Vegetarian pregnancy.......anyone else? xx

[poppyXsmile]

Hi there

I am vegetarian and intend to continue being so throughout my pregnancy. Just wondering if there are any other vegetarian ladies who would like to chat about this topic etc?

xxx

Hi Poppy

I'm also a veggie and currently 25 weeks pregnant. How have you found being veggie so far...? How has your preg been?

I was worried I would crave meat, and also dreaded some interfering people telling me the baby needed meat. So far so good though :) Just get told to drinks lots of milk by my "expert" relatives..

I would actually love to be a vegan but not brave enough!

Hi I have had three children, now 8, 6 and 3, and am vegetarian. I did crave milk during the first two pregnancies and drank litres of it, so lucky I wasn't vegan!

I've always eaten a varied diet and didn't really change anything.

I'm a veggie and was also curious if I would crave meat but am 29 weeks now and my diet hasn't changed at all.

I have had a few comments that I should be eating meat mainly from older relatives but I just ignore them. I had my bloods done last week and my iron levels are very good which I felt rather pleased about! It's all about the combining vitamin c with iron sources and plenty of lentils and spinach. Yum! Also I have been very fastidious with my pregnacare which had a little iron in it but not loads. And loads and loads of dairy and eggs.

Hello Hubb, Sissy and Fetacat! Great to hear from you all!

I'm glad to hear your pregnancies went / are going well!

I am only 10 weeks pregnant..........had an early scan at 6 and a half weeks and heard the heartbeat. I had a miscarriage and an ectopic in the past, so I am quite nervous about this pregnancy! I definitely don't think my previous losses have anything to do with being vegetarian.

I have been eating lots of different protein sources, and I particularly like hemp seeds which contain all the amino acids! I too eat dairy. I have also been having some soya milk each day............ what are your views on soya? I think that in moderation it is fine. I also like beans, quinoa and lentils, as well as some Linda McCartney sausages and Quorn products.

I take pregnacare vitamins, carrot juice for extra beta carotene vitamin a, and vegetarian omega 3 derived from algae.

xxx

Another veggi here - currently 14 weeks 5 days pregnant, veggi for about 25 years and no meat cravings so far. Only change I've really noticed is that whereas I was becoming more and more vegan before I became pregnant, now I'm eating cheese all the time...Can't get enough of it. Also seem to be eating egg sandwiches nearly every day. For breakfast. Still don't like milk, though, so not drinking any of that.

I worried that was low on iron as the whites of my eyes were getting a blueish tint (weird!) and I was breathless and tired so started taking Spatone supplement about a month ago, which seems to be helping. Will ask the midwife about it at my next appointment.

I was expecting the midwife to check about diet at the booking in appointment but she didn't ask at all. Did yours?

Hello buttercup, great to hear from you too!

At my booking appointment all the midwife said was she was pleased to hear I was eating dairy and it sounded like I was eating plenty of protein.

On another note everyone....... what are your thoughts on eating nuts in pregnancy? I have been nibbling occasionally on brazil nuts for selenium, and I have been eating peanut butter occasionally.

I had a healthy vegetarian pregnancy but really craved yoghurt and at it a couple of times a day. Seems to be a bit of a dairy theme! if bloods are fine n baby is growing we must be doing something right

Another veggie here! 28 + 5 weeks...all well so far. Main cravings have been carbs & cheese. Have not had much nausea and feel generally pretty strong, so think our veggie diets must be ok

My midwife didn't seem to care that I I was veggie! She didn't ask but I told her anyway and she put it in my notes but I think it's quite commonplace now.

Has anyone decided if you are going to bring your babies up veggie? My DH is an ex vegetarian turned raging carnivore but I only cook vegetarian food at home and don't know how to cook meat!

Yeah my midwife wasn't bothered either, just said continue eating a varied diet... The old rellies make me laugh when they get all concerned about not eating meat..

I've been eating nuts as normal too, so much conflicting advice out there but hoping for the best.

I would love to bring my baby up a veggie..but going to let them eat meat. I won't be cooking it though so they probably won't like it when they get offered (I'm hoping!) They can eat it at my in laws house and if my DH ever learns to cook then fine.

DH and I have agreed they will only eat meat a few times a week though. Don't know why but I wouldn't want them to eat it all the time. Also don't know why DH agreed without a fuss i think he may have not been listening at the time.

What are others doing?

I think that sounds a good compromise, letting them eat it if they choose. I told my DH he and the children can eat meat at home if he wants to cook it but tbh his desire for meat can't be that great as his laziness in the kitchen seems to have won that one! I am fairly sure my parents will be force feeding my child meat as soon as they are on solids. Poor thing!

I'm another veggie - 15 weeks here. From weeks 8-13 my diet was appalling as I had bad nausea. I managed pasta with cheese, toast with butter and cornflakes. That was about it although I did crave orange juice and vanilla milkshakes (hate drinking milk so probably the next best thing!)

Now I'm feeling a bit better i can manage veggies but need to do a proper shop for more pulses etc. I find frozen spinach is great for adding to stuff to boost iron content. Still haven't managed anything hardcore like broccoli as the thought of it made me want to spew - might venture there this weekend!

My iron levels are surprisingly fine so far - thanks to pregnacare. By the way, I've just ordered some Lloyds pharmacy preg vits which are veggie, cheaper than pregnacare and have the same stuff in.

I think I need to boost protein seeing as I've hardly eaten any for two months! Any ideas for recipes welcome.

