Death by Veganism?
Posted by stillflat9 on Sep 23, 2007 · Member since Jul 2006 · 464 posts
So, I was just looking at that website that "lime green" posted on earlier. If you didn't look, it talks about the dangers of soy. Anyway, there was this article posted on the site and I wanted to know what everyone thought about it.
Have any of you raised vegan babies? Is it possible? Were these parents just not feeding their baby ever? I am an early childhood major and I have had professors tell me that it is impossible for a newborn to get all the nourishment he or she needs from a vegan diet alone. Is this true?
This thread is going to blow up with responses.
I have no idea, stillflat, but good topic.
Thanks! I try.
I don't understand why she didn't breastfeed....human milk is cool for human babies....Is breastmilk vegan?
Just blew my own mind
This thread is going to blow up with responses.
I have no idea, stillflat, but good topic.
Good call Meggs - Nina Planck haters will climb out of the walls! :)
Aside from that, stillflat, you're probably not going to get fast responses from jenniferhughes, and_it_spoke, and dragonfly because they're busy with the fam, but I bet they all have a passionate and wise set of thoughts on this!
I don't understand why she didn't breastfeed....human milk is cool for human babies....Is breastmilk vegan?
Just blew my own mind
;D
This thread is going to blow up with responses.
I have no idea, stillflat, but good topic.
Good call Meggs - Nina Planck haters will climb out of the walls! :)
Aside from that, stillflat, you're probably not going to get fast responses from jenniferhughes, and_it_spoke, and dragonfly because they're busy with the fam, but I bet they all have a passionate and wise set of thoughts on this!
We do have quite a few lovely people here that can speak from experience. No worries, stillflat, you'll get many responses :)
I don't understand why she didn't breastfeed....human milk is cool for human babies....Is breastmilk vegan?
Just blew my own mind
I just read a funny quote on the internet that I think should answer your question:
"Breast milk is vegan, so long as it is not from factory farmed women."
I think the idea here is that breastfeeding is consensual.
There was a thread about this a while back. I didn't click on your link, but the last thread was about a family arrested b/c their baby died of malnourishment. Apparently, the parents fed the baby only apple juice and a little soy milk.
I don't have children myself, but I'm sure JH, and_it_spoke, and K2 can give you some info. They are all raising vegan children.
I don't understand why she didn't breastfeed....human milk is cool for human babies....Is breastmilk vegan?
Just blew my own mind
I just read a funny quote on the internet that I think should answer your question:
"Breast milk is vegan, so long as it is not from factory farmed women."
I think the idea here is that breastfeeding is consensual.
Haha. I love that quote. Of course breastmilk is vegan! That's what it's there for! Just like cow milk is there for calves.
Oh, it is the same article! It would still be great to get some real vegan parent's perspectives on this as the comments on the previous post seemed to indicate that these people were not real vegans. They were giving the baby cod liver oil? What? What do responsible vegan parents do when raising vegan babies and children?
There are some articles on this topic here on VegWeb under the Articles link on the middle, left-hand side of the page, too. You might try this one to start:
http://vegweb.com/index.php?topic=12074.0
kids can definitely grow up vegan. the only thing you have to be careful about is trying to get them a lower fiber intake (they can't handle quite so much so they wouldn't be able to eat enough if they had as much as you do). making sure they get calorie dense things is good.
if i ever have kids i plan to breastfeed for as long as the child will. it's definitely a great source of all kinds of good stuff for omni and vegan children alike.
The title of this irritating article should be "death by pure stupidity" because veganism had nothing to do with it. Of course an infant can't live on just soymilk and juice. Ideally, babies are fed with breastmilk (which is of course vegan!). Are you going to take someone who wrote this: "babies are built from protein, calcium, cholesterol and fish oil" seriously? Nina Planck is a wack job feeding off of sensationalism.
There are thousands of healthy vegan children, check out vegfamily.com. Your professors are dead wrong, and if I was you I would let them know it. If they are referring to the lack of B12 in a vegan diet, kindly remind them that hundreds of common omni foods are fortified- white bread, milk, cereal, pasta, etc. and that vegans just do the same.
Yeah, after reading a few of the articles on here, I was thinking about forwarding them to one of my professors.
I plan to raise my kids on whatever diet they choose. My S/O eats meat, I'm vegan. I plan to breastfeed up to 2 years. After that, they can choose whatever meal they wish - the kind daddy makes, or the kind I make. As they get older, we'll both explain to them the differences in diet, reasons, etc. So, they can make up their own minds. But, basically - they are free to choose. Both my parther and I are anti junk food and anti processed food. So, no matter what they eat at home, it will be healthy, whole, organic, natural, etc.
