Phoebe, Frances and Jessi are three happy and healthy girls who've all been veggie since birth. Their stories (below) were published in the Viva! and VVF 'Vegetarian and Vegan Mother and Baby Guide'. They demonstrate that it's easily possible to be healthy during pregnancy on a veggie diet and to raise veggie kids.
Miranda Michaelides
Phoebe (3)
" Throughout my pregnancy I had no desire to eat meat and the only craving I had was for carrots! (which, incidentally, is now Phoebe's favourite food). My pregnancy was completely normal and I gave birth to a healthy 8lb 12oz baby girl, bang on the due date! Phoebe is now three years old and enjoys a wide range of veggie food. She is perfectly healthy and developing quite normally. I am without doubt, that a veggie diet is safe for children- in fact, I believe it to be healthier than any other diet. I have no hesitation in recommending veggie living to everyone."
Jane Lacey
Frances (5) and Kira (3)
" I have been vegetarian for 10 years and in that time I've given birth to two beautiful, happy, healthy girls- Frances (age 5) and Kira (age 3). Both pregnancies were remarkably problem-free and after normal deliveries both children were successfully breastfed for at least six months. But I thought I'd let Frances tell you why we think veggie's best."
" I like being veggie because meat is from animals and I want animals to stay alive. I like helping Mummy grow vegetables in the veg. patch- we grow tomatoes, spinach and other things and I like to eat the mangetout straight from the plant. Vegetables have lots of vitamins which make me and Kira big, strong girls."
Kee Macmillan.
Jessi (7)
"I have been a vegetarian for most of my life and had no concerns about my health during my very easy pregnancy. In fact, I believe my balanced veggie diet was a positively helpful factor. Jessi is now seven and was brought up with a balanced vegetarian diet. She is a very healthy girl and has developed a taste for healthy food which many other children don't. Some of her favourite foods are salads, broccoli and raisins with plain yoghurt, as well of course, as chips and pasta.
I breastfed Jessi until she was about 18 months old and kept her away from processed and sweetened foods as much as possible until she was about three years old. I feel this start to her life has given her a natural flavouring towards healthy foods and a disinterest in a lot of unhealthy foods- by her own choice these days. I would definitely recommend a balanced veggie diet as a positively healthier way of living and a great start to life for children, making them healthier and introducing healthy eating habits which remain with them in the future."