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Original poster

Vegetarians - are their babies small?

30 replies

MamaG · 04/10/2005 10:44

I've got a DD aged 6 and a DS aged 18 months. DD was 8lbs 6 at birth and DS was 8lbs 9. DD developed normally but DS dropped 3 centiles by the time he was 3 months old. He has had lots of tests and I have been told that there is absolutely nothing wrong with him, he's just little and will probably catch up when he's older. Obviously, I was very relieved

Yesterday, I overheard two colleagues discussing someone with a small baby and they agreed that it was because Mum was a vegetarian.

I don't eat meat, apart from fish, and I'm worried that it is my fault DS is small . I'm hoping that I'll get some good advice on here!

I did discuss this with my midwife when I was pregnant (both times) and she said not to worry.

Thanks very much.

OP posts:
geogteach · 04/10/2005 10:50

No
I have same diet as you, Babies 8lb 5, 9lb 1 and 8lb 10. First one stayed big 2nd 2 got smaller but that was due to dairy allergy but as far as i'm concerned nothing to do with my diet.

gigglinggoblin · 04/10/2005 10:53

i am veggie, dont eat fish.

ds1 9lb 13. is now 6 but wears age 8 - 9 clothes

ds2 8lb 7. tall but scrawny. same build as my brother

ds3 9lb 6.5 16m wears age 2 - 3 clothes.

think they are talking rubbish

WigWamBam · 04/10/2005 10:55

Not at all! I'm vegetarian and my dd was 8lb 8oz and as strong as an ox when she was born. She was vegetarian herself until she was almost 3, she's now 4, as tall as a 7 year old and very healthy.

Most vegetarians know exactly what to eat to make sure they get everything they need from their diet, and I'm sure that you are no exception. The people you heard talking are misinformed.

DissLocated · 04/10/2005 10:58

No, I've been veggie for about 18 years, dd was 8lbs 4oz. Funnily enough though, she is now tiny for her age (17mo) but I put this down to her tiny grandparents rather than anything I ate.

Original poster
MamaG · 04/10/2005 10:58

Thanks for that, I thought as much but sometimes you doubt yourself.

Interesting point re dairy allergies - my DD is slightly intolerant to dairy i think, sometimes she can't shake off a cold or a cough, I take her off dairy for a week or so and she's fine for the next 6 months.

I think I'll talk to my health visitor about testing DS for allergies - you never know!

OP posts:
dandycandyjellybean · 04/10/2005 11:10

Never heard such rubbish. I've been veggie for about 12 years and according to one consultant I saw a few weeks ago I'm having the biggest baby in medical history! Slight exaggeration, but they were estimating 12lb at one stage, although my lovely sensible midwife actually described this as 'a load of boll$%&ks' and the current estimation is about 81/2 to 9. Totally agree with Wigwambam that most of us veggies are totally clued up about food / nutrition and I would say as a general rule probably eat extremely well, and much healthier diets than our carniverous cousins. Take no notice and don't worry.

beetroot · 04/10/2005 11:11

This reply has been deleted

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Arabica · 04/10/2005 12:40

I never eat meat and during pregnancy couldn't eat fish either. DS was average, healthy weight. I, however, was size of a small country.

frannykenstein · 04/10/2005 12:42

Good Lord no, what nonsense! Vegan babies are sometimes smaller and leaner but this can be viewed as more healthy than the "chubby" babies we all idolise. Sorry you were worried about this - we are all different shapes and sizes, thank goodness for the variety

georginars · 04/10/2005 12:51

DD was 9 lb, now at 10 months she's ginormous (98th height, over 91st weight). And she's vegetarian too!

georginars · 04/10/2005 12:51

I mean, she was 9lb 14

lanismum · 04/10/2005 12:53

i have been a veggie for 10 years, no meat, fish, no milk either (i hate the stuff) and my dd was 8lb 6oz when she was born, which i think is average, or a little heavier than average, shes now 7 months old, a veggie herself, weighs 21lb, and is in clothes for a 9-12 month old, shes really tall, very healthy, i think your colleagues were talking rubbish!

Socci · 04/10/2005 13:14

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HappyMumof2 · 04/10/2005 13:24

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HappyMumof2 · 04/10/2005 13:26

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AnnieSG · 04/10/2005 13:32

I would back up what everyone has said here. I'm veggie and both mine were good sizes. The first came early and was already almost eight pounds at 38 weeks. I'm told he would have been a whopper if I'd got to 42!

Nevada · 04/10/2005 13:44

HappyMumof2 - true vegetarians don't eat fish.

WigWamBam · 04/10/2005 13:47

Does it matter whether true vegetarians don't eat fish or not? We all eat what we consider to be the right food for us - some people who are otherwise vegetarian chose to eat fish. And so what? It's got nothing to do with anyone else, and has nothing to do with this thread.

Nevada · 04/10/2005 13:48

WWB - it's a common misconception and imho needs to be corrected - sorry!

HappyMumof2 · 04/10/2005 13:48

Message withdrawn

WigWamBam · 04/10/2005 13:51

Nevada - it matters bugger all for the point of this thread whether veggies eat fish or not. MamaG didn't call herself vegetarian; she just said she doesn't eat meat apart from fish.

QueenOfQuotes · 04/10/2005 13:51

"Yesterday, I overheard two colleagues discussing someone with a small baby and they agreed that it was because Mum was a vegetarian."

Haven't read the other replies - but absolute bunkum!

Friend of mine who was expecting her first 5 weeks after I had my first. Only 5ft 2, been a vegetarian all her life.

Her DS1 was 9lb 8oz (or somewhere round there)
her DS2 (born 18 months later) was 10lb 12oz - and she delivered him naturally with no pain relief (but only because there was not time for anything LOL).

On the reverse my SIL and her DH have eaten meat just about every day of their lifes and had two petite (both 6lb'ers) girls.

Nevada · 04/10/2005 13:52

HappyMumof2 - understand, thanks.

WWB - what's your beef?

Nevada · 04/10/2005 13:57

Got to go so posting this for you WWB. Don't know why you're so up in arms on this.

All I said was vegetarians don't eat fish - it's hardly World War III.

Personally am sick of being offered fish 'as you're a vegetarian' and it just struck a nerve.

WigWamBam · 04/10/2005 13:57

My "beef", if that's what you want to call it, is that it was quite rude to butt into a thread with no constructive advice or comment, just to pull someone up on their use of the term vegetarian. This isn't a discussion about whether veggies eat fish or not.