Any Vegetarian Mamas?

[beemama]

Check in here!!

We were vegetarian through dd's pg and there were no problems, aside from excess weight gain due to some bad food choices (SWEETS- white flour). When m/s kicked in I started craving all of the comfort foods from my childhood... unhealthy stuff like hot dogs, donuts & mac/cheese. I found vegetarian solutions for most of my cravings but now I don't do meat substitutes because of gmo soy & msg.

I have noticed I'm craving more protein, so I've been making rice/lentils more often & having nuts or nut butter as snacks.

I feel good about my diet right now, I'm eating a big salad every day (only mild m/s right now). We're doing less dairy than last time... I think cutting back on it helped us get pg after 2+ years of trying.

Are you doing anything differently now that you're pg?

[edamommy]

when I was pregnant I started each morning w/ a big mug of steamed rice milk w/ 2 tbs of molasses melted in it. Good iron for veggie mama's to be! :)

[beemama]

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm! THAT sounds good!!

[goddessgold1]

I am a vegetarian, as well as my children. I really worry about protien, and while my children have been small, they have been very healthy, and there weight might jsut be because I am small. We dont eat much processed food, but I make sure to eat peanut butter, i make it myself, so i know its good, and about once a week I make split pea soup, I just make sure that at least once a day I make something with extra protien in it. Which isnt always easy, but I try.......:dizzy:

[daceysmomma]

Ooooh, good idea edamommy!

I am slowly making the switch to vegetarianism. It sort of helps right now that the thought of any kind of meat makes me retch. DD is a born veggie and won't touch any meat at all. (Except Sonic corn dogs. Don't ask!)

I would love to hear more ideas on protein. I love peanut butter and practically lived on it during DD's pregnancy. I don't care for lentils, but am open to all kinds of other suggestions!

[beemama]

goddessgold~I would guess they're small because you are... the veggie kids we've known have all been so healthy. Our dd has always been a vegetarian & is very big for her age, very healthy.
I don't usually worry about extra protein... unless I notice cravings for it.

That's great that you avoid processed foods!
We try to avoid it, too... but have been known to break down from time to time & get some Amy's mac & cheese :o .

[beemama]

daceysmomma~ that's great that you're shifting toward vegetarianism!

If you like peanutbutter... you might really like other nut butters, like almond & sunflower seed.
Do you like any other beans? We make up a big 5 bean chili every now & again & have lots of leftovers.
If you don't like lentils on their own, they're easily disguised in spaghetti sauce, esp. in a lasagna.
We still eat eggs about once a week, too.

[lunamegn]

I'm a vegetarian mama. I was eating a mostly raw diet before I found out I was pregnant and it was like the day after I found out I was pregnant raw foods became completely unappealing to me. My dh has been making super food smoothies for us, so that's good because they include a bunch of veggies and fruits...

I'm also concerned that I'm getting all of my recommended daily protein. The super food smoothies that my dh make have 40% of my daily need of protein, but I still have to make the other part up. USually with nut butters (we have a vita-mix so we've been making our own as well) and tofu (not too much tofu) and beans. Although Mexican food is not sounding appealing right now. Only Indian. Daceysmom ~ Do you like Indian food? Lots of dishes contain lentils and kidney beans, which are both high in protein.

We have some organic eggs that we've been making, too. And there's always cheese! The raw cheddar cheese we have been getting has 7 grams of protein per ounce.

I was reading in a pregnancy book of mine last night that vegetarians have to be careful to get enough protein and that meat eaters usually don't have to be careful to get enough, they have to be careful to get too much! They said that you can get too much and that it can be taxing on the kidneys to have to process too much protein. Just a thought. It's seems like it's a fine balance. So I figure as long as I'm making a conscious effort to get enough protein and I'm not craving things that have protein, I'm doing good. I've noticed that I'm not getting enough protein when I start craving meat or nut butters.

[beemama]

daceysmomma~ hummus! Do you like it? It's an easy protein snack.

lunamgn~ for dd, I had been about 70% raw when we conceived, dh was 100% for 6 months... and like you, soon after I found out it was just not appealing to me anymore.

It's funny, I thought I had read in a few places about the "protein myth" , that we don't need as much of it as was once thought, that there are levels of protein in many foods... like spinach is 49% protein- but then when I tried to find some info to link in here... I couldn't find anything!

[veggiemama4]

I am a vegetarian and have been my whole life, so I'm not really doing anything different, just eating more. I am starving. I was on a "diet" and have lost about 40lbs since June... so my eating was limited, now I am starving I think I will gain the 40lbs back this week if I keep up.

[~minnow~]

Me too! (Hey, lunamegn and veggiemama4! I just saw you guys in the UC forum too.) I've been veg. for 6 or so years and I think my diet will work for pregnancy. I have tons of recipes, many simple, for bean and grain dishes, curries, tofu dishes, etc. Wld be happy to share.

