Vegan/plant-based questions/suggestions

[sunandfire]

What are other vegan/plant-based pregnant mamas and mama-to-bes taking for:

• B12? I haven't been consistent with my B12 supplement, but I've been incorporating a lot of nutritional yeast into my diet, lately.

• Probiotic? I had horrendous thrush for two months which seems to have cleared up on its own (midwife wanted me to take antibiotics for it which I really wasn't enthusiastic about - antibiotics LEAD to thrush - so I'm glad I don't have to now), but I'm worried it'll come back so would like to be taking a good probiotic as a preventative measure. Also plan to get into making fermented foods such as coconut kefir, water kefir and sauerkraut.

• Also, any of you been put on iron tablets? I certainly have. Wasn't expecting to be low in iron as my leafy green intake is pretty excellent (or so I thought).

Any other vegan/plant-based thoughts, questions and suggestions are welcome!

Low iron/ anemia in pregnancy is common regardless of duet and an increase in dietary iron rarely has an effect, so just take the tablets.

Sounds to me like youight be feeling pretty awful, low iron = tiredness and so does low b12, combined with pregnancy you have a triple whammy! Get a b12 supplement and take it regularly. As a vegan it's highly unlikely you're getting enough and baby needs it too.

I don't know about probiotics, but I was plagued by thrush when my b12 and thyroid was low, sorting them cleared it.

@anotherchangetomyname I don't feel tired or iron-deficient at all, but I've been taking the tablets, yes!

I haven't actually been told I'm 'low' on B12, I was just asking about it. I do have a B12 liquid supplement (which I'll start taking properly). Are our B12 levels actually tested, then? Haven't asked about it!

I had marmite on toast everyday for my B12!

Dried apricots are a good source of iron, I ate lots of these (and dark chocolate ) whilst pregnant and avoided any problems with anaemia.

@Bolshybookworm thank you! As marmite is a yeast extract, do you think it'd be problematic for someone suffering from (or prone to suffering from) thrush, as thrush is an overgrow of yeast?!

It's hard for a vegan diet to have sufficient b12, unless you specifically eat things supplemented with it. If prone to thrush I'd avoid marmite until your b12 in take is good and the thrush under control.

They don't routinely check b12 levels but if you are worried, you can ask.

Are there any pregnancy vitamins that are vegan friendly? I was drinking soya milk, as it was enriched with Vitamin B12.

In regards to iron, I struggled to get my iron up and the iron tablets that I was prescribed just make me ill, so ended up taking liquid vitamins, as well as increasing my leafy greens.

My midwife told me that you need to have vitamin C while eating the iron rich foods, as this will increase the amount of iron that is absorbed into the body.