Letter from the editor

Vegetarian Baby and Child, Sept-Oct, 2002 by Melanie F. Wilson

I have been pregnant and/or breastfeeding for over five years. During that time I have moved through the stages being wholeheartedly carnivorous, semi-vegetarian, ovo-lacto vegetarian, and vegan. The awesome responsibility of bringing a child into the world is what prompted me to become vegetarian, and my journey toward a better diet continues even today. I realized early on that it did no good to offer my child healthy foods if I weren't eating them myself. For one thing, everything that went into my mouth went into her, and for another, I was to be her primary role model. Those were my motivations years ago. Now I've learned how important it is to eat well for my own health. During pregnancy women are usually more concerned with the well being of their growing children, while during breastfeeding we tend to switch the focus to ourselves: maintaining our milk supply, keeping our energy up, and losing the baby weight. I'm happy to report that maintaining a vegan diet during my most recent pregnancy and therea fter provided both me and my baby with all the nourishment we needed. I know from experience that a mainly whole foods vegan diet provides more energy and is more than adequate for a healthy milk supply. Mackenzie turned one in June and is still nursing heartily. Eating well is largely an issue of eating enough foods from a variety of sources and making sure to get a source of B-12 and omega-3 fatty acids in the diet (like flax seed oil). That and regular exercise will ensure that both you and your baby are healthy throughout your pregnant and breastfeeding years.

Melanie F. Wilson, Editor/Publisher