Vegetarian but Debating eating meat whilst pregnant. Thoughts?

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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 ?

I was a veggie for ten years but was making the ex lamb chops one night whilst 7 months pg and ate all 6 one after the other the next day I went for my first ever Big Mac. I suspect my body was telling me I was lacking in iron.

I gave in to the cravings when I wanted meat when morning sickness was crippling (mc Donalds chicken wraps mostly) at 20 weeks the cravings passed, I felt much more human and now I don’t touch the stuff again, do what you need to do in those early stages, don’t be hard on yourself your making a baby, it will pass x

I occasionally craved meat when I was pregnant but I didn't eat it. I'd have been quite disappointed in myself after 20 odd years of Vegetarianism

I don't believe cravings are what your body needs. I craved licking tyres and McDonalds strawberry milkshake but I only indulged in the latter!

If you think you can keep it down and fancy it I would.
I don’t eat meat (but do eat fish) and while I was pregnant I said if I fancied it I would. I never did get a craving for it so didn’t bother.
I had a healthy pregnancy and now have a toddler who funnily enough is not massively keen on meat but loves fish and veggies! We’ve brought him up eating meat as well so it’s his choice!

I’m vegetarian and am currently 37 weeks pregnant. I haven’t had the healthiest diet throughout my pregnancy but I always ensured I was taking Pregnacare daily so I got all my nutrients, my midwife and consultants have been extremely happy with baby’s development.

I have this OP but I don't think it's anything to do with what your body is craving unless hotdog sausages in a tin or ham are particularly nutritious which is what I fancy!

I don't think we subconsciously recognise Big Macs as a source of iron either

I've just upped the meat replacement veggie products which I don't usually eat which satisfy the cravings. Quorn do some lovely southern fried 'chicken' nuggets and there are some great burgers out there.
You can choose to eat what you like but a vegetarian diet is perfectly healthy for pregnancy.

I did. I'd been veggie for about 16years but after being so click, really fancied chicken so I had it. Same again with Dc2. I don't feel guilty, I'm veggie again now. Do what you need to do to get you through.

Vegetarian for 14 years before becoming pregnant

Lost 2 stone in weight by throwing everything up for the first 6 months

Just the idea of meat would have had me vomiting

Brought both dc up vegetarian. Despite being told that they wouldn’t get the right nutrients by loads of people and would fail to thrive and grow properly

Me and my family are really quite short. So are Dps

Dd is 6ft2” in heels and Ds towers above us

They are both now vegan

I'm 9 weeks pregnant, vegan (for several years), with hyperemesis and been craving meat and eggs a good bit also. Sometimes the craving is overwhelming.

I haven't given in and don't intend to. But I was also the exact same in my previous pregnancy and I didn't give in and the cravings totally passed after the first trimester. I also have cravings for vegan foods like chips, cake etc and when I give into them I don't feel any better so imagine meat would be the same.

Since the cravings passed so quickly and completely after the first trimester last time, I can only assume my body didn't actually need anything from those foods. I had a healthy pregnancy and baby.

I think do what you need to do to get through this, but know that it will pass and that it's probably nothing more than a comfort / taste thing.

You just need to get through those early days, and if meat helps with that then do it. Nausea is much worse on an empty stomach. I'm not a vegetarian but the "going off" meals or foods that had previously been favourites happened to me. I ate mostly cereal, fruit and salads in the early days because anything else turned me. As the pregnancy progressed I was able to return to eating more normally. You can have a healthy pregnancy on a vegetarian diet, but that's assuming you can eat and keep down the vegetarian options available- there'll be no prize at the end for having stayed meat free the whole way through.

I've been vegetarian for over 30 years, including through my 3 healthy pregnancies. It never occurred to me to eat meat. It certainly isn't necessary. But you are an adult and can eat whatever you want.