Veggie kids

stimpson · 06-10-2008 12:16pm #1

So myself and my other half are expecting in March 09. As we are both veggie, I just assumed we could bring up baby on a veggie diet, but after doing some reading I'm not so sure. My own common sense tells me that a veggie child will be far better nourished than a lot of children brought up on fast food.

Herself's sister, who's also a veggie, feeds her daughter meat as she is worried about lack of nutrition in a strict veggie diet.

Has anyone here brought up their children in a meat free household? Is there anything to be concerned about??

Chuchu · 06-10-2008 12:24pm

I'd love to hear about this too as it is something that has been on my mind of late also... any experiences shared would be much appreciated... (sorry not to be able to offer advice myself!:o)

pq0n1ct4ve8zf5 · 06-10-2008 5:13pm

I was raised completely veggie, including during pregnancy and breastfeeding, it's totally possible. Also I'm pretty sure there's a few kids in, oh say, India, who are currently being raised completely or almost completely vegetarian. The one thing my mother ever said about it was the sheer volume of food I needed, especially during breast/bottle feeding times, was an issue (one creche booted me out, aged about four months, because I needed to be fed so frequently). And I've never had any serious health problems, I'm a normal height and weight, none of the "brain development" problems I've heard I should have. (Apart from an atrocious short term memory, but that runs in the family..)

Washout · 06-10-2008 5:58pm

my parents are veggie.

im veggie..my wife is veggie and so are my 4 year old and 3 month old (we are wary of baby milk powder when its time to introduce).

we are all healthy (aprt from me but thats down to too many crisps

).

again its a mtter of choice... one thing i would recommend is that if your wife will be breastfeeding then iron suppliments may be a good thing to avoice anemic mother and baby.

sweet-rasmus · 06-10-2008 7:24pm

the vegetarian society of ireland have a book available on their website which should answer your questions. i've seen info about it at the various veggie day events.

Rose Elliot's Vegetarian Mother, Baby and Toddler Book
€12.00 (including p&p within Ireland)

see: http://www.vegetarian.ie/?q=node/5

Slaphead07 · 06-10-2008 7:52pm

My wife and I went through all this quite a few years ago but the bottom line is that we weren't going to be buying and cooking meat unless it was necessary for their health.

Given that we gave some thought to their diets I reckon they were better fed that most other kids we knew and to be honest they always seemed to be healthier and stronger that their schoolmates. My son is now 15 and 6" tall, well built and rarely ill. My daughter is 19, 5" 11' and usually very healthy. She did go over "to the dark side" (her words) a few years ago and now eats a bit of chicken.

There will be issues about peer pressure and awkward moments but overall it's not difficult and unless there's heath issues there's no reason to adjust your values.

Slaphead07 · 06-10-2008 7:54pm

oh and congrats to the Stimpsons, life is about to change BIG TIME!

stimpson · 08-10-2008 9:40am

Thanks for the feedback everyone. You have pretty much confirmed what I suspected. I guess I just wanted a little reassurance that it was the right thing to do.

kilboy · 10-10-2008 7:35pm

I'm 19 now and I was brought up veggie by my two non-veggie parents. I have never had any serious (or even mild) illness, no sign of anemia, always the right side of under/overweight, 6ft something. DO IT!