusedreality October 27 2009, 19:53:56 UTC
I'm sorry, no, I have never heard of such a study.
Frankly, I don't think people need one to think this. Most people (at least the ones I know) really think that this vegan stuff is actually unhealthy. No matter how many times you can prove that you can get all your nutrients through plantbased food (except B12 of course, they'll always latch on to those pills), the majority in our countries doesn't live that way SO it's unhealthy. And being pregnant you are responsible for someone else and SO you should make the mainstream decision and just eat normal already.

Sorry I can't be of more help!
I'm very glad that your friends and family and midwives are supportive. Good luck with everything!

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miss_bonzai October 27 2009, 20:55:24 UTC
Thanks! ANd yeah, it's crazy to me how misperceptions about health just persist, and persist, and persist . . . *sigh*

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devonkmiller October 27 2009, 20:27:38 UTC
I don't have a study but I have a specific case:
My pregnancy was all vegan and I had an extremely healthy baby-- and she still is, ridiculously so, at 9 months. She's so damn healthy I'm exhausted. Be confident in your decision-- it's the right one. Everyone's going to try to make you scared -- just b/c they are. Don't be. You and your baby will be great.

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miss_bonzai October 27 2009, 21:01:02 UTC
Aw, congratulation! That's awesome. I'm actually not scared at all, or doubtful of my decisions.

If anything I'm sorta pissed - frustrated that I know all these amazing, thriving vegan children (irl and via stories) and have never ever heard of an unhealthy vegan child (that was properly fed), and yet still I always am faced with these questions. Where is all the fear coming from?? It seems baseless, and I hate baseless fears.

So anyways, I was hoping maybe there was a study that would explain why people thought this way. At least then it would make sense!

Love the icon. She's adorable. =)

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surlynymph October 27 2009, 21:11:48 UTC
I had my baby in August. Before then my entire family teased me as well as acted concerned for my diet during my pregnancy. When the baby popped out looking plump with a beautiful face, no wrinkles and eyes wide open, my uncle was convinced it was due to my diet and brags about it the everyone now :-P

Just hang in there. The baby itself might do all of the convincing, lol.

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miss_bonzai October 28 2009, 17:31:13 UTC
Aw, that's a great story! I totally think that vegans can lead and teach by example. That's how minds are changed!

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darkenedminds October 27 2009, 22:39:06 UTC
There are none that I know of. That's why people get scared. There's little scientific proof that its possible. People have only heard the horror stories of babies being starved on soy milk (not formula) and apple juice and celery. Its a pity that its the horror stories that get the headlines.

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miss_bonzai October 28 2009, 17:31:48 UTC
I sure hope there are none. That would be really great. =)

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ninefourteen October 27 2009, 23:44:50 UTC
We live in a society that LOVES to freak pregnant women/moms out .. kind of like they are victimizing them for every little choice they make regardless of what it is because it "might harm the baby". I have known (omni) pregnant women who have developed severe anxiety issues from the pressure of maintaining a perfect environment for fetal development...so I think all moms experience these kinds of criticisms and skepticisms (although vegans hear it a lot more, I would think).

I've never been pregnant but one thing I know about vegans is that they are very experienced in KNOWING what goes into their body...what is made up of what, what kind of nutrients it holds, etc. I'm not sure all omni moms are that diligent .. simply because they don't have to be. We really don't have a choice but to read labels and know what is going on...making your chance of being healthy higher than someone who just eats what they think they should be eating during pregnancy without doing the research.
Be confident in your decision...and enjoy this amazing

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miss_bonzai October 28 2009, 17:35:35 UTC
Yeah, being pregnant is a real trip. Luckily I have a lifetime of experience of going against the grain and facing other people's doubt (and then proving them wrong) so I'm pretty accustomed to sticking to my guns and just being confident in myself. I feel bad for other pregnant women, because I hear so many horror stories of pressure and coercion (not that I'm immune to this, of course).

Anyway, yeah I am more aware of what I eat than 90% of the people I know. I'm quite confident - I just want to be able to reassure them! =)

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