Vegetarian but Debating eating meat whilst pregnant. Thoughts?

[Togetherismyfavouriteplace]

Hi all,

Bit of a random one but something that’s been playing on my mind and would like a second opinion.

I’m currently 6+4 weeks pregnant and have been Vegetarian for almost 2 years.

I’ve got the most horrific sickness and nausea and am struggling to keep foods down. I’m due at the doctors tonight to review it.

Since being pregnant, I’ve craved meat a lot more than I usually would but not enough to eat it. However since the sickness has gotten bad, I’ve debated eating it.
The reason being, I’m struggling to keep foods down and being veggie limits my options anyway. Most of the food is vegetable based which is something that turns my stomach at the moment.
I’m considering eating meat to give myself more of a variety for snacking & meals. I also feel worried about making sure the baby is getting everything it needs and feel that small amounts of meat would help.

What are your thoughts? Has anyone been through something similar ?

You know you dont need meat for nutrients so dont use the baby as an excuse to eat meat

Completely your choice. I did, but I’d only been veggie for 4 months so it was a bit different for me. I craved meat and felt that my body wanted it so didn’t deny it, but it’s completely personal choice.

I always feel that if you really crave something, there is something in that food that you need at the moment. Just eat what you like. You can go back to vegetarian food after the pregnancy if you want to.

I wasn't veggie before the pregnancy but during pregnancy I ate really differently to what I ate before. Afterwards I went back to normal eating again. I didn't make a conscious decision about it, I just trusted my body during pregnancy.

Do what you have to do to get those nutrients in! If veggie food is making you nauseous then try small amounts of meat... you can always buy local/ethical/organic meat and go back to vegetarian afterwards. I'm the opposite, I usually eat meat but pregnancy is putting me off so 80-90% of my meals are vegetarian now. We can swap back after 🤗

I craved chicken whilst pregnant after 15 years of being veggie, I decided my body was telling me it needed it so I ate chicken. I also ate other meats and fish and I've never gone back to being fully veggie although I probably only eat meat once or twice a week (if that).

Whatever you decide, don't beat yourself up.

I was vegetarian for 13 years before getting pregnant last year. I made the decision to introduce some meat that I could tolerate into my diet as we are bringing up our baby to eat meat. It felt like me eating some meat was the first natural step as until then we didn't really have that much meat in the house. I still occasionally eat meat (about once a month) if there's something that takes my fancy, but I was/am a very relaxed vegetarian anyway and stopped eating meat primarily because I didn't like the texture/taste rather than for ethical reasons. I'd say I'm now 95% veggie which is good enough for me, although it wouldn't be for some people.

It's up to you and your ethics.

My POV is that preg cravings are your body telling you what it wants/ and if you can't keep stuff down you need something.

It's entirely up to you. I can imagine it's hard.

I’m 16 weeks and massively craving chicken at the moment. I haven’t had any yet but I’m
not saying I won’t. I do eat fish anyway so I’m not vegetarian, but haven’t eaten meat in about 4 years.

I tend to think the craving is telling me my body needs something specific, and assume in my case it’s protein and so far I’ve been able to sort of distract it with other protein rich foods. I haven’t had the sickness issues you have though, and if you think you’d be able to keep some meat down I’d seriously consider it. Buy as ethically as you can and try a small quantity.

Ultimately it’s a decision only you can make, but you can go back to being vegetarian in the meantime.

As a stupid question - would something like a vegan sausage roll or other meat substitute help? I’m not generally a fan of the substitutes but I do love the sausage rolls, not exactly great nutrition but if it’s something you think you could keep down it’s something?

Sorry - not go back to being vegetarian in the meantime, I meant afterwards! Distracted whilst typing!

Eat fish

I had only been veggie for 6 months when I fell pregnant. I felt really sick and totally lost my appetite. I started eating meat, just couldn't stomach the thought of most fruit and veg. I ate plain chicken and noodles/pasta for several weeks. I imagine you can get the nutrients you need without meat - I cannot have been eating a health diet for those first few weeks and everything appears to be okay. However, I think it is more about your quality of life and happiness. Some days I felt so sick but also hungry and meat and carbs where the only thing that gave me some satisfaction. I guess it also depends how strongly you feel about being a vegetarian. I am now nearly full term and have pretty much gone back to eating no meat.

