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- Thinking of going vegetarian (baby steps)...safe to start during pregnancy?
Thinking of going vegetarian (baby steps)...safe to start during pregnancy?
Started
by Jdoc
on October 13, 2009
Jdoc- I am also pregnant, was thinking of eliminating meat and dairy from my diet, but was wondering if this was safe to do while I am already pregnant.
The question that I have, and I think you do too, is not if a veg diet itself is okay, but if DRASTICALLY CHANGING one's diet during pregnancy is safe.
I know that a veg diet would actually be more beneficial to my pregnancy, but since I have not already made this change, would it be safe for my body to go through the detox and other processess now, during pregnancy?
sari, i have turned vegetarian, but not vegan....i had my baby dec 13 (six wks early) and had no problems. to be honest, i had cut out most meats from my diet months ago and ate plant based 90% of the time but had a hard time giving it up completely. i like the idea of veganism, but its just too much for me and my lifestyle so vegetarianism is a better fit and i really do feel soooo much better just with the absence of meat alone. my labor was short and sweet- 7 hrs total (starting from the water breaking to baby arriving) and had virtually no contractions....i felt great and my husband and i couldn't belive it!) throughout the pregnancy i drank A LOT of yogi tea brand's mother to be tea, which contains red raspberry leaf which helps strenghten your uterus and cervix, which explains the lack of painful contractions. the whole point is, if you start slow with phasing of meat and taking it easy week by week with what works for you, you'll have a great pregnancy and labor. good luck!
In response to Sari: Changing your diet during pregnancy is okay. You just have to continue to eat a lot of servings of grains, fruits, veg, and go sparing with the oils/fats. For protein, you can eat soy, tempeh, seitan, or make a combined protein of rice+beans or rice+lentils. Just keep taking your prenatal vitamins daily with OJ or food. You can get vegan prenatal vitamins at Target (the are called Rainbow Lite Prenatal One).
Thanks guys! I am especially looking forward to trying the red raspberry leaf tea!
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