I know several healthy, vegan kids as well as vegetarian. So, I don't see why it couldn't be done.
The one thing that I would not do is feed a newborn a vegan formula (if I couldn't breastfeed for some reason). They, actually, don't make commercially available vegan formulas anyway so it's a moot point. There are soy milk based ones, but the DHA still comes from animal fat as far as I am aware. There is a prescription vegan formula available, but it's for kids with severe allergies or other health issues.
But, hopefully, I won't have any problems with breastfeeding.
I have a 6.5 year old brilliant vegan boy...just look at his art work in my vegweb gallery! He is reading in first grade at probably a second or third grade level, is SUPER active, has a TREMENDOUS appetite, is willing to try just about any food we give him, and I have to say, he might be the cutest kid I have ever seen. ;)
He has a very advanced sense of humor, and is also very musical. There is absolutely nothing wrong with him at all, except that he might be too smart ;) His dad and I can't get away with anything!
I breast fed him until 19 months. I do think its vegan since its from our own species. Someone once challenged me on this and I got really upset!
He is certainly not the biggest kid in the class, but his parents are short (5'2 and 5'8) so I think its genes, not diet. He has recently filled out a bit and now looks a bit chubby to me (good chubby).
We have and still do give him supplements of flax oil, wheat germ, hemp oil, nutritional yeast, brewers yeast, etc...I had his iron tested once and it was way above the minimum.
His teeth are all loose, so I know they have formed....
Oh, he recently made some animal rights art that he wants me to post....his first idea was mass mailing, and then we came up with the computer idea. I will post soon!
I forgot to add that he RARELY gets sick...maybe one cold a year. And he has only thrown up twice in his life, and never spit up as a baby.
We are trying for baby #2 and plan to have it be vegan too!
I have a 6.5 year old brilliant vegan boy...just look at his art work in my vegweb gallery! He is reading in first grade at probably a second or third grade level, is SUPER active, has a TREMENDOUS appetite, is willing to try just about any food we give him, and I have to say, he might be the cutest kid I have ever seen. ;)
He has a very advanced sense of humor, and is also very musical. There is absolutely nothing wrong with him at all, except that he might be too smart ;) His dad and I can't get away with anything!
I breast fed him until 19 months. I do think its vegan since its from our own species. Someone once challenged me on this and I got really upset!
He is certainly not the biggest kid in the class, but his parents are short (5'2 and 5'8) so I think its genes, not diet. He has recently filled out a bit and now looks a bit chubby to me (good chubby).
We have and still do give him supplements of flax oil, wheat germ, hemp oil, nutritional yeast, brewers yeast, etc...I had his iron tested once and it was way above the minimum.
His teeth are all loose, so I know they have formed....
Oh, he recently made some animal rights art that he wants me to post....his first idea was mass mailing, and then we came up with the computer idea. I will post soon!
We are trying for baby #2 and plan to have it be vegan too!
how cute, that is the kind of thing that makes me want to have a kid!
i still don't know if i want any, though.
I plan to raise my kids on whatever diet they choose. My S/O eats meat, I'm vegan. I plan to breastfeed up to 2 years. After that, they can choose whatever meal they wish - the kind daddy makes, or the kind I make. As they get older, we'll both explain to them the differences in diet, reasons, etc. So, they can make up their own minds. But, basically - they are free to choose. Both my parther and I are anti junk food and anti processed food. So, no matter what they eat at home, it will be healthy, whole, organic, natural, etc.
I know several healthy, vegan kids as well as vegetarian. So, I don't see why it couldn't be done.
The one thing that I would not do is feed a newborn a vegan formula (if I couldn't breastfeed for some reason). They, actually, don't make commercially available vegan formulas anyway so it's a moot point. There are soy milk based ones, but the DHA still comes from animal fat as far as I am aware. There is a prescription vegan formula available, but it's for kids with severe allergies or other health issues.
But, hopefully, I won't have any problems with breastfeeding.
yeah, i would definitely give my children a choice (i think you kind of have to), but i know i sure wouldn't be making them any non vegan foods. and who knows what my procreational counterpart would be...
I plan to raise my kids on whatever diet they choose. My S/O eats meat, I'm vegan. I plan to breastfeed up to 2 years. After that, they can choose whatever meal they wish - the kind daddy makes, or the kind I make. As they get older, we'll both explain to them the differences in diet, reasons, etc. So, they can make up their own minds. But, basically - they are free to choose. Both my parther and I are anti junk food and anti processed food. So, no matter what they eat at home, it will be healthy, whole, organic, natural, etc.
I know several healthy, vegan kids as well as vegetarian. So, I don't see why it couldn't be done.
