Vegetarian Mom/Meat Eating Dad

[cpaige]

Yep, that's right. He eats meat, and I don't. Our son is on Stage 2 foods (yikes!) and since I have no desire to have him eat meat, I have left it up to him to give it to him, or other family members. I just can't do it. I am concerned that he might not get enough of what he needs though. Needless to say, he really is only getting the meats when Dad is home, so it's really just on the weekends, or when I go to visit my parents, which is once a week. Any advice is really appreciated!!!

[puakinikini]

I would suggest talking to other vegetarian moms about what they did with their infants. I would also suggest talking to your peditrician about the possibility of your little one needing an iron supplement. I assume that he is drinking milk, but if not then you may need to add an infant vitamin, like polyvisol.

My sister is a vegan - she feeds her daughter meat. Her significant other and older son are non-vegan, meat eaters, too. She decided to let her daughter decide for herself what kind of lifestyle she wanted to lead. She does not use jarred foods. She cooks all her baby food once a week, including the meat - which grosses her out, but she does it. She also uses a lot of whole grains and other organic foods. I bought her Annabel Karmel's baby food book, First Meals, which is a great resource for making your own baby food.

Good luck! I hope you get some good advice.

[cpaige]

I'm not opposed to him eating it (i guess), which is why his dad gives it to him, or other family members. It just skivves me out to do it. UGH. He is still on formula, so I know he gets stuff from that.

[woopidydoo]

Well, I'm vegan. I don't have any kids but when I do I'm gonna raise them to be vegan, too. My mom is vegetarian but I was fed meat growing up...up until I was nine years old was when I realized it was wrong. I wish my mom would've just raised my siblings and I as vegetarians from birth. I was driving behind one of those semis with a bunch of cows in the back yesterday...and it made it that much real. It was horrible. Not only do I think it's wrong to eat animals...I think it is so unhealthy. So, in my opinion, if you are going to let your child decide whether he/she wants to be vegetarian or not - I'd start them out vegetarian and let them decide if they want to eat meat when they actually know what they are eating and what the effects are.

[VivaciousJewelz]

Wow, Court, I haven't even moved Caroline from stage 1 foods, and she's never gotten meat, LOL. Maybe that's why she flies through her baby food jars, though. Hmmm.... LOL.

I really have no advice here. Just wanted to pop in. Sorry for being so un-helpful, LOL.

[Spanelli8706]

With my 20 month old, we never gave her the baby food meat. It grossed me out!! (and I eat meat now-didn't eat red meat til I was pregnant with her) lol. Anyway, we gave her a variety of other things and she drank formula regularly. He Pediatrician told us what we were doing was fine. What she didn't get from solids, she got from the formula. At 10-11 months, once she started eating table food or things like the Gerber Graduates, we gave her food with meats. She loved spaghetti w/ meatsauce and chicken nuggets. Around 17 months she became VERY PICKY overnight...now it is always hit or miss with her. Good luck.

[CW&M Mom]

Canned baby foods meat are gross and I eat meat LOL

I wouldn't worry about it.

There is no reason a baby under one even needs meat. Now to do an entire Vegan diet...you need to do it under a doctors care IMO...because you've got to make sure they are getting enough fat for the first 2 years...but until your child is big enough to eat something like a chicken nugget or very ground up hamburger...I just wouldn't stress over it. As long as he's getting cheese, yogurt ect.r...he'll be just fine.

[jennifermevans]

i agree w/ Cori NWes Mom. My son has a lot of feeding problems and he's 4. He still doesn't eat very much meat and according to his docs (and there are a lot of them!), it's fine. He eats yogurt, cheese, sour cream on things, cottage cheese and beans and drinks quite a bit of milk. They have always told me not to worry! I'm sure you're doing fine!!

[shoediva]

Doctors know pretty much zilch about nutrition, so if you need guidance about whether they are getting what they need I would speak with someone who has background in nutrition.

[cpaige]

Originally Posted by regbyandjulie Wow, Court, I haven't even moved Caroline from stage 1 foods, and she's never gotten meat, LOL. Maybe that's why she flies through her baby food jars, though. Hmmm.... LOL. I really have no advice here. Just wanted to pop in. Sorry for being so un-helpful, LOL.

Bug was done with Stage 1 at about 4 months. If I hadn't started him on the Stage 1's, he would have been eating his formula out of a soda bottle! LOL This kid can EAT!!

~~~~~~~~

So far, he likes every single thing we have given him. I wonder, how many other vegetarians have this issue w/ their significant others? Not that it really is even an issue. I compromised, and we will both let Bug make his own choice when he is older.. I know that when I was first learning to feed myself, my mom would put the meat on the tray for me, and I would ignore it. She said eventually (b/c she kept putting it there) I ate it. And viola, all so many years later I am a vegetarian! LOL

He is going for his 6 month check-up soon, so I will speak to his Dr about it, just to see what she says (thinks). Watch, this kid is either going to be a hard core carnivore, or a hard core vegan! I can just see that happening! LOL