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| My daughter is 6 months old and is beginning to eat her first foods. We are vegetarian and when I told my pediatrician this she told me "Animals die even when you drink milk or eat eggs, so there's really no point." She asked me what I think about that and I was a little stunned so I didn't think of anything to say until after I left. She also told me that it's been proven that children who don't eat any animal protein are developmentally delayed. It freaked me out and of course I don't want my baby to be behind because of the choices I make for her. We do drink milk and eat eggs so she won't be lacking animal protein or other nutrients at all. I've asked another vegetarian what she thought about raising a child vegetarian and she said "I would never force my child to not eat meat". It kind of confused me because we 'force' or children to do other things like go to church and eat peas for example. What are your opinions about raising children vegetarian? |
| Posted by Erin on 10/27/2008 02:38 PM
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I think it is pushing your child to take part in your choices. Taking your child to church is just different. When your child gets old enough to make up her own mind then I would offer the choice. For example I am a softball player and my husband played baseball, so of course we would like for our son to play, but it is his choice. We will introduce it to him, but if he does not want to play then that is up to him. There is just a difference. Another example is I smoke, would I push that on my child? No way! I do not even smoke in front of my son, in the house, or in the car. I know that is not compairing apples to apples, but there are things in life that are just different. Like going to church, eating certain foods, playing certain sports. They all are different situations and should be handled differently. So I don't think compairing going to church and eating meat is a fair comparison.
But in the long run this is just my opion and I will also say do what you feel is best for your child. |
| posted by Kim on 10/27/2008 03:12 PM
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| You certainly did not prove your point by saying "it's just different". What would you say to a Buddhist whose religion mandates vegetarianism? Smoking is not just unhealthy for your child, it's unhealthy for everyone and it's a choice, eating is not. What and how we eat are choices not evaluated closely enough these days. Your child doesn't play baseball like he eats food, if he could play baseball at 6 months then that's another argument, eating is not like baseball either. If your child told you he doesn't want to go to church because he's an atheist, you may have a problem with it. If the child of Buddhist said I want steak, that's not acceptable either. |
| posted by Erin on 10/27/2008 06:40 PM
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well if you're a vegetarian, you might as well make your child one too. As long as he/she is getting the same amount of nutrients and vitamins just as much as if he wasnt a vegetarian.
don't let other people's opinions bother you. i mean, it's not like your starving your child.
besides, it's probably healthier for you and your family. Nowadays parents feed their children junk like mcdonalds and what not.
Are you a vegetarian because you hate plants? or just hate animals? |
| posted by hoot on 10/27/2008 07:01 PM
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I was just giving my opion, and I stated that. I thought that was what you wanted when you posted. If you already have your mind made up then why post the question? My only point is that every situation calls for different actions. I mean eating peas or not does not call for a drastic action such as smoking would. That was my point in using baseball and smoking. It has to be handled differently. More than likely your child will be a vegitarian since you are. Just as if you go to church or not, your child will do the same. I just did not think the comparison was fair. I personally do not understand vegitarians. I mean some eat fish, like you said you drink milk and eat eggs, so this just does not make much sense to me. But I am not anyone to you, so please don't let my opions bother or upset you. I almost did not post a reply the first time, and I guess I should not have, but I thought that is what you wanted was others opions.
