question (vegan pregnancy - gaining weight)

[Guest guest]

Hi Shelly,

 

I was also a thin vegan when I became pregnant, but I managed to gain

42 pounds. I'm glad your doctor is encouraging you to gain weight.

What kinds of foods have you been eating? Many pregnant women (and

people in general) have an easier time eating " heavier " foods, which

would help you gain weight, over the fall & winter months, so since

you're due in spring you'll have the opportunity to enjoy all the good

foods that winter has to offer! <g>

 

I was nauseous too but found that eating made me feel better. I got a

reputation for bringing food to meetings at work if it was going to be

more than 15 minutes long...!

 

Don't eat too many salads - they are good for you, but not bulky

enough - do eat veggies & leafy greens of course, but you don't have

to eat lots of salad to eat healthy. Eat heavier, rich foods with

yummy sauces, etc. My favorite meal when pregnant was lentil loaf

(lentils, rice, & veggies - I can send my simple recipe if you want)

smothered in cashew gravy, plus lots of broccoli as my veggie " side

dish. "

 

Small babies can do just fine! But I do agree with the doctor that

your baby has an advantage if he or she has a good birth weight.

Also, a study just came out stating that, statistically, higher birth

weight correlates to higher IQ.

 

These are all just my rambling opinions, so use them as you see fit!

 

Warmly,

Emily in Colorado

 

-

" Shelly Eades " <sgeades

 

Wednesday, September 05, 2001 6:41 PM

RE: question

|

| Hi,

|

| I've been a spectator on this list for a while now. I really

appreciate all

| your input. I'm a " to be " vegetarian parent so that's why I signed

up...to

| start learning ahead of time. I'm now pregnant and I'm due in 6

months with

| my first child. I'm vegan and intend to raise my child vegan or

atleast

| near-vegan. My question to all of you is a little off topic, but

here it

| goes. I would like to here from those who were pregnant while being

vegan.

| My gynacologist says I have to gain 30-35 pounds because I'm a thin

person.

| I'm going to shoot for it, but every story I read about where the

mother is

| vegan, the weight gain is only about 20 pounds. I'm past the first

trimester

| (no weight gain) and am still experiencing nausea which really

interferes

| with my appetite. I don't eat junk food and don't put weight on very

easily

| (even when I wasn't vegan/vegetarian). I'm worried that if weight

gain is

| slow, they'll start questioning my diet and I reeeeaaallly don't

want to go

| through all that. Any suggestions? What was your weight gain like?

How

| much did you gain and was it slow? What did you do to help with

weight gain

| and doctors?

|

| Any experience you could share with me would be soooooo helpful. I

can't

| just have a home delivery because there's a very good chance that I

must

| have a C-section since my mother and my older sister had to have all

of

| their babies c-section because their pelvis was too small

(genetics). I'm

| suffering alot of anxiety over this right now. Please Help!!!!

| Thanks!

|

| Shelly

|

[Guest guest]

Emily wrote:

 

> I was also a thin vegan when I became pregnant, but I managed to gain

> 42 pounds. I'm glad your doctor is encouraging you to gain weight.

> What kinds of foods have you been eating? Many pregnant women (and

> people in general) have an easier time eating " heavier " foods, which

> would help you gain weight, over the fall & winter months, so since

> you're due in spring you'll have the opportunity to enjoy all the good

> foods that winter has to offer! <g>

 

That's encouraging! I didn't know it was possible to gain 42 pounds. Did

you eat a lot of refined foods like: oils, refined flours, white rice,

etc....? I eat a ton of fiber filled food and can only stuff so much in

Can you tell me what your weight gain was like? Did you gain most of it

later in pregnancy or just steadily through out?

 

> Don't eat too many salads - they are good for you, but not bulky

> enough - do eat veggies & leafy greens of course, but you don't have

> to eat lots of salad to eat healthy. Eat heavier, rich foods with

> yummy sauces, etc. My favorite meal when pregnant was lentil loaf

> (lentils, rice, & veggies - I can send my simple recipe if you want)

> smothered in cashew gravy, plus lots of broccoli as my veggie " side

> dish. "

 

I usually eat a lot of salad, but haven't had an appetite for vegetables.

So that's not a problem. I would love the recipe! That sounds good. Thanks

much.

 

Shelly