Vegetarian and pregnant - advised to eat fish/meat

[GuppieK]

I wonder if anyone can help. I've been vegetarian since the age of 10 and have always assumed I eat a pretty varied and healthy diet - lots of fruit, vegetables, pulses, seeds etc and tofu, 'Quorn' products, soya etc.

Recently me and my partner have been trying to get pregnant and I've had 2 early miscarriages and am now pregnant (7wks) for the third time. This has coincided with me seeing an osteopath (who is also a nutritionist) for a shoulder injury and he has started to look into my diet as he thinks I might be lacking in protein which could be the reason my shoulder isn't getting better quickly.

He seems to think my diet is pretty unhealthy, lacking in vital fats and protein, and that I should really at least eat fish and preferably meat. Today he has said that the reason for my miscarriages could be that my body isn't up to carrying a child so aborted the pregnancies. We've come to the compromise that I'll take a hemp protein supplement (I already take flaxseed oil and a multi-vitamin) and also reduce my soya and 'Quorn' consumption, as he says they're heavily processed foods and not good for us. But I'm super paranoid now, and I was already paranoid because of the miscarriages! I feel like it's possible to be a healthy vegetarian and provide a baby with everything it needs to grow, but after 24 years of being vegetarian my beliefs are being severely tested and I'm wondering whether I need to start at least eating fish.

Has anyone here had a healthy vegetarian pregnancy, and what types of food did you make sure you got lots of? Thanks :)

It's not "bashing the alternative option" to say that a nutritionist should not imply that a woman's miscarriages were somehow her own fault. If he really knows the cause of miscarriages, he should publish his findings. Many people would save a lot of heartbreak that way.

It's all very well saying that you don't need lots of protein - you do need an amount, just under 1 gram of protein per kg of body weight. Try keeping a tally of what you eat & see how you do.

Quinoa is a complete protein, so an excellent alternative to rice/potatoes/pasta.

willowisp the OP is a vegetarian

She does not want to eat dead chicken flesh or oils extracted from dead fish

You assume she has been eating "below par" with no evidence for that.

Why shouldn't he ? He's offering her advice, which I think is very helpful.

Blood type diet also has no scientific basis.

No, I appreciate that however, it maybe a means to an end.

This is a forum...all opinions allowed

Because miscarriage is heartbreaking, and can make women feel guilty enough as it is, without some utterly unfounded opinion adding to the pain. Look, my children are only alive because of a supplement, but that was properly researched and examined. Sure, make some comments about general health, but don't go wading into really sensitive areas without hard evidence.

I've been vegetarian since 16 and had my DC aged 29 and 31. They are now 12 and 14 years old and lifelong vegetarians. Both are very healthy, happy, intelligent kids. DD1 wasn't breastfed (she was rubbish at it) but the 'breastfed babies have a higher IQ' thing seems to have passed her by too, since she already has a clutch of A*s at GCSE.

I don't even remember discussing my diet with the GP, midwife or anyone else. I took pregnancy multivitamins and folic acid, I don't drink or smoke.

Some alternative practicitioners are fab. And some are quacks (see for example "Dr" Gillian McKeith, no serious qualification there.)

OP, I think you need to ask your GP for referral to a dietican if you're concerned, and do your own reading, but your diet sounds just fine to me.

I'm not veggie myself but a vegan friend of mine had a baby recently, and throughout her pregnancy medical tests showed that she was very healthy.

She has been a vegan all her life though and grew up knowing how to eat optimally, so taking some advice about vegan nutrition might not be a bad idea. Not from this 'nutritionist', though; he doesn't sound very clued up, and frankly after the miscarriage comment (totally unfounded, amateurish rubbish), I wouldn't be going back to see him again and would in fact end the relationship with a very strong letter or frank chat about his half-baked opinion!

"He's offering her advice, which I think is very helpful."

It is not helpful if it is wrong or dangerous!

This man doesn't know what he is talking about. There are many quacks about that will tell you all sorts of theories. If you are concerned, please see a State Registered Dietician, either privately or through the NHS.

Coming in late on this thread but I would also fart in the general direction of the 'nutritionist' advice. It sounds insensitive, ill-informed and ignorant.

I am sorry to hear about the previous MCs but pleased to hear that you are now 7 weeks. :)

I have been vegetarian since age 13 - so around 30 years of veggie-ness. I had a very healthy pregnancy despite my greatage with DD in 2010. I didn't change my diet at all; ate quorn, ate curry, ate bread, sweets, drank in extreme moderation, and had a bit of a craving for mango, pineapple and sour cherries.

I don't eat very healthily at the moment, but having seen the advice from several posters, am going to try to now!

I'm vegetarian and have produced 2 healthy children, one at 8.7 pounds and one at 10.4 lbs. I didn't even take extre vitamins during my pregnancies, relied on my diet for everything I needed. Don't be put off being vegetarian!

