anyone not giving babies animal products? need advice

[TrennaII]

The reason they are recommending it is because children need saturated fats for proper brain development, and Social Service agencies see a lot of children with brain damage from being given a vegan diet too early. My mother was a child development specialist in a community with a lot of vegans and vegetarians, and avoiding animal products had to be done very carefully.

Breastfeeding helps some, but as you supplement with other food, it's not necessarily safe to completely avoid animal products at this young an age. I'm pretty sure plant based saturated fats don't cut it but I forget why.

Consider this: When you breastfeed 100%, 100% of the food is properly balanced. If you breastfeed 90%, then you've got 10% that's missing essential fats.

It's possible there has been newer research on plant based saturated fats, and you could be OK with coconut oil, but I wouldn't be sure without checking.

The problems that arise from lack of saturated fats are quite severe: It prevents nerves from being properly myelinated.

I'm probably getting a few details wrong but the point is, you should probably seek information from a doctor who is pro-vegan. Seeing a naturopath might not be as expensive as you expect it to be, and it could be a tremendous investment in making sure your baby is healthy, while your family follows a diet consistent with your values. A naturopath could also help you transition your child to a vegan diet when it's appropriate.

Also, the WIC recommendations have to do with vitamins and minerals. They're set up to provide all vitamins and minerals without supplements, since low income people often skip supplements. A naturopath could also help you use animal products as little as possible while making sure your kiddo gets enough nutrients. Even breastmilk is deficient in some important nutrients.

If your child has never been exposed to dairy it is very unlikely she has any sensitivities to it. Children develop sensitivites to things over time, especially with constant exposure. KellyMom.com has a great food introduction schedule for families concerned about food sensitivities. Lamb and I believe turkey are OK at 7 months even for allergenic babies, but meats tend to be hypoallergenic anyway. All of the top 8 allergens (milk, soy, chicken egg, peanut, tree nut, shellfish, wheat ... the 8th escapes me ...) are ones that should wait.

(But yay for you for continuing to breastfeed).

[rosi_cakes]

Ugh exactly I'm feeling so pressured by them to feed my son food I just don't feel comfortable feeding him yet. And at that, his pedi wanted me to start rice cereal at 4 months so he could sttn even though I've never complained about motnf. I don't care hes a baby he needs bm. I didn't start him on solids until 6 1/2 months even though his pedi kept insisting I start sooner. Ive just been feeling like maybe I'm wrong.

[tcat216]

I don't think you are interested in feeding your child a vegan diet his whole life but I thought I would give you some information because I hate when "professionals" tell parents that they need to feed their baby meat or dairy. The American Dietetic Association has stated, “IT IS THE POSITION OF THE AMERICAN DIETETIC ASSOCIATION THAT APPROPRIATELY PLANNED VEGETARIAN DIETS, INCLUDING TOTAL VEGETARIAN OR VEGAN DIETS, ARE HEALTHFUL, NUTRITIONALLY ADEQUATE, AND MAY PROVIDE HEALTH BENEFITS IN THE PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF CERTAIN DISEASES. WELL-PLANNED VEGETARIAN DIETS ARE APPROPRIATE FOR INDIVIDUALS DURING ALL STAGES OF THE LIFE CYCLE, INCLUDING PREGNANCY, LACTATION, INCLUDING CHILDHOOD, AND ADOLESCENCE, AND FOR ATHLETES.”

Here's more info on what to feed a small child if you are not feeding meat or dairy: http://www.drmcdougall.com/misc/2012nl/sep/children.htm

[EmilytheStrange]

