surely strict vegans are allowed to breastfeed their babies?

[cylonbabe]

death of malnourished baby
how can breast milk be considered wrong in a vegan diet?

Er, where does it say that is why the baby wasn't b/fed?

A diet of soy milk and apple juice says it!

I know of vegans who breast-fed.

Interesting, vegans are more likely to extend breastfeeding for nutrient benefit, too.

Perhaps it was more a case of these parents views of what constitutes animal product and that there are extremists in all walks of life.

Sorry beansrout just read that again and see what you're getting at

they fed the baby soy milk and apple juice only. at least that's what i understood from the article.
strict vegans have been living in india for thousands of years, they have all managed tosurvive. i assume they breastfed their babies. this couple kept saying the were vegan as an excuse.

How could they not realise that their baby needed milk - proper milk suitable for babies! Even my 5yo knows a baby must be fed!

And why on earth can a vegan not breastfeed? I can't imagine that would be advocated by the vegan societies somehow!

My sister has been a vegan for 12 years. I offered her some breastmilk in her tea the other day but she wasn't keen...

I would say that they are particularly unhinged or stupid people to not have any clue what constitutes a good diet for a new born. Wonder where the HP's were though

This really annoys me. This baby died because he was not looked after. That is not the same as saying he died because he was on a vegan diet.

lol sterny, im a carnivore, and i dont want your breastmilk in my tea, thank you very much.

VEGANS CAN BREASTFEED!!!

Stop making your own prejudiced assumptions and then criticising this couple on that basis!

yes beansprout, i agree with you. and im also annoyed at the way it keeps saying, 'oh we're vegans' as if that was a reason not to take care of your baby.
vegan diets are very difficult to follow, but can be very healthy, once you know how to ensure you get all your nutrients.

eh?

Fair enough cylonbabe. I can't say I expected her to take me up on it, but I was interested in the idea about whether breastmilk was an acceptable alternative to cowsmilk for an adult vegan. My sis is funny the other day she said the only circumstances she would eat a fish would be if she were on a beach and one hit its head on a rock accidentally and died in front of her. Like that's going to happen!

this really has nothing to do with the fact they are vegans, but more "their" reasoning for being vegan which I would hazard a guess may be very different from the average vegan.
They sound very unhinged and unstable.

I assune from the article that this baby was not breastfed. It is unlikely he would have died of malnourishment if he had. So for whatever reason they chose not to give breast milk. If that decision is made then the baby should have been given appropriate formula. There are non-cow's milk varieties available I think isn't there? Although maybe only by prescription, not sure. Regardless, they should have fed the child some form of infant milk - formula or breast milk.

Anyone knows that a baby required this surely?

From that article, the baby died because the couple did not give their baby an alternative to breast milk (from what we can gather) because of their vegan beliefs.

Doesn't mention breastmilk.Maybe she couldn't breasfeed.

They were, however, obviously woefully uneducated about baby care...not really sure
a life sentence is the answer.And not much to do with them being vegans either.

There was a similar story in this country a few years back where a baby died after the father tried to bring him or her up on soya milk due to his own strict diet.

so why is it being portrayed as death of baby of vegan couple. i find that annoying. its giving vegans a bad name.
the couple need to be committed

I think the vegan thing is a red herring.

Soy formula milks are an adeqate substitute for breastmilk.

I can't see why a vegan wouldn't breastfeed anyway.

Totally agree cylonbabe. Irresponsible journalism. Again.

This baby died because it wasn't fed......

Are you sure soy formula milk can be given to newborns? I thought, maybe wrong, that soya products couldn't be digested until the baby was a year old.But that is beside the point -there are other alternatives.

And I agree -not about being vegan -about ignorance.

My mistake -its soy milk, like cows milk, that can't be had until 1 year old. Soy formula fine.Doh....

surely there must be other guilty parties?
Family.. who sat back and watched..do they have a social services equivalent in US or can you just do what you want when ever you want?
just wondering.