The one thing that I would not do is feed a newborn a vegan formula (if I couldn't breastfeed for some reason). They, actually, don't make commercially available vegan formulas anyway so it's a moot point. There are soy milk based ones, but the DHA still comes from animal fat as far as I am aware. There is a prescription vegan formula available, but it's for kids with severe allergies or other health issues.
But, hopefully, I won't have any problems with breastfeeding.
There is a *nearly* vegan organic baby formula called natures one. The DHA comes from sheep wool...at least its not animal fat. I will probably use this to supplement in bottles when I am working if I can't keep up with the pumping. The pumping sucks! And with my work schedule it will be really hard. I had to feed basically on one breast for 18 months because I got mastitis and lost my milk on one side. I sure hope this doesn't happen again.
Hedespal....when we got married I did not want kids and told him this (he married me anyway even though he wanted them)....but then one day I just thought it would be fun, and it has been the BEST thing ever! You just can't imagine what its like to look in a child's eyes and they are your own....and when they say profound things that you just can't believe. (like, did you miss me before I was born?)
I thought I didnt' want any more, but just realized that he is so grown up and I want to experience raising another. what's one more vegan in the world, right? ;) If we cant get pregnant I want to adopt.
I have a 6.5 year old brilliant vegan boy...just look at his art work in my vegweb gallery! He is reading in first grade at probably a second or third grade level, is SUPER active, has a TREMENDOUS appetite, is willing to try just about any food we give him, and I have to say, he might be the cutest kid I have ever seen. ;)
He has a very advanced sense of humor, and is also very musical. There is absolutely nothing wrong with him at all, except that he might be too smart ;) His dad and I can't get away with anything!
I breast fed him until 19 months. I do think its vegan since its from our own species. Someone once challenged me on this and I got really upset!
He is certainly not the biggest kid in the class, but his parents are short (5'2 and 5'8) so I think its genes, not diet. He has recently filled out a bit and now looks a bit chubby to me (good chubby).
We have and still do give him supplements of flax oil, wheat germ, hemp oil, nutritional yeast, brewers yeast, etc...I had his iron tested once and it was way above the minimum.
His teeth are all loose, so I know they have formed....
Oh, he recently made some animal rights art that he wants me to post....his first idea was mass mailing, and then we came up with the computer idea. I will post soon!
I forgot to add that he RARELY gets sick...maybe one cold a year. And he has only thrown up twice in his life, and never spit up as a baby.
We are trying for baby #2 and plan to have it be vegan too!
So your mention of your son's artwork piqued my interest and I went to your profile and just wanted to say:
YOU'RE HILARIOUS if your profile is any indication of you in real life (which I would assume is true).
Thank you for making me chuckle with your profile honesty of likes and dislikes AND (the kicker)- Hobbies I wish I had.
I have many of those myself, although I was not creative enough to put all that in a profile.
;D
yeah, i would definitely give my children a choice (i think you kind of have to), but i know i sure wouldn't be making them any non vegan foods. and who knows what my procreational counterpart would be...
I do agree. My partner doesn't eat any dairy. I call him, jokingly, a vegan meat eater. And the only meat he eats is from a local, organic farm. So, anytime we go out to places or travel - we're both eating vegan meals, as our kids will be outside of the home.
Since I'll be the one with the most flexibility in my job, i.e. working from home, and my partner has to actually go into an office ... our kids will be fed, predominantly, by me. And I don't make non-vegan meals. So, they'll wind up eating 99% vegan anyway. But, obviously, if they want to try some food off of daddy's dish - I'm not going to stop them.
I'm with little2ant...
I have a 4 1/2 year old daughter who has been vegan since birth. I breastfed her until her 2nd birthday, and was vegan all through my pregnancy too.
She is just as healthy as any other child I know her age- and hasn't been sick in...I can't even remember the last time! I don't go out of my way to feed her anything especially...I just make sure to feed her generally healthy meals of whole foods. I also feed her soy, and it is fine with her. She is very healthy, smart, and extremely strong! She has as much or more energy than any other children her age, too. Plus, she lacks the problems that some other children have, such as constipation, congestion, bad behaviors, etc..She is actually the picture of health! :)
I say this not to brag, but to emphasize the TOTAL ADEQUACY of a vegan diet for children, or any age! So, I know firsthand that anyone who says a vegan diet doesn't work for kids is COMPLETELY misinformed!!!
:)
Oh, and I forgot to put in my 2 cents on breastmilk being vegan...it is too bad some vegan parents thought otherwise- that is pretty extreme and illogical.
The whole point of vegans not using milk is that cow's milk is made for BABY COWS! Mother's milk is ideal & made for the baby of whatever species the mother is, humans included.
Mother's milk is the best start for any baby, and I would never consider it non-vegan!! :)
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