Originally Posted by TrennaII The reason they are recommending it is because children need saturated fats for proper brain development, and Social Service agencies see a lot of children with brain damage from being given a vegan diet too early. My mother was a child development specialist in a community with a lot of vegans and vegetarians, and avoiding animal products had to be done very carefully. Breastfeeding helps some, but as you supplement with other food, it's not necessarily safe to completely avoid animal products at this young an age. I'm pretty sure plant based saturated fats don't cut it but I forget why. Consider this: When you breastfeed 100%, 100% of the food is properly balanced. If you breastfeed 90%, then you've got 10% that's missing essential fats. It's possible there has been newer research on plant based saturated fats, and you could be OK with coconut oil, but I wouldn't be sure without checking. The problems that arise from lack of saturated fats are quite severe: It prevents nerves from being properly myelinated. I'm probably getting a few details wrong but the point is, you should probably seek information from a doctor who is pro-vegan. Seeing a naturopath might not be as expensive as you expect it to be, and it could be a tremendous investment in making sure your baby is healthy, while your family follows a diet consistent with your values. A naturopath could also help you transition your child to a vegan diet when it's appropriate. Also, the WIC recommendations have to do with vitamins and minerals. They're set up to provide all vitamins and minerals without supplements, since low income people often skip supplements. A naturopath could also help you use animal products as little as possible while making sure your kiddo gets enough nutrients. Even breastmilk is deficient in some important nutrients. If your child has never been exposed to dairy it is very unlikely she has any sensitivities to it. Children develop sensitivites to things over time, especially with constant exposure. KellyMom.com has a great food introduction schedule for families concerned about food sensitivities. Lamb and I believe turkey are OK at 7 months even for allergenic babies, but meats tend to be hypoallergenic anyway. All of the top 8 allergens (milk, soy, chicken egg, peanut, tree nut, shellfish, wheat ... the 8th escapes me ...) are ones that should wait. (But yay for you for continuing to breastfeed).

This.

There was a case in France, I believe, earlier this year about a vegan family and their baby and severe health problems that led to the child's death (there were a few other factors, it wasn't just the diet).

I'm not saying that 'you' are leading your child to a bad situation, but you do need to seriously find a qualified vegan nutritionist to help you get your child the things they need.

I wouldn't worry now, because breastfeeding will suffice for awhile longer, but I would look for real, professional help to make sure you are setting your child on the best, healthiest path.

As for the poster saying children under 1 shouldn't have real food besides mashed potatoes: what??

[neuro_mom]

I forgot to mention I do supplement w/ vitamin D since I am bfing. WIC may be suggesting dairy as pp mentioned because the supplements aren't cheap. A small bottle of Enfamil vitamin D costs about $8 at Wally World

[leyash]

What about choking? I mean... seriously... chicken nuggets at 7 1/2 months old? That seems a little extreme. My kids didn't even start getting "real" food (little nibbles here and there) until 10-11 months, and even then it was peanut butter and jelly, mac and cheese, etc. I would not be giving my child even PIECES of chicken nuggets at that young of an age - sorry.

[leyash]

Originally Posted by EmilytheStrange As for the poster saying children under 1 shouldn't have real food besides mashed potatoes: what??

I was saying I wouldn't give my child "REAL" food... as in meals.

A few bites of PB&J, couple spoons of mac and cheese... sure. Avocado and bananas... ok.

Chicken nuggets, burgers, HARD foods - no. 7.5 months old is WAY too young to start those foods for me.

It was my opinion. I am not going to throw those types of foods at my kid at that young of age when my kids didn't even have teeth (oldest got teeth first at almost 9 months).

[rosi_cakes]

Originally Posted by neuro_mom I forgot to mention I do supplement w/ vitamin D since I am bfing. WIC may be suggesting dairy as pp mentioned because the supplements aren't cheap. A small bottle of Enfamil vitamin D costs about $8 at Wally World

I asked both his pediatritian and the ppl at the WIC office about whether or not he should be taking any form of vitamins and i was told no so were they wrong? And as for him being vegan that's not what im trying to do at all I'd just like to put it off for a while if its not necessary for him to have meat yet. Maybe when about a year and shows signs of wanting to eat steak of his father's plate lol

[neuro_mom]

Originally Posted by rosi_cakes I asked both his pediatritian and the ppl at the WIC office about whether or not he should be taking any form of vitamins and i was told no so were they wrong? And as for him being vegan that's not what im trying to do at all I'd just like to put it off for a while if its not necessary for him to have meat yet. Maybe when about a year and shows signs of wanting to eat steak of his father's plate lol

My lo's pediatrician told me to supplement with vitamin D since I was bf'ing. He stated that while my breast milk should supply most nutrients, the one that I might supply less of (especially since I can't eat dairy while bfing) is vitamin D. If I was formula feeding, that wouldn't be the case since formula has to have so much of each of the nutrients per label.

[Fashionably Green Baby]

Yes, all bf babies should have vitamin d. Even my LLL leader agreed.
OP I don't do animal products before one and don't do meat until closer to 2. I am a vegetarian (only one in my family) and I just think meat is to hard for their little tummies to digest.

I didn't even introduce solids at all until 8 1/2 months this time and we didn't do baby cereals or purées. This is my 3rd baby