Nutritionist consult during pregancy... what are others' experiences?

[katroshka]

So I had a mandatory appointment with a nutritionist at my prenatal clinic yesterday, and she was really, really supportive of my family's vegan diet. She was incredibly impressed with what our family eats, and how much I knew about a healthy diet. Granted, this clinic is in a very, very poor neighborhood where I'd say most patients are in the high-risk group for a variety of reasons. She was telling me how she had earlier seen a 17 year old pregnant girl who weighed 240 pounds early in pregnancy, and how when she tried to explain how bad her diet was she pretty much got nowhere.

I have had positive, negative, and neutral experiences with medical pros in the past, though here in Southern California I can't think of any negative experiences, that was more in Upstate New York. Our pediatricians are always supportive, and doctors I've seen myself. Just wondering what's happening around the rest of the country, how your experiences are with doctors, midwives, nutritionists, whatever. Are medical professionals becoming more accepting of vegetarian and vegan diets?

[catnip]

I had a doctor tell me I was jeopardizing the life of my child by being a vegetarian in pregnancy. I'm sure that she'd have called CPS on me for raising my daughter vegan (needless to say, she's not our doctor anymore).

[katroshka]

Wow, that's crazy, catnip! I'm curious, was that in CA or somewhere else? I assume you've had better experiences with your current doctor?

[PoetryLover]

I wrote a lengthy post and then accidentally deleted it.

I'll be back later with my story. :-)

[somegirl99]

My OB and family doctor are totally fine with my vegan diet.

[Sayward]

I actually found a pediatrician who is vegan herself! I was sooo excited, but as it turns out she is really really traditional 'medical-model' and I'm . . . more open minded.

So at 6.5 months, we're breaking up with her in favor of a new ped who supports alt vaxing and won't shove fluoride prescriptions into my purse.

I haven't had bad experiences with Dr's re: my veganism, but I've heard some horror stories. I recently heard about a Dr who told a patient that it would be dangerous to raise their child on strictly organic - that some pesticides and processed foods are necessary for health. YES REALLY!

So I wonder, is there some sort of organization that you can report Dr's to for giving unsound nutritional advice? Like badgering a vegan into eating animals during pregnancy. I want to report those people!

[katroshka]

Sayward, your story about the pediatrician saying organic is dangerous is sooooo crazy.... I can't even say anything about it because so many things come to mind that I think my head will explode if I keep thinking about it. That person really is unqualified to practice medicine- I mean, yes, there are different viewpoints and conflicting evidence about a lot of things, but there is absolutely no excuse for that. It really does show a gross ignorance of science in general. Even the most anti-organic people I've heard/ read stuff from never tried to say pesticides are GOOD for you.

It's too bad about the vegan pediatrician not being more in tune with your views, I would have felt the same way, really excited and then really disappointed. But all of our pediatricians have been really, really supportive, with the minor exception of one pediatrician wanting a blood test to check for the type of anemia resulting from B12 deficiency. But that actually seems fairly reasonable to me, as it is definitely the hardest nutrient to get as a vegan. We've always all passed that with flying colors, though, so obviously it's not THAT hard. Probably has something to do with our nutritional yeast addiction!

[catnip]

That was my first and last visit with that doctor. But it was really upsetting. My OB (I was 7 months pregnant at the time) talked me down from my freakout, essentially by flat telling me that the other one was full of crap.

We have an awesome pediatrician for my daughter. I have yet to find a doctor that I'm really comfortable with for myself.

[BeanyMama]

That is craziness, Catnip!

My midwife is super supportive of my diet, it's nice. I don't mention it at ped visits, I'm afraid of a lecture about harming my kids by not offering ribs

[PoetryLover]

When I was pregnant with DS, I met with a nutritionist. She was blown away by the variety of healthy food I eat. She provided encouragement for my vegetarian (mostly vegan) diet. DS was born at home, and due to the fact that I needed to transfer afterwards, he was in the hospital with me. He was born with a cleft lip and cleft alveolar; however, he was otherwise very healthy. The pediatrician tried to convince us that we were bad parents if we didn't admit DS, as well. We admitted DS because he was already there with me, and I knew that I would be there for at least a couple days. We didn't mind them running some tests to make sure he was okay, but we insisted that DH or I had to be present for everything they did. We refused the Hepatitis B vaccine on the basis that neither DH or I have it and our newborn son wasn't sexually active. The pediatrician treated us like we were extremists and wanting to refuse our son medical care. He didn't understand having a home birth. I don't remember vegetarianism coming up at that time. (The ped also tried to convince us to have DS circumcised, quoting a lower risk of HIV. Off topic but Grr...) Anyway, the pediatrician arranged for a woman to come to our home and visit with us. I can't remember her title, but she is the cleft lip and palette outreach person for our state. DH and I were nervous when we realized the hospital ped had sent her, but we let her come because our family doctor's office also recommended her. This woman was so understanding. She was supportive of home birth and also of parents wanting to research what they are injecting into their children. She had 3 titles. Aside from being the cleft lip and palette outreach person, she is a lactation consultant and nutritionist--AND she was a vegetarian herself. She ended up being an ally for us and wrote a great report about us and the loving care we are giving DS.

I chose a family doctor (not a pediatrician) who I knew to be vegetarian and delayed/selective vax friendly. (I had posted about this in my local tribe.) DH and I received a lot of support and encouragement from our doctor, who is attachment parent friendly, as well. Also, my midwife was fine with my vegetarianism. She did ask me to keep a food log, but I understand that is kind of routine.

Basically, I intentionally sought out providers who would be supportive of my choices. It's important (at least for me) to have allies in this way.

[germin8]

When we were touring pediatrician's offices, we felt totally uninvited to one in particular. Basically, they expressed concern over our vegan diet without asking us what we ate. I don't think they knew much about nutrition... and this was coming from a very overweight person... (we are rather thin, btw). How can I accept health/nutrition recommendation from someone... unhealthy? Anyway... she went on to tell us that our DC would only be accepted IF they had all their vaccinations - mandatory or not. This included the flu vaccine (w/ has the H1N1 vaccine in one, now). Obviously, we were not welcome... but, instead found a wonderful place that is alt. vax. friendly. And, are nice about our veg lifestyle. Just depends where you go. Also, our favorite lactation consult was very understanding... granola. We loved her. She understood us. And, I think she was surprised we knew so much about nutrition/food.

[somegirl99]

Originally Posted by PoetryLover

(The ped also tried to convince us to have DS circumcised, quoting a lower risk of HIV. Off topic but Grr...)

For people that use this argument, I say that if DS decides to go have unsafe sex in sub-Saharan Africa (where most of the studies are from, I believe), then he can choose to get circumcised as a preventative measure.

[kismetbaby]

My MW was vegetarian, so I got only support there. She did have me keep a food log one week, but that is standard for her practice and we did talk about getting enough calcium, or adding supplements, or whatever, but she never, never suggested I would need to eat animal products for a healthy preg.
We had a great Ped for the first two months then had to move and I have yet to find one that is supportive of my any of my AP choices. But at this point I just nod and smile and do my own thing. We have a well-baby visit coming up and I know they are going to say I should start cow's milk b/c DS is 12m. . .I won't even start the conversation with why I won't be doing that. *rolling eyes*