But this is something that you are obviously very pasionate about, so I will say again do what you think is right for your child. You as her mother is the only one that can decide that. You know best. You have to follow your heart and your gut, and if you do that then there is not one person that can tell you that you have done something wrong. Good luck. |
| posted by Kim on 10/28/2008 01:27 AM
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| I think raising your child vegetarian is a choice that a parent makes early on but as your child grows and branches out (to school, goes to parties with friends, etc.) he/she might not want to be vegetarian anymore. I know my sister is vegetarian and it is often very difficult to be accomodating to her needs since no one else in my family is. I am not saying that being a vegetarian is bad; I'm only saying to keep an open mind when your child gets older and rebels against it that you don't push it on him/her (might not happen which is AWESOME). Church is the same way as well as any other choice we make for our kids early on. My husband was raised in the Baptist church and now wants nothing to do with it, so sometimes our choices can backfire for the worst. Good luck! |
| posted by Heather on 10/28/2008 08:40 AM
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| what is really in a hotdog anyway? :\ |
| posted by hoot on 10/28/2008 01:30 PM
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I didn't take the time to read all the replies but I have a few good friends that are vegetarians and even some vegans and they let their kids make their own decisions on eating meat. One of the kids decided to be vegetarian when they were about 10 and the other eats chicken and fish but rarely any red meat. Just like religion I think you can tell your kids about it but they will make up their own mind. I have friends that are Catholic and can't even tell me much about the religion they are only Catholic because their parents are.
If you are repulsed by cooking meat buy the foods with the meat in them that are just microwaveable.
It is a hard decision and yes you force your kids to eat peas but that is "healthy" just like the proteins in meat.... You don't force your kids to eat candy. They just do. |
| posted by Kristhal on 10/28/2008 02:58 PM
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I just read all the posts, and I think this is an interesting topic. First of all Erin, change pediatricians if you can. Correct me if I'm wrong, but your choice to be a vegetarian seems to be philosophical, and she just doesn't get it. The good news is that your child is just 6 months old. She doesn't need to be eating anything with meat in it right now anyway. You didn't say whether or not you were breastfeeding, but if you are, she will get plenty of protein from your breastmilk (just make sure she's getting enough iron). If your not breastfeeding, there is protein in milk and other foods.
I'm going to go ahead and out myself, even though I may offend some who have replied to your post ( you know who you are...wink-wink). I'm a Naturopathic Medical Doctor (NMD). We are basically primary care physicians who typically choose to try to heal the body naturally (food, lifestyle changes, herbs, acupuncture, etc...) before using pharmaceuticals. The reason I'm letting you know this is because a lot of patients who utilize NMDs are vegetarians. I can tell you by experience, and by speaking to my collegues, that vegetarians CAN be the most sickly people you've ever met IF they are not properly versed in how to be a vegetarian. Some of the most overweight, malnurished people with the highest cholesterol counts I've ever seen have been well intended vegetarians. Reason being, most load up on bad carbs and forget about the multitude of great grains, beans, legumes and veggies available.
Now, in saying this, vegetarians can also be the healthiest people ever, as long as they pay EXTRA special attention to their nutrition. My brother is a vegetarian and extremely healthy; but he pays very close attention to what he is eating and makes sure he is getting the proper amounts of all nutrients.
Back to your daughter. I am not a vegetarian, but my son has just started to eat pureed meats at 16 months old. He has not had any meat at all until this time. We don't do cow dairy, so he hasn't had that either. He also just started eating eggs. I am still nursing him, so he does get protein from my breast milk (and we do soy milk as well). Most of his protein has come from the above sources, beans and grains.
So, I guess what I'm saying is that it is a little premature to think you have to start giving your daughter meat right now. Just check the labels of the foods you give her to make sure they contain protein. Once she's eating real solids, there are many beans, legumes and grains (especially quinoa) that contain plenty of protein.
Ultimately, it will be your daughter's decision on whether or not she wants to be a vegetarian; however, for the next 5-7 years, it's actually yours. Just be very diligent about her diet, find a doctor who supports your lifestyle, and I think your daughter will be perfectly fine.
PS: An omega-3 fatty acid supplement would be great for your daughter, as long as you're not opposed to her receiving fish oil. This is the really the best kind of fat for our kids. It has DHA and ARA in it which are vitally important for brain and eye health.
Good luck! |
| posted by Allison on 10/28/2008 04:12 PM
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Hey Kim, I do respect your opinion. I think about stuff myself before posting questions and when I see something that doesn't make sense I call it. Sorry if I offended you, I appreciate your response.
