The grief i have had for this its a nightmare! My baby and i are both vegi and both very healthy, so what is some peoples problem? " Get some meat down him....he needs meat or he wont develop...blah blah blah"
Ive been vegi for 15 years and im in great health so why should i force dead cow down my baby's neck grrrrr rant over.

Just so long as you've done this in consultaion with your doctor or a nutritionalist, there isn't a problem. Kids need different vitamins and minerals to adults, and it's difficult to get the right amount of protein into a growing child without meat - but not impossible ;)

If you're sure you've got the nutritional mix right then just stay firm with people and your decision.

Big sis never really had a problem with niecelet eating everything from lentils to artichokes, but that can be a big issue for some little ones, and if they won't eat a decent varied diet then it can be really hard to ensure that they get enough protein in their diet.

I'd not be as confidant if you were suggesting that your little one was going to have a vegan diet, because small children's calcium requirements are enormously different to adults, and would be really hard to meet without milk, cheese and eggs.

Do you think that some of the people who say these things to you genuinely understand what you mean by 'vegetarian'? If they think you mean 'vegan' then I can understand their issue.

It looks like they're the 'Get some meat down 'em' brigade Medusa ;)

I'm not that keen on the idea of trying to bring a kid up veggie - as their stomachs don't develop to be able to make their own choice later in life, without causing illness

However, it's Natalie's choice what she cooks, and it's none of anybodyelse's business - so long as he's healthy and is getting enough protein.

Some veggie friends of ours have a kid who is allergic to eggs, and I'd feel more comfortable if neither of their kids looked so pale and washed out - like veggie students who don't know anything about nutrition. They've inherited their mum's blonde hair, but she isn't that fair skinned

We have another veggie friend who is a qualified fitness instructor and is super clued up about nutrition. If he had kids who were going to be veggie, you could guarantee that they'll be well fed :thumbsup:

The grief i have had for this its a nightmare! My baby and i are both vegi and both very healthy, so what is some peoples problem? " Get some meat down him....he needs meat or he wont develop...blah blah blah"
Ive been vegi 4 15years and im in great health so why should i force dead cow down my baby's neck grrrrr rant over.

I wouldn't worry one second about them. If it was me, as a vegi for 13 years, I would like to see someone try say that to me. What about different cultures where everyone is vegetarian? ie. some sects of Hinduism. Those babies grow up fine. My family has been warned not to go down this road when it's my turn to have a family!! I've explained to them that vegetarianism is like my religion. I'm sure you've probably looked into nutrition more than most, you just have to stay confident! :)

There is no harm in a vege baby, i never eat meat (dont like the texture it makes me vomit) i have never eaten not even babyfood jars aparently, im now 28 fit and healthy i very rarly even get ill, (husband meat eater always dying) i am brining up my 3 almost 4 children as vege's (they eat fish) and also very rarley ill, the eldest is 10 and was about 4 maby 5 before he tasted meat, ignore everyone that says they need meat, aslong as you know a little about nutrition (a few good books out there) and know what to give them a varied diet, it isnt all about pasta and tofu as some people think, cant stand tofu (cubed vomit yuk!!) you also wont find many obese vegetarians.

Just so long as you've done this in consultaion with your doctor or a nutritionalist, there isn't a problem. Kids need different vitamins and minerals to adults, and it's difficult to get the right amount of protein into a growing child without meat - but not impossible ;)

With the greatest respect, there is no more reason anyone wishing to bring up their child as a vegetarian should consult a doctor or nutritionist than those bringing up their child as a meat eater.

That said there is plenty of information freely available out there for those who make this choice, vegetarian baby and toddler recepie books for example.

To be honest my opinion is as long as you got your doctors back up and they fully behind you whats the problem it's only the same if your child was allergic to meat. I'm sure you are supplementing your child and doing whats best for you both.

My friend brought her 3 children up as veggies but take them to a party and they'd be the kids eating all the sausage rolls and sneaking into Grandma's fridge to eat the leftover chicken..

She gave up when they got to 5 yrs old and would serve veggie food at home but let them eat meat when out as she couldn't see how to stop it and would rather they eat it with her approval instead of 'sneaking it'

There is no harm in a vege baby, i never eat meat (dont like the texture it makes me vomit) .....[/U]just clicked on ur organic site - do you have any nighties but white/blue and for 12m plus?
my boy had them 0-6m and they are great - would be perfect for this winter-easy nappy changing! do you have an actual shop or just internet?

Being vegetarian is a lifestyle choice... is it fair to restrict your childs options before they understand that there is an option?

I suppose if you are of the opinion that you'd let your child try meat when they are old enough to ask for it, then that's fair enough.

there is no need for anyone to eat meat - we can get everything we need from veg, plants, fruit, nuts etc.... id feel horrid putting a dead cow in my babies mouth
wasnt it estein who looked into it (amongst his other work!) and basically said the world would be a better place - think i read that in VIVA!
i think when he is older, about 11 ish and can make his own educated decisions, ill let him decide.
Hopefully over the yrs we will go to conservation zoos and farms and see wildlife -so he'll see all sides of nature etc..

My husband and I have been veges for some 18 years or so and intend to bring up the children this way too. I take care over what I eat and will do for for my children. It makes me angry when people criticise vege parents for making a positie decision about their childs nutrition when there are millions of parents out there who never really sit down and think about what they are feeding their children. I stand in the supermarket aghast at the rubbish in peoples trollies - convenience food for children full of junk. A meat diet can be positively toxic. Caring parents will think about their childs food and provide fresh wholesome food regardless of if it includes meat or not. There are good vege diets and bad ones (the cheese on toast vegetarians) just as there as good and bad meat diets (turkey twizzlers anyone?).

As long as your children are getting a healthy balanced diet it really is nobodys business but your own. Chances are some of the people condeming you are the ones who feed their kids crap everyy night. A healthy child that is getting a good varied diet is a happy child, meat eater or not. I am a meat eater and so are my children but i agree with your decision. You are doing a wonderful job teaching your children to respect other creatures. Even us meat eaters should have more care and thought into how the animals have lived before they end up on our plate.

My hubby still eats meat (turkey/chicken and fish) and i buy free range for him and fish direct form grimsby docks. I totally got him off Red meat and pork ughhhhh! and his digestive system is much better-if u know what i mean!! But because he did that for me, i have started eating Quorn-only a bit though.
I think some of the Fake meats are disgusting, and taste like meat yuk! whats the point? always liked linda MCc tho.
There are so many diff veg to try tho and even i havent tried them all yet-also find that my taste buds keep changing?!?!

I must say Natalie that on meeting your delightful son I can say he looks a robust, healthy and lovely wee boy! :) So a meat free diet is doing him no harm at all, it would seem :)