Veggie mums and babies (feeding new borns) help!!

[CobainsAngel]

Hello! Me again! (=
I'm now 22 weeks pregnant and with all my tests and seeing my daughter on the scan at 21 weeks, I've never felt so happy and so proud! Like all mums, of course! I'm proud because there is not a problem with me or my little girl, so to all those who doubted me, friends, family and of course, my midwife at my GP... Ha! Now back off and stop trying to tell me how to live my life...
Anyways, I didn't come on here to rant, I came on here for advice! Advice about what formula milk will be best to feed my daughter when she is born, as I can't ask my family, friends or midwife as they alright wrongly believe my veggie diet is harming me and my baby! (And as I stated earlier and all you veggie mums know, and reassured me, we're all fine, healthy and a lot of gone on to have perfectly healthy babies!)
See, when inspecting all the milk formulas in shops, most of them had fish in! I found one milk with the Vegetarian Society approved mark on, and that's the SMA Wysoy formula milk!
I got some of that but I'm not sure if it's best to use that one, as it's for babies and infants that are intolerant to cows milk...
Now, before I go on I must point out that I have thought about breast feeding being the perfect option as I am sure that the milk I give my daughter will be veggie friendly and of course, the healthiest and best choice! I've read a lot of praise about breast feeding and would of liked to use my own milk, and maybe use my own milk in a bottle so daddy can feed her, and family when they look after her when visiting or I need rests...
The thing is, is that I have inverted nipples! )= I've always been embarrassed about them, never let anyone feel or touch them , they get me down but I hoped they wouldn't stop me breast feeding! I bought a pump to try and encourage my nipples out, but that doesn't work, it causes me a lot of pain during, and after! I'm 22 weeks so I'm hoping they may come out on their own, giving time, but I've not got my hopes up, and that's why I'm looking in to formulas!
Formula feeding may not be the ideal choice for everyone, but it might be the only choice for me, so please, is there any veggie mums on here that can help? Any had to or chosen to bottle/formula feed over breast feed? And what's a good, reliable veggie formula milk that you can buy in the shops?
Me and my partner would really love to bring up a healthy, happy veggie little girl! xxx

Hiya,

Also a veggie and had this discovery a few weeks ago.

there's only one veggie friendly formula milk on the market that i've found (and was recommended by a MNer), that is not Soy based: www.ulula.co.uk/shop/baby-food-item.php?ProductID=500&CatID=128

Soya milk should only be prescribed by the doctor for serious allergies, as it's not recommended otherwise and can have detrimental affects on babies.

SMA do a Hungry Babies milk that is also veggie friendly, but again it's designed for specialist dietary needs, so probably also has caveats for using with normally feeding babies.

HIPP organic used to be veggie friendly and now isn't, which is frankly a very poor show!

So, my solution was to buy some Holle formula just in case I can't breastfeed successfully.

I don't know about inverted nipples and breastfeeding, but the Breastfeeding forum on here is a fantastic resource for advice, so you could do a search or post there for advice. Also, contact your local children's centre to find out when their breastfeeding classes are, so you can go along and find out more. The centre near me encourages women to go before having their babies as well... so you might be able to go and ask.

HTH

I would definitely avoid soya milk unless there is a proven medical reason to give it. It has been associated with a number of unpleasant side effects, not least of all rotten teeth and fertility problems.

My nipples were also flat - almost inverted - before I breast fed. They aren't any more But I agree that it can be tricky to get the baby to latch on initially, until you both know what you are doing. Though many people manage fine - it is called BREAST feeding, not nipple feeding, for a reason.

My suggestion is that you contact La Leche League (there will almost certainly be a group local to you), where you will be very welcome as a pregnant woman to get advice and support beforehand and after the baby is born too. Being a vegetarian, I can GUARANTEE that you will meet hippies like-minded folk. At least that is how it is in my local group. They will be able to give you leaflets, personal advice and books to borrow. Most of all, they will be able to reassure you that almost all women can breast feed given the right support.

I can't answer your question about vegetarian formula though. My DS1 had some formula but I wasn't clued up about it at the time to know that it wouldn't necessarily be vegetarian.

Sorry - I know nothing about Formula, but IF your nipples DO sort themselves out and you manage to BF make sure you eat LOADS of protein and drink tons of water. My Veggie SIL BF for England!

I really do not mean to upset, but, seriously would it be the end of the world to feed your baby a 'normal' formula for the first year of her life?

I'm not in a million years suggesting you should go on to fed her meat, if you can be perfectly healthy following your diet, then so can she. I too have been veggie.

By giving her milks that are meant for those with allergies you could be creating a problem for your baby - really is it worth it? Making a potentially harmful decision from day one... If I were you, I would speak to a professional regarding your options and not take advice from blank faces on the Internet.

Good luck! I wish you the very best in your pregnancy.

There is honestly no need to eat any special food or to drink any more water than you feel like. Just eat and drink normally and reasonably healthily.

