NEWBORN VEGETARIAN?!

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DatEpicChick
DatEpicChick Posts: 358 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
So my best friend is pregnant right now, she is having her little boy in August of this year, and she is determined to put him on a 'no meat' diet.

Her boyfriend is a loser and is NOT helping at all (doesnt even have a job), she is working part time at jack in the box right now, and lives with her mom... and will most likely be living with her mom after the baby comes.... she is on state insurance for the baby and wont be able to work once the baby comes....

so i dont understand how she thinks its even fathomable to have this newborn on a vegetarian diet, because its expensive!
i was a vegetarian for 7 years and i have vitamins and supplements and substitute foods and they are NOT cheap!

i dont know how expensive it is for a newborn/ baby/ toddler.... but what are the health benefits or worries?

...my friend is doing it because her 'boyfriend' is a vegetarian, and he gets to manipulate her into pretty much whatever he says, and i dont think it's something she really WANTS to do, and if i could get some really good reasons of WHY you should NOT have an infant be a vegetarian i think she would change her mind...

but if all is healthy and wonderful i will leave it alone, because there is not reason to fret, but i just have this gut feeling that children should not be put on restriction of what they eat...

and when you're a kid, you should be a KID! i never worried about what i was eating or if it was 'chicken, or pork' or 'fatty or lean', ridiculous. children already have so much going on, the LAST thing they should be worried about when they are 3 is if there is meat in something....

any opinions? any facts? any reasons why this is ludicrous? or am i just being a little over protective?
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  • bm99
    bm99 Posts: 597 Member
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    newborns don't eat meat anyway, they eat formula and breastmilk.

    edit: there is no reason why a toddler or child shouldn't be a vegetarian as long as parents make sure their nutritional needs are met. hotdogs /= childhood

    edit2: it kind of sounds like you don't approve of ANY of her decisions so I am guessing this is less about the baby getting nutrients and more about you not thinking your friend is ready for this baby
  • DatEpicChick
    DatEpicChick Posts: 358 Member
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    i'm talking about when they do start eating meats, and when they start on the baby foods and then go on to solid foods.
  • bm99
    bm99 Posts: 597 Member
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    there is nothing in meat that cannot be gotten elsewhere. I am sure her pediatrician will give her a lesson on how much of what the child needs and where to get it if she doesn't know already.
  • DatEpicChick
    DatEpicChick Posts: 358 Member
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    are there pediatricians that specialize in this kind of diet, or do they all just take a basic course in college on special diets?
  • bm99
    bm99 Posts: 597 Member
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    it's not that specialized really. meat gives protein, fat and iron and those can be gotten in many different foods.

    now if you said she is planning on raising the child vegan, that would worry me a little because you have to have a good knowledge base to make sure you get everything you need in adequate quantities.

    my kids hardly ever eat meat, it just isn't a big part of our diets, but they are healthy, thriving little monsters :)
  • it_be_asin
    it_be_asin Posts: 562 Member
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    Millions if not billions of children have been raised in India and elsewhere over thousands of years to be vegetarian and turned out perfectly fine. Vegetarian diets can be a lot less restrictive and healthy than what omnivorous picky eaters or junk food lovers eat. And you don't need expensive supplements or substitute foods to eat well as a lacto-ovo vegetarian - good nutrition is possible eating fresh, natural, healthy foods.

    However, the quality of a diet a child is raised on is important - it's the time you get to mould them into healthy eaters for the rest of their lives, and makes a difference to their growth and vitality.
  • Ttopeka
    Ttopeka Posts: 160
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    While I appreciate that you are concerned for your friend, you also need to realize that a vegetarian (or vegan) diet can be extremely healthy, provided that someone does it correctly. Eating potato chips because they do not have animal products in them does not constitute a healthy vegetarian diet. A vegetarian diet also does not *have* to be vastly more expensive, although it can be pricey depending on what you choose to consume. Fake meats can be expensive, but you can also make your own fake meats for much cheaper.

    Instead of trying to dissuade your friend from her beliefs (wherever they may stem from), perhaps try encouraging her to talk to her doctor about her nutritional needs. Express your concern, but please do NOT tell her it's not in her best interest. If this is what she wants to do, you'll just push her away. Do your research, suggest she talk to her doctor, or ask her to visit a nutritionist. They can tell her exactly what she needs to eat, and what supplements might be helpful, during her pregnancy.