I confess that while TTC I ate meat (lamb, turkey, scallops, shrimp) on a few occasions to see if that helped get my hormones under control (as suggested in _The Infertility Cure_ for my long cycles). It seemed to help. I have also cut back on the dairy, particularly my cheese obsession.

The thing I'm concerned about this pregnancy (gah! I still can't belive it) is eating too much tofu. I also use some soy milk and soy creamer. I'm trying not to do soy every day like we used to. Anyone have a sense how much soy is too much?

Actually, beemama is right: getting enough protein is easy if you eat whole foods! Tons of stuff has protein: potatoes, whole wheat bread, cheese, kale, spinach, miso, pumpkin seeds, whole milk, peas, summer squash, tofu, tempeh (both very versatile cooking ingredients: just dump 'em in where you might include chicken; marinate first if desired)...

This website has a list of protein content (scroll down to get past the liver, tuna, etc.):
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=nutrient&dbid=92

Actually, I love that website: it gives you comprehensive info about the nutritional content of any food, and offers easy recipes too. You can enter the ingredient or nutrient you are interested in and it'll punch up recipes that include it.

[beemama]

~minnow~ Thanks for that link! That site is awesome! I read around in The Infirtility Cure, too... that's why I cut back on dairy- I, too, was cheese obsessed.

We cut back on soy 14 mos ago because of TTC & the phytoestrogens, I was doing soy milk/creamer & tofu, as well as meat substitutes... now we have tofu occasionally, drink rice milk & dairy creamer.

So glad there are others here!
What have you eaten today? I had some Autumn Wheat cereal w/rice milk, a huge spinach salad w/feta & walnuts, a whole grain roll, a wheat english muffin & I'm about to slice an apple. OH, and some watered down swiss water process 1/2 caff... really struggling to kick that habit! Tomorrow I'll start diluting the 1/2 caff w/ Roma, a coffee substitute.

[lunamegn]

I've eaten 2 oranges, 1 banana, and a little bit of pizza that we made last night. I am suffering, though! I have never have morning (or for me, all day long) sickness. What's up with that!?! I had barely any with my son. Does this mean a girl or something? :)

[Fridaxsky]

I'm a vegan - have been for the last 2 years, though I can't say I've always been perfect. :wink Since finding about I'm pregnant, I have buckled down again and have started keeping daily food logs to track how much protein and calcium I'm getting. We do as much organic as possible (DH is vegan too). I know I'll constantly hear from my family how I should be eating meat/cheese/other animal products, but I am very confident that I will able to get through this and stay healthy! :broc: :carrot

[beckyphry]

Veggie here! I eat a fairly healthy diet, but I know I need to add more protein and whole grains in and try to cut out the processed crap. Thankfully my appetite is decent right now, so I'm really going to make an effort to do better. I'm sure this thread will help me!

(pssst, lunamegn :wave)

[lunamegn]

Hi Becky! I didn't know you were a veggie!

[beckyphry]

Meghan, I've been veggie for 5 years. :) A veggie friend last night asked me what I'd do if I started craving meat during my pregnancy. I told him that I can't imagine any craving would be strong enough to actually get me to eat meat, but that I had thought about what I would do if that happened.

What do you guys think? If you suddenly started having cravings, would you eat meat to satisfy it?

[beemama]

No, I've had weird meat cravings... I up my protein.
I think I'd feel too guilty, and I don't know that I could actually get over the fact that I was eating meat.

[Fridaxsky]

What do you guys think? If you suddenly started having cravings, would you eat meat to satisfy it?

I think I'd feel guilty too. I went veggie for health and philosophical reasons so I'm HOPING that those will overpower those pregnancy cravings. :wink

I'm REALLY worried about what will happen when I start craving ice cream! I don't do well with dairy, but oh how I love a big bowl of mint chocolate chip ice cream! Hopefully the baby doesn't! :fingersx:

[allbrightmama]

I am another vegetarian mama. I am also dairy free because of ds2's dairy protein allergy. Of course I am having terrible cravings for pizza, baked macaroni and cheese, lasagna, quesadillas... anything dripping in cheese! Hopefully those things are only a couple more years away...

My inlaws will surely flip when they find out I am nursing a toddler, pregnant and still eating such a "restricted" diet. They will probably start slipping lard into my tea. I am sure I would get a better response if I were eating at KFC 3x a day.

[~minnow~]

What do you guys think? If you suddenly started having cravings, would you eat meat to satisfy it?


Yes.

It's funny; I used to be really militant about it. I still feel strongly about vegetarianism ethically and aesthetically (or morally and politically), and I feel very strongly about supporting local organic humane farms if I do eat eggs or yogurty or... meat. It's terrible to eat fish given the state of fishing. But a lot of reading I've done while TTC after being all messed up from being on birth control for ever, as well as the fact that once I ate just a little bit of meat I got pregnant (who knows how direct the link was?), has sort of made me loosen up on my militancy.

