Call it ‘veganism with a vengeance’. Some women are going to the extent of raising ‘vegan babies’. We explore the trend.



The sight of a glass of warm milk is met with absolute revulsion by most kids, but is this instinctive withdrawal or simply nature kicking in? Dr Nandita Shah who runs Sharan a non-profit organisation that promotes a healthy and an ethical way of living believes it’s the latter and says she has met many women who have chosen to stay vegan even during pregnancy.



Her thoughts find resonance in fellow vegan and mother-to be Sharon Dias (name changed), who adds, “Both my husband and I are vegans and have chosen to give up animal products in favour of a plant-based diet. We had our apprehensions about whether this decision would effect our baby in a negative way. That’s why we consulted a dietician. What I found out was in most cases, people have limited knowledge about veganism and hence instead of having a balanced diet some end up overdoing their protein intake or becoming nutrient deficient because they have not been careful about their diet.”Karol Marocho, a language consultant, agrees and adds, “I was watching a video about how new born calves are denied their mother’s milk because a few people want to sell it and make some extra cash. As a practice it is cruel and unfair. I was motivated to become a vegan after that, but it took me sometime to go ahead with the decision. It’s been two years since I became a vegan. While I regret not going vegan during pregnancy, I made it a point to introduce my kid to a vegan diet when she was a year-and-a-half. She is a healthy child who is perfectly normal. While we make up for the lack of milk by including sesame seeds (which are a rich source of calcium) in her diet, we have to be careful that she also has her B12 supplements so that she is not anaemic. Also, we have decided to let her decide what kind of diet she would like when she grows up.”While the intentions may be good, is it a wise decision? Dr Nandita answers that with an affirmative adding, “There are many benefits to going vegan during pregnancy and even after. A vegan diet is rich in pulses and vegetables, which are recommended by most doctors during pregnancy. So, eating healthy can only benefit you and your child. Also, studies have shown that a vegan lifestyle can lead to permanent reduction in weight, blood pressure, serum cholesterol, and blood sugar, as well as cardiovascular diseases.”Going vegan during pregnancy is a good idea when done with certain considerations. Namita Nanal, Nutritionist, says, “Pregnancy requires both the mother and the child to take in the right amounts of nutrition to ensure that both the mother-to-be and the unborn child are safe and healthy. So, a balance diet which provides proteins, calcium, iron, vitamin B12, vitamin D, zinc and sufficient calories is recommended. A major concern for those who subsist solely on plant foods has been vitamin B12. While meat, milk and eggs have vitamin B12 , plants contain none. Vitamin B12 deficiency can have serious consequences such as early dementia, lack of co-ordination, forgetfulness, nerve dysfunction, memory loss, disorientation, difficulty with concentration, and difficulty with one’s balance when walking. It is important for vegans to daily consume foods fortified with vitamin B12 such as fortified soy, some cereals etc. Reading labels is important to ensure one has an adequate intake.”The lifestyle invited a lot of negative press when in 2007 in Atlanta, two vegan parents were sentenced to life in prison after their son died of malnourishment. They’d been feeding him a diet of soymilk and apple juice. Also, in April, a 11-month-old baby died after suffering complications from vitamin deficiencies. The parents weren’t giving her any solid foods (the mother was vegan and exclusively breastfeeding the child.