Vegan diet for new baby

[JPR7]

As a newbie I'm extremely grateful for some useful info already submitted with my first thread re my Son in Law's diabetes and his new vegan diet. I have just found out they intend to bring up their 8 month old son on the same diet and while he is currently being breast fed, they also intend to keep his future diet dairy free. Although they are very good at choosing a variety of foods and experimenting etc I am concerned as to how can they ensure the baby is getting sufficient nutrition - as adults we can generally tell when we are lacking, but a baby cannot. Am I being unnecessarily paranoid?

 

[HOBIE]

When I was a kid my mother could not get me to eat. Imagine having to have 50g of carbs every meal. Some days I would have 6pts of Milk a day & I have been T1 for a long time. Good luck 🙂 (T1 since being 3 when England won the world Cup)

 

[Copepod]

Not being vegan, nor responsible for a child being weaned, I can't help much.
As with your veganism and diabetes query, I'd suggest using Vegan Society etc websites. As wide a variety of foods as possible is key.

 

[Mark Parrott]

Hmmm. Difficult one this. I am not vegan (or vegetarian for that matter) so not easy for me to comment, but I have heard that you must be careful & make sure baby get the right nutrition. Even some vegan adults struggle with that. I know a few vegetarians that don't really like vegetables, which must be a bit awkward.

 

[Matt Cycle]

It's certainly possible to bring up a baby/child as a vegan with them receiving the right sort of nutrition. I was vegan for around 4 years (20 years ago) and apart from reading labels very carefully and use of the Animal Free Shopper it was reasonably straightforward - had no issues with my T1. (A work colleague once brought in cakes for everyone and for me a Jordans cereal bar and said 'I've checked it and it's fine'. As I surreptitiously scanned the ingredients I noticed it contained honey and although I felt bad I had to say something as to why I couldn't eat it and they said 'what's wrong with honey?' 🙄). However, the choice of animal free products is much greater now as well. I only reverted back to being a veggie for the sake of family harmony.

As Copepod mentions the Vegan Society is your best bet and depending on where they live many places have a local Vegan Society group. I found the one I attended very useful. There were a few parents there who had brought their children up as vegan from birth with no ill effects so your daughter and son in law may get support from parents who are doing the same.

 

[Ditto]

I was shocked to read one time that if a child is brought up vegetarian and never has meat then they can't eat meat as a grown up, it makes them sick! It's like taking away their right to eat what they want, but done with the best possible intentions. Vegan seems very strict to me, but I wish I could do it.