I'd still try to address my craving with protein and fat and salt, but if I get a strong message that I want some meat, I'll have some -- the very best and best prepared that I can find.

I suppose this makes me kind of a ... lapsed vegetarian. I never thought that would happen.

allbrightmama: lol about the acceptibility of eating KFC every day.

[mommajb]

Hi ladies. My family is vegetarian.

I think of it as craving protein and when it happens during preg I tend to fall back on eggs and nuts, particularly walnuts. I need to watch the eggs because they can cause eczema flares for my 3yo, usually on her rear and then she walks around with her hands in her pants.

We do not eat fish but I do love the Moosewood cookbooks. My current favorite is Simple Suppers which has a yummy walnut pesto with tomato and raw garlic that we had last night. I may need to try roasting the garlic to remove the bite as the little ones didn'y enjoy it as much as I did.

During my 3rd preg I def craved salt and protein, I even caved once and ate an anchovy and olive pizza. :lol I still can't believe I did it. :lol The older kids (8 & 10) would surely call me on it now if I tried to eat any meat.

[kristen1978]

Yes.

It's funny; I used to be really militant about it. I still feel strongly about vegetarianism ethically and aesthetically (or morally and politically), and I feel very strongly about supporting local organic humane farms if I do eat eggs or yogurty or... meat. It's terrible to eat fish given the state of fishing. But a lot of reading I've done while TTC after being all messed up from being on birth control for ever, as well as the fact that once I ate just a little bit of meat I got pregnant (who knows how direct the link was?), has sort of made me loosen up on my militancy.

I'd still try to address my craving with protein and fat and salt, but if I get a strong message that I want some meat, I'll have some -- the very best and best prepared that I can find.

I suppose this makes me kind of a ... lapsed vegetarian. I never thought that would happen.

allbrightmama: lol about the acceptibility of eating KFC every day.


I'm relieved to hear that I'm not the only one who might be "lapsed." I've been vegetarian for years, and yet with this wicked all-day sickness and total loss of appetite, at times the only thing which has sounded appealing (and stayed down completely) is meat. I NEVER thought I'd lapse! I figured I'd up my regular protein sources, and that would be that. Despite my guilty feelings, I know I'm doing the best I can, and I thank the cow which has nourished my body.

This being said, I would welcome any tip/tricks you more experienced veg mammas have used to deal with meat cravings.

[beemama]

I don't really trust my cravings- I've wanted lots of things I've given up for health reasons... like chocolate covered donuts, soda & chicken planks from Long John Silvers (it has been at least 14 years since I've had LJS). I'm not giving in. The all day hunger/food adversion/nausea cycle has kicked in full force & I'm just doing what I have to do. (ask me again in a week:wink )

[skydancer]

Hello!
It is so neat that there is such a pack of us. I too have been craving protein, but definately not meat. The problem is, any soy has been completely turning me off too. Also, randomly, I have a problem with lactose all of a sudden. I don't know if it was caused by drinking soy for so long or what. I did do other dairy (cheeses, etc.). In any case, that cured my craving for ice cream in about two nights. Now if I could only stop dreaming about pringles and McDonald's french fries. I haven't given in yet, but there have been some close calls!!

A little off topic... I have been eating a lot of nuts for protein. I read something once (long ago in another pregnancy) about increasing the risk of nut allergies to the baby by eating nuts while pg. Has anybody heard of such a thing, or am I just a little insane (in the temporary, hormonal way, of course)?

I look forward to getting to know you all! Hello Bee!

[MommyTo3]

Skydancer,
One brand I found that satisfies my craving for protein--and is not soy--is Quorn. They make frozen Chick-n-nuggets and also Naked fake chicken cutlets, out of something called mycoprotein. It is some kind of fungus, like mushrooms. I like those nuggets better than any soy nuggets. Even kids like them! For the naked cutlets, I just saute them in this salad dressing I get in Trader Joe's: Balsamic Vinegrette, and put them on a bed of lettuce and tomato! Way better than McDonalds with real chicken! (Just don't try this with another brand of dressing--I tried Newman's Own--which is usually great--and it did NOT work as a saute!)
Andrea
ps sometimes I am not a vegetarian when somebody offers me steamed mussels!

[lunamegn]

I've been getting occasional cravings for meat, but I figure it's a need for protein, so I try to eat a high protein snack. What sounds good to me is a cobb salad or a turkey club sandwich. I don't think i would eat it even if I was really craving it...

[skydancer]

I will have to check out that Quorn. The salad idea sounds great! In the past couple of days I have been craving fresh greens and it will really hit the spot.

Oh yeah...I gave in to my Pringle's craving. :o Perhaps now it is out of my system.

