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Vegan

Join Mumsnet's vegan community and discuss everything related to the vegan diet.

Debate with vegan friend

57 replies

angiec89 · 12/10/2023 14:44

I'm not vegan but have been having a bit of a debate with a friend who is and I'm looking to see who's in the wrong. We're both mums and she is raising her DC vegan which I think is reasonable as she's very healthy and her DC are too.

However we're both pregnant and were having a discussion about breast milk. I have always assumed breast milk was considered vegan. However my friend doesn't. She raised both her DC with what she called vegan formula instead. I believe breast is best and it's not my business but I do think it's in her best interest to breastfeed her DC (she is due in january). I've said this and she's having none of it.

What do the vegan community think?

OP posts:
speenmum · 12/10/2023 14:46

I think breastfeeding is more environmentally friendly. Who knows what they put in formula these days. But I choose to formula feed my kids because it is more tasty x

Wednesdaysotherchild · 12/10/2023 14:46

Breast milk is definitely vegan and tailored to the baby, it’s absolutely fine.

Coldinscotland · 12/10/2023 14:47

Breast milk is the product designed to feed your own dc... It isn't being stolen from anyone /any animal is it? Bonkers to even discuss.

Aylestone · 12/10/2023 14:48

I’m struggling to believe this is in any way real. On the off chance that it is, your friends a fucking lunatic

sprigatito · 12/10/2023 14:49

I think she's bonkers, but I also think it's not your place to tell her how to feed her baby.

dreamofaworkingpdfattachment · 12/10/2023 14:49

This reply has been deleted

This user is a previously banned troll.

GiveMeCakeOrGiveMeDeath · 12/10/2023 14:50

Your friend is a div
milk from cows isn't vegan because the cow is being exploited to obtain it. Milk from her own body is completely different. Wow, hard to believe anyone could be that dense.

ALittleBitAhAh · 12/10/2023 14:50

Vegan here. Yes it's vegan as it's her milk, her body and if she breast fed she would be consenting.

angiec89 · 12/10/2023 14:51

This reply has been deleted

This user is a previously banned troll.

She is a bit of a conspiracy theory nutter (love her though), and is 'against milk'

OP posts:
Banjojo · 12/10/2023 14:55

Im a vegetarian. As far as I know, vegans believe that no part of an animal should be used for the benefit of humans. So no meat, fish, eggs, milk, honey, leather, gelatine, rennet etc. However, human women’s breast milk is designed for human babies, it is not being taken from a animal that is unable to give consent and it is not exploitative. It’s 100% vegan and ethical, not to mention healthy and nutritious.

OhDoSitDownAndShutUp · 12/10/2023 14:56

Aylestone · 12/10/2023 14:48

I’m struggling to believe this is in any way real. On the off chance that it is, your friends a fucking lunatic

I agree, 100%

VeridicalVagabond · 12/10/2023 14:59

Against milk for all mammals? She thinks all mammals should be formula fed?

I don't think this is a vegan problem, this is a stupidity problem.

cocksstrideintheevening · 12/10/2023 15:01

What? So she thinks no mammal should feed their offspring with the product that is literally made to feed them?

WTF is in vegan formula anyway?

Cowlover89 · 12/10/2023 15:02

speenmum · 12/10/2023 14:46

I think breastfeeding is more environmentally friendly. Who knows what they put in formula these days. But I choose to formula feed my kids because it is more tasty x

Breastmilk is a lot more tastier 😋 tastes like vanilla ice cream

cocksstrideintheevening · 12/10/2023 15:03

Google has just told me there is no vegan formula in the uk, vegetarian but not vegan

Cowlover89 · 12/10/2023 15:03

Your friend is ridiculous.

Cowlover89 · 12/10/2023 15:04

I would say it's an animal product as we are animals are we not.

Laptopproblems · 12/10/2023 15:13

I think your friend may of gone down a odd Internet wormhole to think this kind of thing.

Ask her if she thinks that calfs, lambs , foals , etc should be fed formula instead of its mother's milk. Surely this amounts to the same kind of thinking.

Also ask if she would ( hypothetically ) be willing to donate her milk to a milk bank or be a wet nurse,
So is she OK with other babies having her non 'vegan ' milk just not her own baby.

Helpmepleaseimbusy · 12/10/2023 15:36

Not sure why you are so concerned or involving yourself in whether your friend breast feeds or not? It doesn't affect you in any way. Weird

FatherJackHackettsUnderpantsHamper · 12/10/2023 15:51

I would say it's an animal product as we are animals are we not.

I suppose it depends on your reason for being vegan in the first place. If you don't like/tolerate the idea of eating any part/product of an animal, than maybe. But I think, for most vegans, it's the ethics and the idea that you're exploiting/killing an animal for your own selfish benefit.

If an animal could somehow talk and unequivocally tell you that it wanted you to kill it and eat it and make clothes from its skin, or to take its milk and drink it yourself, then I suppose the ethical point would be moot.

In the same way, by actively putting a baby to your breast and encouraging him/her to drink milk from your body, you are expressly giving your consent for the baby to take what you are freely offering.

In fact, you could argue that you've turned things around consent-wise, as you are freely consenting to give the milk but the baby isn't old enough to make an informed choice as to whether they truly want to take it and is merely acting on instinct.

Of course, if somebody were forcing or coercing you to breastfeed, that could potentially take us back and give weight to the original proposition: that your breastmilk is neither vegan nor being ethically/non-exploitatively consumed (although, of course, you wouldn't personally blame the baby).

Guessguess · 12/10/2023 15:54

Shes absolutely nuts but you shouldn't be telling her "breast is best" either as it's not your business. It is obviously vegan though

PinkRoses1245 · 12/10/2023 15:55

Your friend is being stupid. If she's vegan for environmental reasons, it's far more environmentally friendly to breastfeed. It's her own choice of course, but exactly that - she is choosing for her baby to drink the milk. The same as a cow giving milk to their calf.

CountryStore · 12/10/2023 15:55

Human milk is the perfect food for a human baby (obviously not eveypne can, or wants to, bf) Veganism doesn't come into it
Is your friend a bit thick?

bakewellbride · 12/10/2023 15:58

I'm a vegan. You are of course right op but I still wouldn't have said anything. Maybe she can't / won't breastfeed for a personal reason that you don't know about and you could've upset her.

fedupandstuck · 12/10/2023 16:07

This trope seems to pop up regularly. Your friend, if indeed this is real, is misguided. Of course breastmilk is "vegan". The Vegan Society in the UK recommend breastfeeding as per the WHO recommendations and offer advice on maximising your nutritional intake whilst you are breastfeeding.

https://www.vegansociety.com/resources/nutrition-and-health/life-stages/pregnancy-and-breastfeeding

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