Is it worth trying the fake meat quorn type stuff first to see if that helps?

Don't do it!

I'm vegetarian, and had a spell of craving bacon (doubly awful, since I'm Jewish ). I rode it out and didn't give in. You and your baby don't need it; you can get your nutrients from lovely veggie stuff.

I was veggie until pregnancy, I'm currently 37 weeks pregnant and have been eating meat since really early in the pregnancy - my first cravings were all meat. I'm also eating tuna once a week and I never touched fish/seafood before pregnancy either. I decided the cravings were my body telling me what it needed. Having now been diagnosed with gestational diabetes, eating meat has made it easier to stick to a GD-friendly diet too.

you can get your nutrients from lovely veggie stuff

Not if she can’t keep it down she can’t. Nothing to say she’d keep the meat down either mind, but if she feels it’s worth a try that’s her call.

I was vege for 10 years prior to pregnancy. At 9 weeks I started craving a Big Mac... now I’m 34 weeks and most definitely cannot call myself vegetarian anymore! Lived off ham sandwiches for a while. About to tuck into chicken enchiladas.

You can absolutely get everything you want from a Vegetarian diet. But if you crave meat, and aren’t opposed to it (depends on your reasons for being vegetarian), then go for it!

Eat the meat.If it's good enough for Phoebe in Friends..

Despite being a vegetarian for most of my life, I ate beef whilst pregnant with my younger two. My haemoglobin was into the single digits, and I couldn't seem to absorb iron either from the veggie sources (spinach, beans, prunes etc) or from the supplements. What helped me was the ethical principle that the Jews call "pikuach nefesh" - basically, the concept that it's OK to contravene one's own principles to preserve life - whereas I don't think the anaemia would have killed me, it was certainly making me too ill to be the best parent I could have been. So when people say "oh but meat is unnecessary for human nutrition"... it's not always that clear cut. If my levels drop that far again this pregnancy, I think I would make the same decision again.

Do it. Ignore the sanctimonious posters who don't seem capable of understanding that you've been unable to stomach vegetarian food. The important thing is that you get the nutrition you and your baby need.

I also had to eat completely differently when I had morning sickness, normally i eat lots of fruit and veg, wholegrains and fish, but whilst I was struggling with nausea and sickness could pretty much only stomach white carbs and plain chicken.

If you want meat then eat it 🤷🏻‍♀️

Pregnancy is hard enough without ignoring cravings. Unless you crave something dangerous like sponge or petrol, bloody well give your body want it wants

I think everybody's different and you need to do what works for you. I know people who had healthy vegetarian pregnancies, but I had to increase my meat intake (was 1 to 2 times a week previously) because my iron levels got low. I ate a lot of wider sources but just seemed like I needed more animal sourced iron or absorbed it better. Got prescribed supplements too. You can always just change while pg and eat sustainably sourced meats and go back to veggie after

I'm not sure I buy the whole "you crave the things your body needs" line (pretty sure the salt and vinegar squares I'm craving aren't fulfilling a nutritional gap...) and you can definitely get all your nutrients through veggie food. That said, pregnancy is difficult enough as it is, if you want it, eat it. Don't feel bad. (And I'm veggie too.)

I'm a vegetarian too, and have been known to crave meat when my protein intake has been way too low,
Quorn and pea-based protein are great but not that easily digested.

If you want it and can eat it, do so.

I’m vegetarian and also pregnant. My sickness was also bad and could only stomach bland beige foods, the thought of vegetables etc made me so sick. I had to give In a couple of times as I really needed to eat. A week later it was the thought of meat that made me sick again x

I'm 12 weeks and have had awful nausea and vommitting too and very weird cravings. I am also usually a vegetarian but since being pregnant I have indulged in meat a little bit when I have been craving it. Last couple weeks I have felt completely repulsed by it so back to being vege... I think, as long as you don't feel super guilty, do what your body is telling you. If you can keep meat down, give it a go. It might be what your body needs.