    While I'm not a parent yet, I fully intend on raising my children on a vegetarian diet. However, I'm well aware of the concerns and fully plan on discussing in depth with my doctor what measures I need to take to ensure I, and my baby, will be healthy.

    You're right -- when you're a kid, you should be a kid! But there's nothing about being a vegetarian that will deprive a child of their childhood. Hot dogs and chicken nuggets are not the epitome of childhood. If a child is raised as a vegetarian, it's not a matter of "does this have meat in it?!" but rather "I know I can't eat this."


    "Time and attention are necessary to make certain young children, vegetarian or not, get all the nutrients they need for normal growth and development." -- http://www.eatright.org/Public/content.aspx?id=8060

    Quick Google searches on this topic will provide you with more information about this. But to ease your mind the most, I suggest you ask her to talk to her doctor about her dietary habits.

    ETA: I initially missed the point you made about how you don't think she *really* wants to do this. That changes my opinion slightly, as I don't like seeing people pressured into something...however, it's up to her to put her foot down and I would just encourage her to make sure she is as healthy as possible if she continues with it.
  • ladybug1620
    ladybug1620 Posts: 1,136 Member
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    newborns don't eat meat anyway, they eat formula and breastmilk.
    This. And then when baby is a bit older, he'll eat cereal and veggies/fruits baby food. I never fed my kids baby food with meat because the thought of pureed meat disgusted me. And maybe after that point she'll be in a better financial place or rid of her loser boyfriend, or realize that parenthood isn't as easy as it seems and change her mind like most new moms do after they say they'll "never do" this or that.
  • zen_mama
    zen_mama Posts: 51
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    Well, I've been a vegetarian for over 4 years and have a 10 year old who is mostly vegetarian (she eats meat only at restaurants and at big family dinners). She chose to give up meat and dairy for a full 7 months and I can guarantee you that she did not miss out on the fast food burgers or chicken nuggets or pepperoni pizza. She learned to love eating her veggies and having fresh fruit or whole grain muffins or even tofu fingers for her snacks. There is lots of research out there that can tell you the benefits of raising your children on a vegetarian diet. As long as a child is eating a balanced diet full of the nutrients their body needs- it doesn't really matter whether they are omnivore, vegetarian or even vegan. From my own experience- kids who eat a largely vegetarian diet eat far healthier and get more nutrients in their diets than omnivores who eat a lot of processed and convenience foods.

    Ultimately though- it is your friend's choice and no one elses how she will feed her child. She has just as much right to feed her child tofu as another parent does to raise their kid on daily happy meals.
  • smae1980
    smae1980 Posts: 794 Member
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    if an adult can be a healthy vegetarian why can't a child? We are all the same species after all and require the same nutrients as adults that children do, just in different proportions. If both parents are vegetarian I see no reason why they should not raise their child that way as well. I am a longtime vegetarian and the only reason my 5 year old daughter eats meat is because her father doeas and since we already have meat in the house, we decided she would be omnivore until she was old enough to make her own decision. If I had settled down with another vegetarian you can bet your butt our children would be raised as healthy happy little vegetarians as well.
  • dianacannon89
    dianacannon89 Posts: 235 Member
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    She is just a first time mom talking before she has thought about it thinking she is doing what is best for her babe she will come around.
  • mommanurse33
    mommanurse33 Posts: 189 Member
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    The best bet for your friend is to discuss her thoughts with a pediatrician. Infants/toddlers grow the quickest at this stage of their lives. Their brains are growing at a rapid pace and they learn the most between ages 0-3/4yrs of age. Proper nutrition is necessary, and they can get that with a vegetarian diet. But again, you need to direct her to her baby's physician.
  • dianacannon89
    dianacannon89 Posts: 235 Member
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    if an adult can be a healthy vegetarian why can't a child?


    Hmmm I bet you can answer this one ... What is the difference between an adults brain and an infants?
  • Rhea30
    Rhea30 Posts: 625 Member
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    if an adult can be a healthy vegetarian why can't a child? We are all the same species after all and require the same nutrients as adults that children do, just in different proportions. If both parents are vegetarian I see no reason why they should not raise their child that way as well. I am a longtime vegetarian and the only reason my 5 year old daughter eats meat is because her father doeas and since we already have meat in the house, we decided she would be omnivore until she was old enough to make her own decision. If I had settled down with another vegetarian you can bet your butt our children would be raised as healthy happy little vegetarians as well.