Oh and we are doing the same about raising the baby in our veggie/carnivore household. We eat veggie at home so will continue to do that but will let them eat meat otherwise. I figured it's best to let them make up their own mind.

Veggie here too! This is my third pregnancy and I've never had any issues. Nor cravings for meat .
I've been a vegetarian since I was 14, yet, when I announced the good news to my Dad, he said, "But shouldn't you eat a bit more meat then now that you're pregnant?". Lol. According to him, I should have died years ago as apparently you cannot survive without meat.
My DCs are both 'omnivores' - they eat meat when we're out, but are quite happy to have veggie meals and Quorn 'meat' at home. I don't want to force my vegetarianism on them; so I'm happy to go with whatever they want for now and they can make up their own mind when they're old enough to do so.

On my second healthy veggie pregnancy here. No problems first time round with iron or anything, and feeling ok this time too! (currently 22 weeks).

I've been veggie since I was 8, so my body is well adapted, and now the first trimester sickness has gone I'm working hard to make sure my protein intake is good and varied. I've eaten quite a few nuts/nut butters, but there are no allergy issues in my family so it isn't something that worries me.

Have been troughing yogurt this time round too! Must be a theme, or maybe it's just yummy...

I'm vegetarian. I thought the midwife or my mum might have something to say but they both know I have a healthy diet, iron levels are fine, and I take a pregnancy multivitamin just in case. It really hasn't been an issue.
My husband is also veggie and we imagine our baby will be as it's a veggie household. We are committed to bringing up a healthy child.

Hi! Another veggie here. I'm 30 weeks and at my last set of bloods the midwife was impressed at how much my iron levels had gone up. I don't know if she realised I was veggie (have had a few midwives!) but she said whatever I was eating I should keep eating it!

i've been through 2 vegetarian pregnancies and on my 2nd vegan pregnancy

oh i've craved meat in all my pregnancies. specifically roast lamb with mint sauce.

taking an iron supplement helps though lol

I have been veggie for about 10 years and had a healthy pregnancy. DD is 2 now. I asked my midwife if being veggie would be s problem, she said not at all. Having been veggie for so long, my body knew how to cope without meat and all would be well. I did have about a months worth of iron tabs, prescribed by a stand in midwife, my normal one wasn't happy when she found out as my blood was fine, so no need.

Hth.

Hi there, another veggie here.
I'm 9 weeks with dc3 and haven't had iron problems with any of them so far. The mw's have asked about diet as standard practice but never suggested it was a prob.
Dd1 was weaned as an omnivore (it was one of the most difficult things ive done, really made me retch). I wanted her to have the choice later in life as I was never weaned onto meat and it therefore makes me ill. When she was 4 she decided she didn't want animals being killed and she's stuck with it for 11 years so far.
Dd2 eats meat sausages but nothing else- I won't cook it but occasionally DH will as he isn't veggie.
I only craved veggies in my previous pregnancies and went off cheese completely- the cheese thing has happened again this time and I can only stomach it melted. Weird!

I was veggie for nearly 20 years and then vegan for 10 but with this pregnancy I've had a weird craving for corned beef and bacon - both of which I hated as a child!

One of the doctors at the hospital got quite excited about my iron levels - 14+. I cook from scratch most days and we eat lots of green veg, nuts and lentils, but I make tons of cakes too! I've never taken any vitamins. My doctor is really pro-veggie and has never tried to lecture me about diet. The midwife started on a bit about calcium but when I started quoting facts and figures - like how much more calcium is in sesame seeds compared to milk, she got a bit flustered and gave up!

This is baby number 4 and was a bit of a surprise! The other 3 are grown up aged from 18 to 21. I started them all off as veggie but made it plain they could eat meat if they wanted to when they were younger. They all had a meat phase and all - with no encouragement from me at all - chose to return to veggie. DC1 is a vegan. DH eats veggie/vegan food quite happily but sometimes picks up meaty stuff for himself.

All the responses here are great! Sometimes I feel really alone as I don't know anyone else who is having a vegetarian pregnancy. Glad to hear so many people have had a positive response from medical world re vegetarianism. This thread has really cheered me up, thanks!

My husband eats meat, however he enjoys vegetarian food too. I plan on only giving vegetarian foods to any children we have, however if my husband gives them meat that is his choice. I will wait until they are older and respect their choices either way re vegetarianism.

The weird thing is is that I can't stand most vegetables at the moment and I usually love them! White carb cravings are not good either......hoping they will go away soon!

Happy and healthy vegi pregnancies everyone! And great to hear about other children and family members who enjoy vegetarian foods.

xxxx

ahhh the white carbs!!! here too

am living on white toast with marmalade atm which i know is terrible and gives me awful blood sugar issues.

how many weeks are you poppy?
i'm only 8 weeks, so early days

Another veggie here too. Am sixteen weeks with number three.

Am mostly living off of Monster Munch and cheese sarnies tho at the moment. I had dreadful sickness at first and I'm still a bit delicate around food.

And have also been delighted to find out that McD's will sell you a cheeseburger Happy Meal with everything bar the flesh in it so I can still get the fake cheese and gherkinny goodness

Lol so I am not the only occasional unhealthy eater! I have been so bad......coco pops, pot noodles, white rolls with anchor butter, Chinese rice chips and curry sauce........ naughty!!

I will be ten weeks tomorrow. Had early scan at 5 and a half weeks and at 6 and a half weeks to check not ectopic again, and we heard the heartbeat which is good.

I am taking things one step at a time due to previous losses.

xxx