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Original poster

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:
GiveMeCakeOrGiveMeDeath · 12/10/2023 16:12

cocksstrideintheevening · 12/10/2023 15:03

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

Of course there is dairy free formula for babies who are allergic to dairy but I doubt you can buy it in Tesco!!

TravellingT · 12/10/2023 16:32

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

I have to ask, why do you think the taste of the milk matters in your decision? Babies drink milk for nourishment, not taste. How did you decide which tastes better?

ActDottie · 12/10/2023 16:35

I’m vegan and pregnant and going to breast feed.

I don’t understand the vegan argument where they won’t feed breast milk as the mother makes a conscious choice to breast feed whereas farm animals have no choice :(

PercytheParkKeepershedgehog · 12/10/2023 16:38

GiveMeCakeOrGiveMeDeath · 12/10/2023 16:12

Of course there is dairy free formula for babies who are allergic to dairy but I doubt you can buy it in Tesco!!

Show quote history

The dairy free ones you can get (possibly only on prescription?) in the UK contain other ingredients that are not vegan. Like Fish oils.

fedupandstuck · 12/10/2023 16:39

The specialist formulas for allergies are not dairy free, they are processed to remove the allergens from the cows milk used to make the formula. They also can contain fish oils.

There are no vegan formulas available in the UK at the moment as per the experts from https://infantmilkinfo.org/

itsmyp4rty · 12/10/2023 16:45

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

What a bizarre thing to say. Babies adore breast milk and it gives so much more than just nutrition.

TheBeesKnee · 12/10/2023 16:46

Why does she think breast milk is not vegan?

BiscuitsandPuffin · 12/10/2023 16:49

GiveMeCakeOrGiveMeDeath · 12/10/2023 16:12

Of course there is dairy free formula for babies who are allergic to dairy but I doubt you can buy it in Tesco!!

Show quote history

There's also SMA Wysoy which you can buy in Tesco and its only crime is having vitamin D3 sourced from Lanolin.

I'd personally take that as "as vegan as you can get without depriving the child of essential nutrients in absence of breastfeeding" since when I was pregnant with DC1 the Vegan Society's stance was that it wasn't recommended to give a vegan diet to under 2's.

That seemingly has now changed but I disagree with that change, as we have such limited data on the long term implications. I unfortunately think they changed it to stay popular in fear of all those social media vegans with big followings because of the behaviour of some of them who would bring down their army of followers on anyone they believed wasn't "vegan enough".

I also don't like that their advice is quite wishy-washy now and doesn't account for things like women who can't BF (luckily not me).

itwasdifferentinthe90s · 12/10/2023 16:51

@speenmum did you do a taste test ?

Simonjt · 12/10/2023 17:08

PercytheParkKeepershedgehog · 12/10/2023 16:38

The dairy free ones you can get (possibly only on prescription?) in the UK contain other ingredients that are not vegan. Like Fish oils.

Show quote history

Our daughter was on premibio, it’s vegan.

sorrynotathome · 12/10/2023 17:10

I think you have misunderstood and as others have said, it's really none of your business.

fedupandstuck · 12/10/2023 17:10

@Simonjt where were you buying that formula from? It isn't a UK formula, and I think is rice based?

Lovepeaceunderstanding · 12/10/2023 17:13

My vegan daughter in law breastfed my older granddaughter and is breastfeeding my younger granddaughter. Of course breast milk is vegan it is intended for human babies. I think your friend is misinformed.

Simonjt · 12/10/2023 17:16

fedupandstuck · 12/10/2023 17:10

@Simonjt where were you buying that formula from? It isn't a UK formula, and I think is rice based?

The GP.

gotomomo · 12/10/2023 17:19

Breast milk is definitely vegan, it's what babies are meant to drink, can't get more natural than that

wiseoldtree · 12/10/2023 17:21

I'm vegan and your friend is wrong.

The issue with cows milk is that it's for baby cows not humans! Human milk is made for humans and there's nothing more naturally and for the baby it's totally vegan.

FloofCloud · 12/10/2023 17:21

Wow! She's very strange'

redribbonrose · 12/10/2023 17:24

What the hell have i just read?

Electrictache · 12/10/2023 17:25

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

Yeah this. Absolutely fucking nutso!

fedupandstuck · 12/10/2023 17:26

@Simonjt it's quite unusual for a UK GP to prescribe a rice based first infant formula that isn't one of those listed as available in the UK by First Steps Nutrition. Presumably that was for a very specific medical requirement that's not relevant to unproblematic infant feeding. And I don't think a GP would prescribe that milk for a baby on the grounds that the parents want a vegan infant formula.

Justleaveitblankthen · 12/10/2023 17:27

WTF have I just read? 😂
When I have finished laughing for long enough, I would have told her that she's fucking insane.

roarrfeckingroar · 12/10/2023 17:27

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

More tasty!!!? That is the weirdest reason I've ever seen given for formula feeding.

I don't believe this is true for a min. Veganism is largely about exploitation and cruelty to animals. Breast milk is designed for human babies and given voluntarily.

Girliefriendlikespuppies · 12/10/2023 17:33

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

More tasty?? Have you tried both? Did your baby write a review for you? 🙈😂

Blimey people are so weird.

Op your friend is completely loopy, vegan milk for a baby sounds gross and not healthy tbh.

itsallnewnow · 12/10/2023 17:34

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

Wait what? Have you tasted both to compare and that's how you decided Grin

SideBob · 12/10/2023 17:51

How can breast milk not be vegan?

Cows domt use oat milk AFAIK. Of course you can consume milk from your own species, brown in your own body.

Her choice to FF, but vegan doesn't even come into it.