Calling all vegan mothers!

[Andrea Nakayama]

I'm looking for vegan moms--both those who were vegan before becoming a parent and are raising their children vegan, as well as those that made the switch after entering parenthood--for a book project.

In my previous life I was production director for a book packager in NY. My old friends in the publishing world are working on a new vegan cookbook with a new chef with some celebrity status. I'm hoping to help them find some good subjects to interview through our great Bauman community forum.

Please contact me with a brief description of your story. I believe they may be doing interviews with or without names, so you can be anonymous if you prefer.

Thank you!

Andrea

[satatma]

Hi Andrea,

There is a great video that I remember from a doula training called: Psalm and Zoya: The Unassisted Homebirth of our Twins.  Not only is it the most amazing birth film I have ever seen, I later found out that the mother, Mindy Goorchenko, is vegan.  She has written some on her diet in pregnancy here: http://www.midwiferytoday.com/articles/VeganPregnancyDiet.asp  She would be an amazing resource.   I also worked with a woman named Mielle at Café Gratitude who is going through her first vegan pregnancy and I am sure would be more than happy to talk with you.  She probably knows others who have done the same and could provide local resources. I will try to find her email address for you.  You could also ask around on the Berkeley Parents Network, where I am sure you will get some responses. (They are a very responsive group!) http://parents.berkeley.edu/

Good Luck!
Satatma

[Andrea Nakayama]

Hi Satatma.

Thank you for your response. Those are great resources. I'd love to hear from your contact Mielle at Cafe Gratitude, if you can locate her. My email is andrea@replenishpdx.com, if you'd like to give her that address to contact me directly.

Thanks again!

Andrea

[satatma]

I just gave her your address, so hopefully she will contact you soon. 

[blujay]

I'm interested in learning about any of the potential negative long term health effects of a vegan diet on mothers and children, have you heard of any?

[satatma]

  I find that if that is what you are looking for specifically, that is probably what you will find. 

[Andrea Nakayama]

Good point, Satatma.

Blujay: What I'm finding more and more is that any healthy diet, when approached with a consciousness, can be beneficial. And the converse is also true.

I became pesca-vegan early in my pregnancy. It was a change that my husband and I made because he was diagnosed with a brain tumor and our research, thankfully, lead us in that direction. We were very thoughtful about our food quality, sources, and preparation and I gave birth to the largest baby in either of our families' histories. While none of us had been larger than 6-1/2 lbs. for several generations, our son arrived at 8-1/2 lbs! I recovered from a long home birth in record time, with no pregnancy weight gain after only two weeks.

Though my husband passed away 6-1/2 years ago (outliving his diagnosis by over a year), when our son was only 19 months old, he and I have mostly kept the diet. As I've learned more about raw food, I've incorporated more of the healing benefits of sprouting, fermenting, and juicing into our diets. And as I've learned more about the principles behind the Weston A. Price Foundation's research, I've incorporated more raw milk goat cheeses (local) and ghee into my son's diet. Soy in his diet is kept to a minimum (and only in the form of tempeh, miso, edamame, and shoyu, with the occasional tofu). We only eat whole foods, never eat sugar (he never has) or any other processed foods, and buy local almost exclusively. As a 42 year old woman and a 8 year old boy, our needs are different but overlap.

I find that the dietary dictocrats of any philosophy (and I'm sorry to say that includes Sally Fallon!) can be too quick to renounce other dietary approaches. Any of them can be brought to an unhealthy realm. And what I love about being a practicing nutritionist now and look forward to as I go forward, is helping people make the dietary choices that suit their culinary interests and tastes while helping them with their issues of health and well-being.

I've often appreciated your posts on the site. You seem extremely knowledgeable in the ways of the traditional diet. Thank you for your continued insights, shared information, and thoughtful posts. I welcome further discussion on these issues.

Andrea

[BethSm]

Hi Andrea!

Although I am not vegan, your posting sure interested me! I found out that I'm going to be a grandmother! My daughter is pregnant and due in August! She lives back east and is vegan. Would you have any advice for her as to eating healthy while pregnant and also raising vegan children? Her partner is not vegan, so I don't know if they made a decision about raising the child vegan.
Thanks for any info. you can provide for me.
beth

[Andrea Nakayama]

Hi Beth.

Congratulations!

It's funny, I became primarily vegan while I was pregnant (still eating fish and eggs for proper fetal neurological development), yet I don't know that I would recommend it for many. It can certainly be done, but I believe it has to be done very consciously to ensure that the mother and baby are getting all that they need. I think this true of growing children as well.

My son is now eight. I've learned a lot and made some major nutritional shifts for him during those eight years. He still eats a primarily whole-foods vegan diet, but I've incorporated some other key foods that I believe necessary for his healthy growing body and mind.

How long has your daughter been vegan? Given your education thus far, are you comfortable with her understanding of health and nutrition?

[blujay]

thank you for your thoughtful replies...I was just being the questioning voice. My concern arises from the strict vegan diets during pregnancy and its effects on development and postnatal health of the mother, which even with the best of intentions can be detrimental to both.   I've found that peoples perception of diets are predominantly negative or overly hopeful, so I've been the means to guide them to the middle path of quality, variety and wholefoods.

Andrea:
From my understanding you've made wise decisions in your dietary choices during your pregnancy and I hope you are able to share that wisdom and awareness to others.

I'm of the same understanding:
I find that the dietary dictocrats of any philosophy (and I'm sorry to say that includes Sally Fallon!) can be too quick to renounce other dietary approaches. Any of them can be brought to an unhealthy realm.

I'm also convinced that any diet that focuses on quality, whole plant foods is the most beneficial for our and the planets health, and should be our pursuit in whatever form of diet construct we align with.

Continue on the path...

[LeahN]

Thank you for this discussion. I am not a mother (yet) and almost never eat animal products. It's easy to find articles describing the horrors of veganism, but it is nice to read an educated discussion. Skinny Bitch: Bun in the Oven is an informative and funny book (if you're not easily offended  I'm working on NE103 now, and I was wondering if a particular diet direction was best during pregnancy. My initial reaction was to lean towards a building diet, but it'd be nice to have some insight from mothers. Thanks!