[wordywanda]

I'm also a vegetarian and have been for 18 yrs now (although prior to that I fought not eat meat, it was when I was 15 I finally won my fight against my family and a KY culture that insisted that a healthy diet consisted meat). When I got pregnant before (ended in MC at 8 wks) my MIL was so concerned about my protein content (as well as the fact that I was planning a HB and anyother non-traditional idea I had researched and her friend's daughters weren't doing). This preg I bought Your Vegetarian Pregnancy by Holly Roberts and find it very helpful in validating my diet as well as offering creative ideas about amounts of food to satisfy necessary nutritional requirements month-by-month. I plan to not only use it myself but will also photocopy good parts that I hope will relieve my old-fashioned MIL's fears. NEXT will be the challenge of justifying my child being raised vegetarian (and this was my meat eating DH's idea--which I support 100%, of course). I'll have to buy her some Dr Spock literature supporting the vegan child's diet...even though I'm ovo-lacto myself :) . I was told by a BIL last preg that his "mom would never tolerate us raising that baby vegetarian." I'm trying to think positively, however I forsee some power struggles down the road (MIL sneaking meat in babe's diet, taking our babe to a Catholic church and splashing it with holy water, etc when she babysits).
As far as cravings-- I have been craving more protein--more in the form of Thai and Chinese food or veggie protiens like Quorn and Morningstar Farm faux-meat products and cheese, yogurt, etc. What's funny is that just about 30 min ago I was thinking about the spicy seasoning in sausage balls...something I haven't eaten since I was like 8 yrs old!! Too funny how the mind works. I won't act on it, of course--I may do some research on those spices and try to work up a veggie substitute version of sausage balls.
If anyone wants to share yummy tried and true high-protein recipes I'd love try them!!!

[mamas2atti]

I am a vegetarian too. Both of my previous pregnancies I completely craved meat (and gave in). This time dh told me I would have to prepare it myself because he won't do it. Out of shear laziness and unwillingness to smell food as it is cooking I probably won't have any this time. I am just eating tons of other protien to try to avoid it.

[mommajb]

After my big words... I have been craving meat (but not yet given in).

I could probably give in if it was fish but it has been pork and I cannot bring myself to do that to my body. Honestly I am a little worried that I would react poorly and I get sick or at least more digestively upset than the morning sickness leaves me.

The other big road block has been that I have worked so hard to educate my parents and others that I hate to send a mixed message. I mean they now understand that I do not want to pick the meat out of my food or have soup made with chicken broth, etc.

The intensity of the cravings seem to have passed for now. How about everyone else? How are you doing?

[beemama]

The intensity of the meat cravings has subsided.... which I'm thankful for. I was craving chicken like mad, I wanted it in every form I've ever had it in. I didn't give in, I almost got some quorn- which does taste super yummy- BUT, I'm somewhat allergic to molds and msg so I didn't want to have any kind of reaction.

I'm craving fruits now. I can't stand the thought of veggies right now, but I've noticed my cravings/aversions are constantly changing.

[beckyphry]

Thankfully I haven't had any meat cravings yet!

[MichelleW]

I was a lacto-ovo for 12 years, and about 2 years ago started eating chicken, fish & seafood. Since being preggie & being concerned with protein, I eat dessert tofus or some nuts (cashews, almonds, etc) as little snacks, or poached eggs for breakfast. Everyone, including DP, thinks I will crave beef, but I can't see how that would happen, as it's been almost 15 years since I had it & I never liked it ayways. I certainly wouldn't give in, in fear that it'd make me sick! (besides it appalls me anyways)

So far my cravings have been very healthy -- fresh veggies, cheese, flax toast, etc -- I am lucky, I know!:wink

Not sure what kind of diet the wee one will have, as DP eats red meat about once a month (and it makes him feel ill), but I'm sure diversity will prevail! (some eggs, tofu, some chicken or fish, etc)

[stefka]

I've been veggie for about 15 years, BUT I ate some fish while pregnant and nursing DS, because I just couldn't satisfy my protein cravings any other way. And I'm already eating it again with this pregnancy. Funny enough, I don't feel guilty at all (and I'm the queen of guilt :lol ). I've really worked to be better about listening to my body after a childhood of clean-your-plate-and-eat-what-we-think-you-should. So I'm alright being not quite vegetarian for a while when it makes my body feel so much better.

I did fight off the KFC cravings last time though... my favorite coffee shop was near a KFC. Walking past it nauseated me for 3 months, until suddenly one day I was DYING for it. Not even sure if that would count as "meat," so I talked myself out of it. :lol

[mamas2atti]

Luckily (or unluckily) for me, the only thing on my menu these days is cereal or baked potatoes. I even had to dump my old stand-by, the bean burrito, today when I couldn't swallow it. :lol How many more weeks until this disgusting nausea is gone? :irked: