Weaning onto a vegetarian diet

[Mamastalawatt]

Hi,

My DS is almost 4 months old, and I am thinking ahead to when I start to wean him after 6 months.  My husband is semi- vegetarian (on health grounds, not moral) and eats fish.  Although I am not (I like my bacon sarnies too much...) we have decided to give DS a vegetarian diet until he is old enough to decide for himself whether to eat meat or not. 

Does anyone know of any issues I need to consider when planning a vegetarian (apart from fish) diet? I am guessing that to begin with he will only have fruit and vegetables anyway, but I want to make sure he gets the right nutrients when more protein, etc should be introduced.

Many thanks!

Mama

[Harvey and Theos Mam]

Your ds should get everything he needs from fruit and veg.

He will still be having formula/ breast milk  until 12 months too,so he will have plenty of the right vitamins.

When you stop the milk or don't think he is getting enough then you should consider things like...
Iron
omega 3 (flaxseeds are good, but you say he is going to eat fish)
all B vitamins.

They are the only things you need to check.

HTH

[tylersmommy]

Tyler started out vegetarian...DH and I rarely eat meat, and meat puree just freaked me out. So we kept him vegetarian until he was old enough to eat meat as a finger food, which for him was after 1 yr. Even after that (and to this day) he didn't eat much meat at all, mostly because as a family, we just don't eat it very often. Sooo...like Rhian said, breastmilk or formula should give him all he needs until you wean onto whole milk. It's a good idea to introduce some of the meat alternatives when they're age appropriate, though. Protein and iron are the main concerns in our house, since Tyler loves fortified adult cereals that usually contain plenty of B vitamins. Good protein sources are yogurt, cheese, cottage cheese, tofu, whole milk, and nut butters. Good iron sources include infant cereal, fortified adult cereals, and beans. That's what I can think of off the top of my head...

A good resource is the book "Super Baby Food" by Ruth Yaron. It's a thick book with a lot of info, but she gives a great crash course in nutrition and focuses on how to raise vegetarian kids.

[Gareth - Harvey & Theo's Dad]

Here is an excerpt from the Vegetarian Societys' website for some further reading (full article here http://www.vegsoc.org/info/infant.html )

Important Nutrients

*Iron

This is an important nutrient during weaning, as milk is a very poor source of iron. Babies are born with their own store of iron but this will be depleted by six months. Although iron is less easily absorbed from non-animal sources, there are plenty of good vegetable sources.

Iron-rich foods suitable for babies after six months include: prune-juice, puréed apricots, molasses, refined lentils, cereals, well mashed beans and green vegetables. avoid cereals that are very high in fibre as these may inhibit iron absorption.

Vitamin C aids absorption of iron from plant foods and so it helps to give sources of these nutrients together. Vitamin C is found in frozen, fresh or juiced fruit and vegetables.

*Calcium

Breast or formula milk contains all the calcium your baby needs initially. Good sources of calcium for the later weaning stages include cow's and fortified soya milk, cheese, green vegetables, wholemeal bread, beans, lentils, ground almonds, sesame paste and tofu.

*Protein

Because babies are growing rapidly they require more protein than adults compared to their body weight. Breast or formula milk will provide the major source of protein for the first eight months. Proteins must be balanced in order to get the right balance of amino acids. Combinations of foods such as a cereal with beans or lentils, cereal with nuts or seeds or milk on its own will provide the right balance of protein.

*Energy

Babies between the age of 6 and 12 months require 700 to 1000 calories a day, so they need concentrated sources of energy. Babies and young children do not have the capacity to eat large quantities of food and so they need small and frequent meals. Their diet should not contain too many foods that are bulky or watery. Make sure your baby has some concentrated energy foods like lentils with vegetable oil, avocado, cheese or smooth nut butter. Sugar is not a good source of energy for babies.

*Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 is made by micro-organisms and is found mostly in animal foods. Very young babies will get all the vitamin B12 they need from formula or breast milk. Later, vegetarian babies should obtain enough of this vitamin from dairy products and eggs. Vegan babies will need vitamin B12 from fortified foods such as some soya milks, low salt yeast extract or veggie burgers.

*Vitamin D

Vitamin D is found in dairy products, eggs and fortified foods like margarine and some breakfast cereals, and can be made by the action of sunlight on the skin. It is found exclusively in animal foods so vegan babies may need a vitamin D supplement. Breast or formula milk should provide all the vitamin D needed initially.

*Fibre

A diet too high in fibre will fill up a child before their nutritional needs have been met and can interfere with absorption of minerals, such as zinc, iron and calcium, so refined bran must not be added to a young child's diet. If you think your baby is constipated give extra fluid such as water or diluted fruit juices.

*Milk

Babies under two should not be given semi-skimmed milk and children under five should not be given skimmed milk because skimmed milk lacks the fat soluble vitamins A and D and young children need the energy from fat. Soya milks should be specially formulated for babies if they are used instead of breast milk and should be fortified if used as an alternative to cow's milk for babies and young children.

*Salt and Sugar

These should be avoided in the diet of babies and young children. A baby's kidneys are not mature enough to cope with too much salt, and sugary foods and drinks are a prime cause of tooth decay. Sugar gives calories without any associated vitamins or minerals. In addition, a baby who is encouraged to develop a sweet tooth may have problems with obesity in later life.

*Nuts

Whole or chopped nuts and seeds are not suitable for children under five because of the danger of choking, but they can be used if finely ground, for example in cooking or smooth nut spread. However many experts suggest avoiding nut products altogether in a small child’s diet due to the risk of allergies developing. If there is a history of allergies in a family it is certainly best to avoid any nuts, especially peanuts, until at least three years. The pregnant or breastfeeding mother should also avoid peanuts if there is a history of allergies in the family.

*Quorn and textured vegetable protein

Quorn products are a useful addition to the diet of young children, but it should not be relied on as the sole or major source of protein since it is relatively low in calories and high in fibre, so may satisfy a child's appetite before enough energy has been taken in.
Further Information
Even with the help of this Info Sheet and the growing scientific evidence that a vegetarian diet is a healthy option, you may experience resistance from health professionals, family or friends about bringing up your baby as a vegetarian. Contact The Vegetarian Society for help in solving any problems or answering your questions.

[tylersmommy]

Great info, Gareth! Thanks!

One thing confused me, though...

*Iron

This is an important nutrient during weaning, as milk is a very poor source of iron.

Are they referring to cow's milk or formula? Cow's milk isn't a source of iron, but formula is because it's iron fortified. Or is formula not iron-fortified across the pond?

[Gareth - Harvey & Theo's Dad]

They must be referring to cow's milk, and I suppose to some degree breastmilk?  Formula here is iron-fortified, though I've no idea if the amount is sufficient beyond 6mths.  I agree that it's a little confusing though. 

[tylersmommy]

Thanks Gareth!