Breastfeeding and vegetarianism

[sanddollarmama]

Hi all,
I'm expecting my first child now.. (i'm 41 weeks) and turned vegetarian in the past couple of weeks. I wondered if anything needs to be added to my diet when I am breastfeeding, any specific nutrition requirements?
I've been eating a lot more protein whilst pregnant and I am guessing that I will need to eat a fair amount whilst Breastfeeding too? Or maybe some other vitamins are more important.

any help would be really nice, i'm hoping to raise my baby to be as healthy as possible.

Thanks!

[Masja]

As with pregnancy, you should be consuming more calories (extra 300 or so) while breastfeeding, as you will burn more. Make sure to drink plenty of water, keep taking your prenatal and just continue to eat healthy. I didn't have any problems while nursing my first, and i'm prego now with number 2 and vegan this time and so far no problems. You can always speak with your Dr if you're really concerned.
Good luck :)

[DgyJff]

I know nothing about pregnancy, but I do know that it's really easy to get all the same nutrients on a vegetarian diet as on a meat-eating diet. Just continue to eat healthy foods and take your prenatals and you should be fine.

[frenchie]

As with pregnancy, you should be consuming more calories (extra 300 or so) while breastfeeding, as you will burn more. Make sure to drink plenty of water, keep taking your prenatal and just continue to eat healthy. I didn't have any problems while nursing my first, and i'm prego now with number 2 and vegan this time and so far no problems. You can always speak with your Dr if you're really concerned.
Good luck :)
What she said.

[IamJen]

Hi all,
I'm expecting my first child now.. (i'm 41 weeks)
You really are expecting *now*. :p

I don't have anything productive to add, just wanted to say congratulations! :)

[athansor]

I'm currently breastfeeding a healthy 9 month old, and I think everyone's got it pretty well covered. I make sure I drink enough water, take a vegan prenatal and I also often take vegan DHA. Other than that, I make sure I eat a good varied diet, lots of greens and enough calories (not really a problem for me :D).

[rabid_child]

You really are expecting *now*. :p



That's what I was thinking!! Congratulations! And good luck with your upcoming delivery!

[zoebird]

i would also suggest getting some nursing tea (i like weleda) to help boost supply and get a support network in place! Kellymom.com has great information; get the listing for your local Le leche league; and get the numbers of multiple local lactation consultants.

when i had hawk, we had a rocky start with breastfeeding--his tongue was too strong and he couldn't get a latch. he also would go from 0-60 if not fed right away (still does! LOL it's literally one little soft "neh" and then he waits about a minute and goes NEEAHHHHH! HAAANHEAAAAAA! AAAAAHNEH!" and so on until he gets latched! LOL).

so, i had himi on a holiday weekend and EVERY lactation consultant in a 45 minute radius was out of town on vacation (no lie), and it took 3 more days for me to find ANYONE to help, but those LLL ladies called me twice a day, encouraged me, and helped me in more ways than you can imagine until finally, on thursday of that week (he was born on a saturday, monday was the holiday), i was able to get ahold of a lactation consultant.

by the end of the week (saturday/sunday) we had him latching with a nipple shield, and then 5 weeks after that, he had a normal latch without one and we are going strong.

breastfeeding is fabulous, and i can see why people would give up with the week we had, if we hadn't had support. He's never had formula, and he was getting breastmilk from tuesday on (i was pumping and feeding him from a spoon until we met the lactation consultant--so he was getting fed and had normal diapers), but it was hard emotionally.

so, get a support network ASAP--even if you have no problems, you can be a life-saver for someone else!

[SheThrowsDown]

Wonder if she's delivered yet?
I had my son at 41w5d - sheesh!

[veggielove]

Hey there, congrats!!!

I am still breastfeeding my extremely healthy 19 month old, who was vegan until shortly before her first birthday (including no soy) and is still completely vegetarian. She has always measured in the 80-97% for weight/height respectively! She eats mostly organic but always an all natural diet, no preservatives, artificial colors, flavors, msg, high fructose corn syrup, etc. She takes vegetarian DHA supplements, vitamin D, and B12 supplements right now (she LOVES her "vidamins!")

Especially while exclusively breastfeeding, I made sure to take my prenatal vitamins, and a vegetarian DHA supplement so she would get more omega 3s in my milk. I also make sure to eat a lot of healthy ALA omegas in my diet - as well as a varied diet with lots of different flavors - she loves most foods now! The books you were recommended are also awesome. The supplements zoebird mentioned are also good if you find you need to augment your supply - they didn't do much for me, I found extra pumping was the best way to increase my supply. Good luck and be sure to ask back for breastfeeding questions if you need help!!!

[zoebird]

pumping or simply having the baby nurse as much as s/he wants (using you as a pacifier) can also help. i did both early on. now i just do the pacifier/tea thing. it works. i got too full the other day--ouch!

but, on the plus side, i was able to provide a LOT of milk for my friend's baby. her mom was able to pump about half of what the baby needed, and i was able to fulfill about the other half of the baby's needs. she only got formula about twice a day, then. now, she's all formula...her mom decided to stop pumping and they said that i didn't 'need' to either. i continued to anyway, but then my friend (who is the dad) said that it was kinda upsetting to the mom (even though they hadn't discussed it), and so i stopped pumping for her and created another milk bank for myself.

and joined milkshare.org. :D

[sanddollarmama]

Thanks for all your replies, I delivered on 5th March. breastfeeding has been rocky but managed to get lots of help so hopefully things will get better :-). Baby is on some Soy Formula right now to supplement but Pedi and LC doesn't think that will be for much longer :-)

[zoebird]

awesome! i'm glad that you have great support and that you are doing well with it overall! sounds like things are progressing nicely. it will be so much easier on you when you no longer need formula.

congrats on your baby! enjoy!

[Buenosdiaspet]

I am sure the poster has far better things to do now than read forums! But I just wanted to ++ the mention of getting support if breastfeeding is tough, it can be the most painful unrewarding and exhausting thing of all at first, but if you stick with it the rewards are fantastic for you both, and you must get the help you need if youre not one of those lucky few who seem born to lactate.

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[veggielove]

Another vote for getting lots of help, I'm so glad its going well so far!!!!!! Talking with a lactation consultant really helped me a lot, I hope things go well and if you have ANY questions please ask, there are a lot of bfing experts here just dying to help you!!!