Nutrition for vegetarian mothers.
It is a commonly held belief that nursing mothers should be eating
a special diet. But, this is a myth. A normal, healthy diet is
all that is needed. If you are eating fruits, vegetables, whole
grains, beans, nuts, and seeds, you should be getting adequate
amounts of nutrients. If you are vegan, you should take a vitamin
B12 supplement to be sure that your supply is adequate.
A woman's body functions with maximum efficiency during lactation, so her body absorbs more nutrients from her food, and her metabolism drops to preserve energy. A woman's body is designed to produce exactly the right milk for her baby. Whatever necessary nutrients are not present in the mother's diet will come from the mother's reserves (stored in fat tissue and bones). This is nature's way of protecting the baby from malnutrition even in situations where the mother has insufficient food.
It is a myth that you must include dairy products in your diet
while nursing, to prevent your body from taking calcium from your
bones. During lactation, increased estrogen levels allow a woman's
body to store calcium in the bone more efficiently. There are
many sources of calcium other than dairy, if you cannot or do
not wish to eat dairy products.
Vegetarian mothers have significantly lower levels of environmental
contaminants in their milk.
The levels of DHA in the milk of vegetarian women is similar
to that of women who eat fish. DHA is a fatty acid that is thought
to be important in the development of nerve tissue in infants.
New Beginnings, Sept/Oct 1999