Thanks for the insight Allison. I went to the pediatrician yesterday after this post and that's what inspired this topic. I don't feel supported by my doc, she still says she wants her to eat red meat. I tried giving Nina eggs this morning in some pears and she gagged so I'm feeling a little helpless. I'll keep trying.
I will definitely give Nina the choice whether or not to eat meat when she's a little older, I'm just not giving her the choice right now. Some people say she can decide later on not to eat meat, I plan on giving her the choice later on if she wants to eat meat. |
| posted by Erin on 10/28/2008 04:25 PM
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Hey Erin,
I can't remember if it was this site, or the 'Stay At Home Moms' site, but the issue of food allergies came up. I made a comment that my pediatrician (who is an NMD) has a practice with very few, if any, kids with food allergies because of the food introductory schedule she gives to all of us. Animal protein was definitely one of the last things to give (starting around 16-18 months old). So, I'm not so sure why your pediatrician is being so dramatic about giving animal protein at 6 months.
A good thing for you to do, if you have time, is google 'the benefits of animal protein'. This way you can make a good decision on whether or not you want to give her any animal protein of any type.
What I forgot to mention earlier is that we also given our son vegetarian rice protein in smoothies we make for him. I may be wrong, but I think in terms of pure protein, all proteins are created equal. Animal proteins do tend to be higher in protein, in general, but they are also much higher in saturated fat (bad fat). This is why I mentioned the Omega-3 earlier.
Anyway, do some research. Google about the different kinds of proteins and development of children. Also, if you ever go back to your pediatrician, ask her to give you some literature backing up her statement that 'children who don't eat ANIMAL protein are developmentally delayed'. Like I mentioned, my son didn't start getting animal protein (unless you count my breast milk) until this month, and he is spot on developmentally. |
| posted by Allison on 10/28/2008 04:49 PM
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| Erin, I don't have a strong opinion one way or the other as far as your choice to exclude meat from your daughter's diet. The only question I have is...aren't eggs on the high allergen list and not recommended for babies until age one? Just a thought. |
| posted by kim on 10/28/2008 05:08 PM
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I do breastfeed and I plan on doing it as long as I can. The doc said that 'animal fat' is different from vegetable fat. I am getting some books about this today, thanks for letting me know all this stuff, it makes me feel like I'm not totally wrong.
Eggs are on the high allergen list but the doc said that if we don't have a strong family occurrence it's alright to try them, also she said do not give her the whites, just the yoke. She said the same thing about nut butters like peanut or almond. |
| posted by Erin on 10/28/2008 05:12 PM
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I have to admite that since I am not a vegitarian that I am ignorant about the fact, but it really sounds like Alison gave you some very good info. If I knew from the get go that a vegitarian ate the way she talked about then I would say there is nothing wrong with raising your child as such. As far as the egg yolk, my son was eating yolk at 6 months, but he had already been introduced to all other foods. He started eating at 3 and half to 4 months. He was big and not satisfied. Anyway, good luck again.
Alison, when I first read this post I said to myself that this has Alison writen all over it, it is right up your alley. :0) |
| posted by Kim on 10/28/2008 06:58 PM
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| I was giving you an incognito shout out Kim : ) |
| posted by Allison on 10/29/2008 01:38 AM
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Yeah I got it, lol. I did smile real big when I saw that. And I have to say, even though you don't need my approvial, that you were very profesional with your response.
How is the pregnancy going? Good I hope. Do you know what it is, or are you going to find out? Keep me posted. Take care. |
| posted by Kim on 10/29/2008 01:47 AM
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I personally don't think you should impose your views on your children regarding issues such as religion, but when it comes to their health, that's a different story.
I am also vegan, and I plan on keeping animal byproducts away from my daughter for as long as I can. If you let your child eat meat and eggs and milk, just think of all the hormones you are putting in to his or her body! People weren't meant to eat meat. Just look at our teeth! And our lack of natural physical hunting abilities. We'd never be able to catch and kill animals without weapons. And our digestive systems aren't fit for meat, either. They are too long, slow, and not acidic enough, compared to those of carnivores. You probably already know all this, which is why you have chosen to be vegan.
