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New Mom & vegetarian/vegan (what about milk?)
Started
by Jillian Chin
on September 30, 2011
Hello! I have a 9 month old son, Blue Hayden, and he will be turning 1 in a few months and hear about all the milk he is supposed to be taking (I don't eat dairy at this time). I know Alicia's a new mom, too, and am wondering if there are any other moms out there who decided to have their child be vegetarian or vegan. If so, if you can share any information with me would be great, especially the replacement of calcium (if you are not intaking dairy). How are you providing enough calcium and dairy type supplements to your baby? Thank you! Jillian from SF
It's definitely a huge concern when you have kids - are you doing everything right!?! My daughter was allergic to dairy, so even though at that time I ate it, she didn't (she's 9 now). We used a lot of soy, nut, and fortified rice milks. Also, keep in mind that there are TONS of vegetable sources for calcium out there (bok choy, broccoli, collard and other leafy greens, beans, etc.).Tofu and other soy products are usually good calcium sources too, and my kids always liked tofu. I have always given my kids a vegetarian multi-vitamin too, just in case.
Your child wasn't really designed to drink the milk of another animal, after all, just yours! And only for a certain length of time.
Thanks for your post. It is reassuring to hear other moms who had success with their children not having dairy. My son has lactose issues as well so unless he outgrows it he will not be able to have dairy. Your suggestions help. I will substitute with leafy greans, beans and fortified rice/soy milk.
I totally agree about our children (our bodies) are not designed to intake dairy. My husband is getting his masters in Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine and they actually say the exact same thing at his school.
Do you have a vegetarian multi-vitamin that you recommend? Thanks again!
We're not vegan by any stretch - yet! - but we dont drink cows milk. My 2.5 year old son has been drinking calcium-fortified rice milk and oat milk since he was 1, along with me. We've avoided cows milk ever since I read The China Study
Right now my kids are liking some vegetarian gummy bear vitamins, I forget the brand. Yours is pretty little for the gummy bears though. You might want to check on some liquid vitamins or something. I just read labels really carefully to make sure there are the maximum amount of daily allowance in each vitamin (I had some that you needed to give your kid 4-6 a day, ridiculous!), and are vegetarian. If you have trouble finding any in stores, Vegan Essentials online has some good ones... often I find them there and then search to get a better price on the same brand at Vitacost or other online retailers!
If your BF'ing baby is likely getting all the goodness he needs. And if your taking veg pre-natals while BF'ing that is even better.
But once you wean, there are so many choices, you just have to figure out which you prefer taste and nutrient wise. There are Rice, Soy, Almonds, Coconut & Hemp Milks.
My son is 8 now and has never had cow's milk. His favorite is Soy, but I try to sneak coconut in to his smoothies, so he is not drinking soy all the time for variety.
We do lots of Green Smoothies, and Green foods + nuts, beans, grains, and sweet potatoes, so I have never worried about calcium.
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