    Children need more amino acids then adults to help build their body (and importantly their brain) so there are different requirements in nutrients between adults and children. If they don't get the proper nutrients it can cause health problems or just not grow/form the maximum they could of. She needs to see her baby's doctor about this and not listen to the people on this board.
  • EmilyTwist1
    EmilyTwist1 Posts: 206 Member
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    If she's using breast milk or a good formula while the baby is an infant, and she does research on how to make sure she and the child get enough protein, etc., then you probably don't have to worry.

    I would be concerned if she doesn't breast feed and goes vegan and refuses to use formula. When you try to do vegan with a newborn (only feeding them soy milk and juice), it can kill them: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/21/opinion/21planck.html
  • DatEpicChick
    DatEpicChick Posts: 358 Member
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    my fear is that she is YOUNG, and she is being supported (well, will be being supported) by her mother... not her boyfriend or herself. and i dont want her to be so overwhelmed that she half-commits to this.

    i never fed my little girl the gross little pureed meat baby foods either, and i was a lacto-ovo vegetarian for many years, my fear is that the baby will suffer as they get older because nutrition was not given.

    there is a difference between a stable 25 year old stay at home mom who knows what she is doing in the kitchen and a young single mother who is being supported by family members....

    i just dont know if her priority is the health benefits or the 'mind set' of the child being a vegetarian, and THAT is what scares me....
  • smae1980
    smae1980 Posts: 794 Member
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    She is just a first time mom talking before she has thought about it thinking she is doing what is best for her babe she will come around.

    Are you implying that being vegetarian or raising your children that way is somehow a foolish and regrettable decision? She will come around? Vegetarians are often healthier than meat eaters (notice I said often, not always) because they are more conscious of what they put into their bodies. Children raised vegetarian are often (not always) at an advantage of being raised in an environment with emphasis placed on GOOD nutrition. I'm not saying that omnivore families are not health conscious, but on a whole, especially in the US, people eat like crap. I have been a healthy and happy vegetarian for 16 years and there was a time when my family thought I would "realize my foolishness and come around" Well I'm still here, and I'm still veg.
  • Ashley_Panda
    Ashley_Panda Posts: 1,404 Member
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    Our son prefers not to eat meat, really. He's 2.5 and he's only been eating meat the last 4-5 months. He just prefers not to. There's nothing wrong with it. As long as the kiddo is healthy that's all that matters and I'm pretty sure a pediatrician will determine that for her.
  • Perisylpha
    Perisylpha Posts: 139
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    it's not that specialized really. meat gives protein, fat and iron and those can be gotten in many different foods.

    now if you said she is planning on raising the child vegan, that would worry me a little because you have to have a good knowledge base to make sure you get everything you need in adequate quantities.

    my kids hardly ever eat meat, it just isn't a big part of our diets, but they are healthy, thriving little monsters :)
    Protein is also available in many other foods, not just meat...just saying : )
  • smae1980
    smae1980 Posts: 794 Member
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    if an adult can be a healthy vegetarian why can't a child? We are all the same species after all and require the same nutrients as adults that children do, just in different proportions. If both parents are vegetarian I see no reason why they should not raise their child that way as well. I am a longtime vegetarian and the only reason my 5 year old daughter eats meat is because her father doeas and since we already have meat in the house, we decided she would be omnivore until she was old enough to make her own decision. If I had settled down with another vegetarian you can bet your butt our children would be raised as healthy happy little vegetarians as well.

    Children need more amino acids then adults to help build their body (and importantly their brain) so there are different requirements in nutrients between adults and children. If they don't get the proper nutrients it can cause health problems or just not grow/form the maximum they could of. She needs to see her baby's doctor about this and not listen to the people on this board.

    I see you read only part of my post. I said SAME NUTRIENTS, DIFFERENT PROPORTIONS which as you know would apply to amino acids. I'm not saying the parents don't need to make sure they are educated enough on childhood nutrition, I'm saying it is perfectly possible to raise a healthy vegetarian child

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