I've been a lacto ovo veggie for 26 years. I have a healthy happy 5 yr old ds who is also veggie (dh is also). No probs with the pregnancy, fine iron levels and I know many meat eaters that required supplements. I am now 4 months pregnant with dc2.

he sounds like he doesnt know what he's talking about. 4 vegan pregnancies here.

PMSL at suggesting the blood type diet Quackery on quackery.

I've been vegetarian from birth, as has my sister. I'd like to reassure you that between us we've had three completely healthy pregnancies and big (9-11lb) completely healthy babies. Hers are now tall, energetic, bright, athletic children. Mine is a bright energetic 6 mo. My iron levels were perfect throughout pregnancy. I agree with NarkedRaspberry in points a) and b), and as regards c) yes, but it's very unlikely. I don't know if this link will work but try this for info about the myth of the 'protein gap'

Guppie please don't let anyone tell you it was you or your diet's fault you had a miscarriage. Many meat eaters also have them. No-one deserves it, and very few people did anything to cause it (unless they were addicted to crack or something). Good luck for when you try again.

2 vegan pregnancies here and no HCP has ever mentioned anything other than it doesn't matter, even with raising DD vegan (DS only just started solids so he doesn't count yet).

OP- what are his qualifications?

I'm not absolutely certain, but I think "nutritionist" is something that anyone, with no training or expertise can call themselves. If you are concerned maybe you doctor could refer you to a dietitian- they are properly qualified. But still might be ill informed about vegetarianism.

What a twit - who needs to step back and reflect on the breadth and depth of his knowledge, recognise some gaps and limitations, so when referring someone to a more knowledgeable professional, rather than repeating the little he knows in what sounds like an attempt to convert you to his particular nutritional belief system, is the appropriate and humanly decent thing to do.

Anyway, yes one successful and straightforward veggie pregnancy here. We have a good diet of varied, freshly cooked food anyway and do add seeds and nuts as standard. I added the obvious vitamins, more as insurance and for my benefit than anything - the baby will take what it needs and unless you're really deficient will be fine. Honestly, the main foods I ate more of were biscuits and cake as i developed an uncharacteristically sweet-toothed carb craving - not recommending that but I enjoyed it!

I'd been vegan for many years, only recently introducing some eggs and dairy. My midwife was not at all concerned about a near vegan diet. I think she rightly assumed that i know what i'm doing by now. Like most health professionals she was interested in evidence and on treating real symptoms and my iron levels, general health and baby's growth were all fine. If not we'd have looked into why not - and if a diagnosis was needed I'd have been referred to a doctor qualified to make one.

He sounds like a quack to me. . In some countries there are entire generations who are vegetarian and manage to have healthy children. They don't even eat quorn as a
Protein source. Their protein comes mainly from milk products, lentils and beans. Unless your diet is totally deficient in some way that is not clearly stated in your post, then I doubt he is telling anything worth listening to.

Btw when I saw the GP to confirm pregnancy I asked if there was anything I could do to ensure success / avoid miscarriage in first 12 weeks. He said essentially no. Miscarriage rates are no different even in women who do manual work and miscarriage usually occurs because of a genetic problem with the particular foetus. Of course there can be other causes but a pregnancy that's going to succeed won't easily be persuaded not to.

Good luck this time. I hope all goes well and you can relax and enjoy soon.

Sounds like a quack to me too.

I've been vegetarian since I was a child and successfully got pregnant, had a baby, and brought baby up vegetarian without having to change my diet. I took Pregnacare and I took Spatone when I had mild anaemia in 3rd term but I have meat eating friends who had much more severe anaemia than me and other veggie friends who got through the whole pregnancy without anaemia and without the need for supplements.

I'm actually pretty crap at ensuring I eat a balanced diet and I tend to eat a lot of carbs and not much protein so from my perspective your diet sounds fantastic!

I'd just keep on doing what you're doing. If the shoulder doesn't heal, ask your GP for advice as it might need further investigation.

Good luck with your pregnancy :)

Another vegan pregnancy here. I spoke to a dietician when weaning my son and she told me her boss was vegan and that my diet was by far healthier than most meat eaters she sees so had no problem with my son being vegan from birth.

She also had no problem with soya products such as tofu. I think there are a lot of misconceptions about estrogen in soya. It actually contains phytoestrogens which are not the same. Asian countries have used tofu as a diet staple for centuries, and it's believed to be responsible for lower heart disease rates. It is not nutritionally deficient as willowisp suggested. It contains B6 which is an important amino acid for building neurotransmitters. It's also a good source of protein and fibre.

I suggest that you don't follow the blood type diet either as it's complete tosh, and aimed at loosing weight, which you certainly don't want to be doing. From what you've said about your diet, you've already made a lot of healthy changes so I wouldn't worry. Definitely ignore the osteopath, he seems very narrow minded and ill informed.

Congratulations too!