How to Raise a Vegetarian Baby
Babies have a rather limited menu, with milk their main source of food for the first few months. But if you plan on raising your child as a vegetarian, then babyhood is the place to begin.
- Difficulty:
- Moderately Easy
Instructions
Things You'll Need
- Baby Food
- Baby Food Jars
- Baby Formulas
- Juices
- Rice Cereal
- Soy Milk
- Water
- Blenders
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1
Deciding whether or not to breast-feed is a personal matter, but it is considered the best way to meet an infant's nutritional needs. It also helps boost the immune system.
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2
Give soy-based formula if you decide not to breast-feed. Soy is less likely to cause allergies than cow's-milk-based formulas. Do not give regular soy milk to a baby less than a year old. It is not designed to meet a baby's special needs.
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3
Avoid iron supplements during the baby's first three months, unless your pediatrician prescribes it. Babies are born with high iron stores and usually have enough to last about three months.
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4
Introduce solid foods at about four to six months. This will vary from baby to baby.
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5
Begin with rice cereal, which is easily digestible and the least likely to cause an allergic reaction.
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6
Introduce other foods slowly. You can buy commercial baby foods or puree your own fruits and vegetables in a blender. If you buy prepared foods, buy ones that are free from added sugars, preservatives and any other additives that your baby does not need.
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7
Feed your veggie baby the same as any other baby - except you won't be introducing animal products. You can follow the nutritional guidelines in any baby book and adapt them for a vegetarian diet.
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8
Avoid letting other people convince you that it is necessary to start your baby on cow's milk. When your baby is old enough to come off formula, you can give him or her regular soy milk, juice, water, rice milk and any number of other nutritious beverages.
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Make sure your baby is eating enough solids before weaning off of formula or breast-feeding. You want to be sure that all nutritional bases are covered.
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Find a pediatrician who supports you in your decision to raise a vegetarian child.
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Tips & Warnings
As you would with any baby, you may want to give a multivitamin to ensure that your baby gets optimal nutrients.
Get in touch with other veggie parents, via the Internet or other sources, and share tips on what works best with their children.
If you have any questions or concerns, contact a physician or other healthcare professional before engaging in any activity related to health and diet. This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice or treatment.
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Comments
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Ginny Ebarb Smith oh please, as if vegetarian means only vegetables. Either you are joking are totally uninformed. Can you tell me which nutrients are lacking? I bet not, because no nutrients are lacking when you raise a child as a vegetarian. So which 'enzymes' are there in meat? You feed your child raw meat, really? Because cooking destroys any enzymes. Did you know that only plants are aible to produce all essential amino acids and fatty acids and animals can not do that? Essential amino acids and fatty acids are only in animals because they either ate plants, or ate animals who ate plants. Salmon praised for omega3 fatty acids does not produce them itself. The prey of very small fish is based on algaes which are the only source of essential fatty acids for marine life and in turn the smaller fish are eaten by the salmon, thus the salmon contains omega3 Same with proteins, only plants can build up all the essential amino acids. Animals can convert one essential acid to another but not produce them all by themselves, this is why they are called essential. All plants contain all essential amino acids, there is not a single one missing or the plant would not exist, like a bridge without stones could not be build. The only true thing is that for example grains are lower in an essential amino acid that is higher in legumes, but legumes are lower in an amino acid that is higher in grains, therefor people eat more than one protein source..which is pretty common because, who only wants to eat rice? If you think you have any real knowledge to share which nutrients might be missing or be inferior in plants, than hit me up on FB, but be prepared to have a hard landing
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DUH!
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No, no, no, no no!!!! Do some more research. Veggies are fantastic, but their supply of enzymes and proteins are vastly inferior to animal sources. You cannot raise a truly, vibrantly healthy baby on vegetables alone. Severe deficiencies WILL result. All things in moderation, from organic, traditional sources, without processed foods is the best plan.
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I plan on raising Molly on a healthy diet...and this seems fitting.
