Vegetarians - are their babies small?

[MamaG]

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.

[MamaG]

Tinker - no, my babies weren't small when they were born, but DS has dropped down the centiles since, for no apparent reason. He was breast fed for 6 weeks, then bottle fed (due to his weight loss) and even when weaned, he never caught himself up. He's not vegi and eats more than his 6 year old sister! Because medical science hasn't come up with a reason, it got me thinking that maybe I did something wrong while pregnant and when I overheard my colleagues, it got me thinking!

I have been doing some reading up and have gathered that babies in utero take all the nutrients etc that they need and Mum takes whatever is left!

So I feel much better now, thanks VERY MUCH for all the replies

[hornbag]

I've been vegi for around 18 years and have 2 children -DD (now 5) was 6lb 3 oz when born and has remained "petit" (incidently she now eats meat). My DS (now 15months) was born a whopper and remains up there on the 98th centile ! ( and hes currently still vegi)
I think whether you're vegi or not has very little to do with size of your baby unless you have an incredibly unbalanced diet (and then it would be a contributory factor, not the sole reason surely)

[Mummyvicky]

Im a vegan of 12 years,and local contact for the vegan society.
I have 3 vegan children, and they are all on the 50th centile, my daughter being on the 75th and shes a real chubby !
My newest of 13 weeks was a month early, and has already caugt up to what he should weigh for a full term baby.
I do agree that if you are vegan or veggie you need to make sure your intake of proteins/minerals and vitamins is adaquate.
If this is met I see no reason whatsoever for a small baby.
vicky

[Tinker]

But your babies weren't small MamaG.

[dillydally]

Its rubbish, I have been a veggie since the dawn of time and My bubba was 9lbs 5
She was always at the top of those charts, except for just before we moved from breast to bottle.
She is very healthy and her fave food at the moment is sweetcorn.

[WigWamBam]

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.

[Nevada]

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.

[Nevada]

HappyMumof2 - understand, thanks.

WWB - what's your beef?

[QueenOfQuotes]

"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.

[WigWamBam]

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.

[HappyMumof2]

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[Nevada]

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

[WigWamBam]

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]

HappyMumof2 - true vegetarians don't eat fish.

[AnnieSG]

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!

[HappyMumof2]

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[HappyMumof2]

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[Socci]

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[lanismum]

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!

[georginars]

I mean, she was 9lb 14

[georginars]

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

[frannykenstein]

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

[Arabica]

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.

[dandycandyjellybean]

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.