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vegan pregnancy?

795 views 8 replies 9 participants last post by  tahini17 
#1 ·
i am expecting #2, but i wasn't vegan with #1. any vegans have suggestions for a healthy vegan pregnancy?
 
#2 ·
Hi! I really like www.vegfamily.com They have at least one article on how to ensure you are getting the goods during pregnancy and I think under the ask the dietician there are some question/answers related to pregnancy as well. I am vegan and had a great pregnancy food wise. Healthy baby too!! I have to run, otherwise I'd talk more. Good luck! Mary
 
#3 ·
I not a total vegan, but I eat a pretty strict vegetarian diet. I haven't found it to be difficult at all. I think it's really the same as with any diet - it's very easy to get stuck in a rut. My rut is not getting enough fresh fruits and veggies - silly for a vegetarian! But, I pay attention to that and make it a point to get lots of it in my diet (especially while pg). I had a m/w appointment last week, and she jokingly said that I have "perfect pee." At which I said, "Well, at least I can do something right." Then she got serious and said, "If you have perfect pee, it means you're doing a lot right." I felt pretty good! BUT, that means it's certainly not that difficult to have a healthy vegan pregnancy. (I am sort of a nutrition nut, but I still don't pay that close of attention to it, so it's not that difficult is what I'm trying to say!) Well, I've rambled enough! Congrats on the pg!
 
#5 ·
I'm not vegan now but I had a really nice vegan pregnancy (although admittedly I was taking in a lot of soy) and I had fun coming up with creative ways to meet my nutritional needs. It was when I was pregnant that I started making all kinds of smoothies. Smoothies with different nut butters. Smoothies with soy yogurt. Smoothies with greens. Since I was working, this was a quick way to get good stuff in. I would always use soy milk, flax seeds and/or flax oil. I made all kinds of porridges--oatmeal, cornmeal, etc and whole grain waffles with flaxseed or with ground walnuts and cranberries with a side of tempeh bacon or I would make scrambled tofu and have that with whole wheat toast. I would also drink fresh juices for breakfast. I always carried nuts, seeds and raisin homemade trail mix to snack on. Rice crackers with nut butter was also very good as well as hummus and other bean dips. For lunch, I'd have a sandwich with bean balls or a Amy's veggie patty or rice and beans or bbq'd tofu and a baked potato or pan fried tofu with mustardy dipping sauce or falafel with pita bread and a tahini dipping sauce I would eat a mixed green salad with dinner always and some sample dinners I would have would be black bean stew over couscous or tofu "meat"balls with tomato pasta sauce (sprinkled with chopped kale or parsley after it was cooked) and whole wheat pasta or an Amy's veggie burger on a sprouted wheat bun with baked potato (sprinkled with nutritional yeast). Anyway, all this produced a healthy 8lb. 1oz baby boy! I would second the suggestion to check out veg family.

Congrats on your baby on the way!
 
#7 ·
I've been vegan for 13 years and this is my third vegan pregnancy. Just eat good foods, drink lots of water, and I find making sure your breakfast includes enough protein helps me feel better throughout the day (I often have a smoothie w/ vegan rice protein powder, flax oil, etc.).
Any specific questions please ask! It's not hard to grow a big healthy baby on a vegan diet.

- Krista
 
#8 ·
I had a vegan pregnancy. I drank lots of water, smoothies, raw foods (usually for lunch) , green leafy raw veggies, lots of grains, fruits, drank non dairy milk with backstrap mollasses for iron. I added liquid Omega 3-6-9 to drinks. I put liquid chlorophyll in my water. Just eat healthy. I really just stayed away from white rice, white bread, and white sugar. I ate organic as much as possible. Just keep doing what you do. Not a whole lot to it.
 
#9 ·
I actually was veganized by my little guy while he was in my belly-- once I became preggers I just had no desire for animal-based anything! I've never gone back-- and he just turned 3, is a lifetime vegan, and is as smart and athletic as can be (almost too athletic, as he demostrates daily with his habit of breaking things with his soccer ball!) I ate alot of beans and rice or cornbread, and seriously ridiculous amounts of peanut butter!
And he was over 8 pounds, in great health, and still has never had to go to the dr for any problem (knock on wood!)

My advice--- DON'T WORRY TOO MUCH! I think worrying causes more problems than just about anything. And STAY ACTIVE! That helped me sooooo much. I was a senior in college, at a very tough school, and I barely had time to even think about problems, and I didn't have a single problem and even moved cross country by myself a week before my due date!
 
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