Vegan baby

[Expecteddeclathon]

In your opinion, is it ok for a baby to be vegan from weaning (6 months)?

It would be cruel not to milk the goat though. But like cows if they aren't put into calve they will stop producing milk but then people will moan no beef cattle,
Animals can't win either way as they are controlled by another animal - humans.

The word 'Dairy' means bovine milk my definition. It originates from the Middle English deierie or daierie (circa 1300), which meant a dairy farm or building for making butter and cheese. Goats milk is now also classed as dairy for these reasons, however with the exception of a few sick fucks people, we do not do this with human milk.

Human milk is not dairy.

‘Exploitative’ definition: making use of a situation or treating others unfairly in order to gain an advantage or benefit.

If you give an animal food, medical care and a warm shed in exchange for their excess milk - who’s gaining the advantage or benefit?

Yes 🙄

Have you ever seen footage of a typical dairy farm? Or same of a cow crying out for their calf as it is snatched away, frantically screaming and sniffing the leftover placenta (as often this occurs with their calf from birth), in the horrific traumatic moment hopeful that somehow this didn't just happen, how can their baby just be gone?

Ignorance truly is bliss for some.

Then don’t drink milk if you don’t like the way it’s produced. Job done.

Dairy farms will always exist.

I live in a farming area. Please don’t insult my farmer friends by misrepresenting what happens. They are not removed permanently- have you not seen cows in the fields with their calves? It’s not me that’s ignorant.

Yes, actually it does actually need careful planning for a growing and developing infant. There are many adult vegans who don’t plan carefully and just eat UPFs and fake meat products. Vegan doesn’t automatically make you healthy.

I'm not sure why people always assume ignorance.

I've lived on dairy farms before, and I can't say I've ever seen that, although calves are generally brought to the shed to be checked in a warm, clean environment and given colostrum.

I think its fine to feed your baby what you want diet wise as long as its healthy and they are thriving.

I dont think its ok to prevent them from wanting to try new things if they want as they get older. I had a vegan friend go berserk at her DS for trying a tuna sandwich at a school buffet, the DS loved it, mum was, I quote "heartbroken" and refused to prepare any non vegan food the DS wanted to try 🙄 thats really not on, id even say its a form of abuse tbh.

You choose literally everything for your baby/child - diet whether it’s good/bad/veg/meat, playgroups, school, physical activities, clothes, religion, parenting methods, tv, tech etc etc. Diet is a part of that. Ofc as they get older they make their own age appropriate decisions.

If you have any concerns about nutrition for your baby, The Vegan Society do a supplement https://www.vegansociety.com/shop/veg-1-supplements/veg-1-baby-toddler
I haven't bought it myself, I just know they sell it.

There is so much ignorance around veganism, as shown in this thread. The people talking about "choice" make me laugh! If your child wants to contribute to animal suffering when they're older, they're welcome to. But I think you're right to bring them up vegan, rather than force them to commit animal cruelty against animals (who also have no choice).

The previous comment sounds like it’s straight off the leaflets that PETA used to produce.

But a baby relies on being fed with milk /food to help it thrive and grow. It can't make it's own choices like that.
Those choices are made as it grows up. I became veggie at 5 and totally refused meat or fish, it drove my mum to despair and when I became vegan at 15 she was so used to my 'strange diet' she gave up.

Yeah I was going to say that. Most of the animals we eat or have milk from naturally only eat plants. So all milk is vegan?

I like Unnatural Vegan on YouTube. She has raised her 3 kids vegan, and is pretty clued up on nutrition. Her argument is that she doesn’t want them to grow up and feel upset they have contributed to animal suffering. Many veggies and vegans feel guilt about having eaten animals in the past. She is honest about the challenges though, at one point saying being a vegan kid in an omnivorous society can kind of suck.

Dairy isn’t a necessity. Plenty of cultures don’t drink cows milk. Over half of adults globally are lactose intolerant. FWIW, my kids are both omnivorous and big fans of meat and I still have to supplement with vitamins as their diets are so limited. Despite being offered a wide variety of foods as babies and toddlers.

My brother and sister in law are vegan and when both my nieces were born they weighed up the nutrition of both vegan and non vegan formula (my sister in law couldn't breastfeed) and went with the non vegan one. Since weaning my older niece has been completely vegan (younger one still has milk). So, I'd research what's best for your child.

And breastmilk is vegan because the 'animal' gave consent to their milk being used. Cows can't give consent.

then just say you’re an ethical eater, not vegan. the baby is not vegan if it’s being breastfed lol.

I would imagine it's because they're vegan for the animals first and the planet second. It's not rocket science.

Or you could actually ask your friend?

That so misunderstands what veganism is

not that I’d be happy with a young child on a vegan diet - am I correct in thinking they advise brestfeeeding continues until about age 2 in that situation

Just be careful, OP. There are UK cases of children getting very sick and even dying. And this

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1363354/

🤣🤣🤣

Fucking hell. So bloody confidently wrong

I met a girl in baby group. She weaned her baby on a vegan diet and he nearly died of malnutrition. I think you have to be very careful. Babies need fats and calcium and protein to grow. But I guess if you’re already a vegan you know how to get those things other ways?

I'd imagine not because hens can (and do) eat their own eggs. In fact, a number of hen owners scramble the eggs for them to eat back up.

I have to say that moving to a house in front of a dairy farm has made me feel very uncomfortable about cow's milk. The bellowing at milking time, the number of cows that are lame and hobble and drag themselves in to be milked, the massively swollen udders that make their gait slow and unnatural... When you see it every day, it's not nice. I eat meat, but I do consume much less cheese and no milk or yoghurt at all as a result.