Numerous vegetarians and even more vegans have a difficult when it comes to suckling their new-born babies. This is because lots of vegetarians and most vegans are opposed to the consumption of animal produce. This is difficult because it has been stated by the vast majority of doctors and mid-wives that mother’ breast milk is the best food for a baby. This is because mother’s breast milk will contain a assortment of protective substances against diseases and allergies.
However, if a woman chooses that she cannot give her baby her breast milk for philosophical reasons, it is not a big problem, because there have always been women who cannot feed their children in this way for one reason or another. Typical reasons might be illness or malnutrition. There are preparations available to give your baby everything it requires, so there is no need to be anxious.
Whether you breast feed or not, make sure that your baby gets enough vitamin B12. It will also need lots of vitamin D, which comes from sunlight. There are different estimates of how much exposure is enough, but ten minutes a day or so is about average. The one thing that all medical workers will agree on however, is that the baby should not run any risk of getting sun burn and if the sun is strong, the eyes have to be shielded too.
Iron is an important aspect of anyone’s diet and breast milk can provide enough for a four to six month old, because breast milk is not particularly rich in iron. After that time, food should be chosen that has a higher iron content. Meat will supply the iron for a meat-eater, so a vegetarian mother has to take this into account. The advice of your GP, midwife or dietitian will be invaluable here as elsewhere.
A great deal of parents give their infant rice cereal fortified with iron as one of the baby’s first foods. Check with your GP, but it is normally a decent idea to continue with your breast milk or formula feeds even if you are feeding rice cereal. Other grains and cereals such as oats, barley and corn can be used as well, but they ought to be put through a liquidizer first and mixed with fruit or / and vegetable pulp.
You may be advised that the iron content of these foods is still not sufficient, in which case it is fairly normal to be given an iron supplement to add to the baby’s food. It is about this time, after the baby is happy eating cereal, that fruit and vegetable purees can be given in their own right. Make sure that the fruit and vegetables are properly pureed or mashed.
Bananas, avocado, apples and canned peaches or pears are all good choices here as are vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, peas, sweet potatoes, and green beans, although they have to be cooked first, naturally. There are lots of good recipes on the Internet or at your medical doctor’s surgery to make sure that your baby gets all the nutrients it needs from a vegetarian diet,
Owen Jones, the writer of this article writes on many subjects, but is currently concerned with quick vegetarian recipes. If you want to know more or check out some special offers, please go to our website at Vegetarian Sandwich Recipes.