Is vegan pregnancy a healthy option?

Guest Post By Louise Palmer Masterton, Stem & Glory¦ Having experienced first-hand advice from family and so-called ‘experts’ on the subject of veganism, I found that throw vegan pregnancy into the mix, and suddenly it becomes about moral choices. Veganism is ok it seems when it’s our own choice, but can be questioned when we’re dealing with an unborn child. The idea that we’re omnivorous and therefore a vegan diet cannot be safe in pregnancy is a fairly widely held view.

Personally, my experience with being vegan during pregnancy is that it was completely normal. I had no morning sickness, no cravings, no complications, no deficiencies and delivered both my children safely at home. For both pregnancies, I did take a pregnancy multivitamin, and the recommended folic acid. I said to myself when I first became pregnant that if I craved something in pregnancy, then I would eat it. Fortunately, I didn’t have any cravings.

Writing this article got me wondering if my experience was an isolated one, or if in fact many vegan women experience completely problem free pregnancies like I did.

I spoke to seven women who had been vegan through pregnancy (sometimes multiple pregnancies), and here is what they told me:

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Baby #2: Bump Pictures and Weeks 20-27

The first half of the second trimester of pregnancy flew, but I swear the second half flew even faster! Time seems to be going in a really odd way this year and I was shocked to hit 28 weeks and find I was at the third trimester already! That said, the last few weeks haven’t been without their problems.

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Relaxation in Pregnancy and Beyond with Zita West

Gifted¦ At 26 weeks of pregnancy, I am definitely needing little luxuries and self-care. Perhaps more so as I suspect I have pelvic girdle pain (ugh) and am being referred to a physiotherapist. I’d never previously heard of Zita West, but I was recently sent some products to try out. The Zita West Fertility Clinic in London is an IVF clinic with a full range of fertility treatments. Their product range caters to women trying to conceive, as well as supporting them through pregnancy and the postpartum period. Keep reading to see what I tried and how I got on!

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Chrissy Teigen was right sharing her miscarriage online

Trigger Warning: Miscarriage & Baby Loss. Contains sponsored link.¦ Yesterday morning, I woke up after a nightmare where I had heavy bleeding and was losing my baby. Upon rolling over and looking at my phone, I saw the awful news that Chrissy Teigen and John Legend had lost their baby. I tried to get on with my day, trying not to think about it too much. However, by the afternoon, I saw that the usual trolls had come out on social media. There had also been a discussion on Loose Women. Many people were of the opinion that Chrissy should have kept her miscarriage quiet. However, as a miscarriage survivor myself, I think they are the ones who should be keeping quiet.

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Baby #2: Bump Pictures and Weeks 12-20

TW: Miscarriage¦ I’m now half way through my pregnancy and half way through the second trimester! Sadly, I don’t have the energy people told me I’d have once the first trimester passed. However, the good news is that I have found the energy to write about the first half of the 2nd trimester today. Bizarrely, I’ve been able to write it in one go, which is virtually unheard of these days (hooray!) So, here’s how it’s going, as well as some bump photos!

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