...But the point is, you chose to be vegan (at least partially) for health reasons, so do the same for your children. If they are old enough to make their own decisions, at least they will have been properly educated about nutrition. So many people say that they wouldn't be getting enough protein, calcium, blah blah blah. But we know better! Beans, nuts, soy, and green leafy vegetables provide plenty! In America, having too much protein is a much bigger problem than not getting enough! And don't let people convince you that you need milk for calcium either! The phosphorus and animal proteins in milk actually DEPLETE our calcium. And as mammals, we lose the ability to digest lactose when we are very young, because mammals aren't meant to drink milk when we're grown! Milk is for babies! Milk from our own species!
Please don't let the media (advertising for MONEY) and the misinformed public or professionals convince you to risk jeopardizing your child's health! Do the research for yourself! |
| posted by kaitlyn on 10/29/2008 01:38 PM
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| A doctor who would say these kinds of things is either stupid or uninformed, and you need to be careful to recognize when they tell you things like that. A child will not grow up delayed, as long as you are sure to give her the protein she needs in other things. Refried beans, for example, or nuts as she grows older, or vitamins. They even have shakes for toddlers now that have added protein. You will be just fine as long as you go about it right and make sure that she is healthy and eating all her vitamins. |
| posted by Abigail on 10/30/2008 02:27 PM
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Good answer Abigail. I, too, thought Erin's pediatrician was very insensitive with her remark.
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| posted by Allison on 10/31/2008 12:22 AM
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Also, there are MANY stupid doctors out there. There are some people I graduated from med school with that I would not trust feeding my dog.
The word doctor is not synonymous with the word smart, or omniscient. I know it took some of my collegues 5 times to pass the final board exam in medical school. And, with the advent of the internet, doctors are forced to keep on their toes (which they do not do most of the time). Instead, I think they try to belittle the patient when that person comes in with intelligent questions, or wants an up to date answer on a particular subject. |
| posted by Allison on 10/31/2008 12:27 AM
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| Many times doctors are so smart they completely lack social skills, or they assume all first time mommies are stupid. This doctor also told me on Monday that Nina's socks are too tight and that it might cut off circulation to her foot and she'll lose sensation and her skin will slough. So Not only will my child be 'delayed' but she will have no feet either! Needless to say I was and am still a little freaked. |
| posted by Erin on 10/31/2008 12:47 AM
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| I don't know if this board is still open but I read a few posts and just wanted to put in my 2 bits. Like one person suggested, you might want to change pediatricians. They are not all alike or follow the same medical philosophies, background, experience, etc. Also, at 6 months old, her diet should be really just milk, fruit, veggie and cereal...I think pureed meats start at 8 months old? Anyways.. Whether or not you have her follow your family's vegetarian diet, ultimately I think her health is more important than a philosophy, so if you can do it and still meet all her nutrition needs, then by all means. But from what I understand, a child needs from 1-2 years old a certain amount of saturated fat for brain development. Saturated fat, from what I understand, is mostly found in animal meat and whole cow's milk. You might also find your baby will "dictate" what you give her. Because they are very picky eaters and go on food jags. She might not like to eat a lot of veggies or whole grains, etc. and you'll have to give her meat. Mine was the opposite. She didn't like meat and some times I think she's a vegetarian..lol. It was really hard for me to get her to eat meat. But she loves tofu, brown rice, veggies, fruits, things like that. Also, if you decide to give your daughter fish oil, do some research on that. Because a lot of brands use fish that have high level of mercury. I understand your concern and fear and that's good, because it means that although you care about your philosophies, you care about your baby more. :) Do some research, talk to different doctors, and follow your heart and your baby's needs...Good luck to you. |
| posted by on 10/31/2008 03:30 PM
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