I am vegetarian and had over-supply and a baby who put on 1lb 4oz a week at one point

I can't recommend anything specific sorry, but just to repeat what other people have said - soya milk isn't great for babies, so you should avoid it if possible (if they have a dairy allergy, fair enough, but if not then it's not a good choice).

Fingers crossed for breastfeeding anyway - the best bit is it's free!

hi, i also had flat nipples and needed help latchin my first - by squishing my nipps to get it in the newbies mouth (graphic bt it worked, and very quickly i had sticky-out npples that it easily latched on to)

• i second TPLs advice about geting help - midwives are often not good sources of BF advice - try and contact a local breastfeeding counsellor - if you are having NCT lessons ask for a good BF drop in (there ar some at sure start or via health visitor)

Ah, thank you all! I'll avoid that milk! I did get it earlier in pregnancy, caught up with the excitement I guess and not looking in to things properly...
My midwife is hopeless, honest to God! And I've not really been given any help or pointed to places that does breast feeding advice! Yeah, I've got given leaflets about why breast is best, other than that I'm left to read up on the net about things!
I have, and I am still looking in to alternative ways to feed my baby, like I said, with the bottles it also means my partner can feed her too, and family! It's a nice bond that I want my partner to experience as well, if I can breast feed, I can't switch to bottles until four weeks though, right?
I've already read about breast shields, do you think they could help?
They may help me breast feed but I can't put them on my breasts with a breast pump, can I?
See, the advice of mother is usually the best, so I prefer talking to other mums! I'll do my beast to look in to places that discuss breast feeding!
You may think I'm a clueless person asking silly questions, and you'll be right, lol! I've basically been left to plod along in pregnancy, I've not discussed anything with anyone, as I've not really anyone to, and no one that understands, and my other veggie friends aren't parents, but said if they was,they'd breast feed!
I see a midwife at my GP every so often, seen her last in late November/early December and wont see her again until February, and I'd like to ask her but she thinks I'm the worlds worst for being veggie )=
Anyways, I'm getting carried away here, lol! If there is a formula that you can buy in the shops then brilliant! Can you get Holle Organic in shops or is that only online? xx

It's awful you're not getting support for being veggie - don't think any of our HCPs ever even mentioned it. And when I was talking about weaning with the health visitor, and said I'd be bringing DS up veggie, she said that they were often healthier, as veggie parents were more used to the idea of looking at different foods to make sure children were getting all the nutrients they needed!

There is no reason why you won't be able to breastfeed with inverted nipples. Just contact the La Leche League (they are specialists in this area), they will guide you through the whole process. Your partner can be part of feeding, once you have established a routine with your babby. Even if you only BF for the first few weeks, it will be so beneficial for your little ones healthy start.

The La Leche League have a website with contact details- only a phone call away! And it's free!

www.laleche.org.uk

My midwife only mentioned BF to me at 38 weeks pregnant! and as a way to lose weight after the baby

Think you should contact la leche as has been mentioned before. This way you done't have to worry about the quality of the formula since you are limited in choice. Also I suppose it isn't the most of thought of thing but I think you can buy breast milk can't you?

hiya,

no idea if you can buy Holle in shops, but the link is to an online store, so poss try that.

tarlia whilst I understand where you're coming from, i get really frustrated when people suggest that I, or my (future) baby should just eat a bit of meat or meat product whenever it's a bit tricky to source veggie food.

It's not just a whim that makes me vege. I've been one for over 20 years - i can't stand the taste of meat; it's a protest decision against factory farming and the disgraceful methods of animal husbandry and slaughter; and it's also an ethical and enivironmental choice.

I don't want my child to eat/drink anything that has meat derivatives in it and I don't see why formula manufacturers have to put fish oil or beef extracts in babies milk, especially when there's no health need to do so.

so, no, i won't give my child these formula milks. if they want my business, then they need to cater for my needs - same as any other product. I have choice, so i'll exercise it. (and I'll also complain or tell producers why I don't buy their products, in the hope it will change their production).

There's some good articles here on a fab site called kellymom

You'll also get loads of help and support over on the breast and bottle feeding thread on here too.

Good luck with it all.

here

baby centre

bf basics

i village-click the US site though not UK

The above are all articles on bf with inverted nipples

Inverted nipples have no impact on your baby's ability to breast feed. As I commented on a thread earlier this week my mum didn't get me totally off the boob until I was nearly 3 and her nipples are still flat as pancakes.

BUT the latch may be different so you may need extra support. Your local NCT will probably have a breastfeeding group. There's La Leche, as others have said. The hospital will usually have a breastfeeding support worker and midwives will tell you about local breast feeding support groups. There are 4 per week in the 3 villages surrounding me.

I totally understand where you are coming from re animal farming and being veggie but not sure how you can therefore contemplate feeding your child manufactured chemical powder. But maybe that's just me.