Taking the first steps in bringing your child up as a vegetarian isn't difficult. Remember that the nutritional requirements of a small baby are high, needing proportionally more protein, calcium and most other nutrients than at any other time of life. It is now widely recognised by bodies such as the British Medical Association, that a vegetarian diet can provide all the nutrients needed for growing infants.
Bringing up your child as a vegetarian, you will want to get them used to the vegetarian food groups: cereals, beans, nuts and seeds, dairy and soya produce, fruit and vegetables. Your baby may reject stronger-tasting foods, such as broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage, at six months but may like them several months later.
It is quite safe to bring up your baby as a vegan, with no animal foods at all, as long as you make sure that plenty of nutrient-rich foods are included. Vegan babies need good sources of calcium, vitamin B12, vitamin D and protein.
Weaning is a gradual process that begins when you start to replace milk with solid foods. Infants should not be given solid foods before the age of four months except on the advise of a health professional. A mixed diet should be offered by the age of six months, as soon thereafter babies will need a source of iron in their diet as breast or formula milk can no longer provide enough. Especially if there is a family history of allergies, when you begin weaning your baby, introduce one food at a time and leave a few days between each new food. This way, you will be able to tell if your baby is allergic or sensitive to any particular food.
Stages of Weaning
Before 6 months
Before the age of four months babies can’t properly digest any foods other than breast or formula milk, which remains by far the most important source of nutrition beyond the age of six months. Current recommendations are not to begin the weaning process before the age of six months, however babies can be introduced to solids before the age of six months, particularly if they seem hungry after their breast feed, on the advice of a Health Professional.
Do not give wheat, oats, milk, nuts, eggs or citrus fruit if you decide to start weaning before the age of six months.
6-7 months
Start by introducing one teaspoon of pureed fruit or baby rice mixed with breast or formula milk after a milk feed or in the middle if this works best for your baby. Take care that the food is adequately cooled. The
nutrition of the food is not so important initially as milk still supplies all the baby's needs.
Other foods to try initially are:
• Puréed vegetables, such as potatoes, carrot or courgette
• Puréed fruit, such as banana, cooked apple or pear
• Baby rice, corn meal, sago or millet can all be given as a thin porridge.
As the weeks go on milk remains the most important food in your baby's diet, but you can gradually increase the number of times solid food is given from once to twice a day. Try mashed lentils with some added vegetable oil and a wider variety of fruit and vegetables such as avocado and green vegetables.
7-8 months
Most babies will by now be regularly eating solids although milk is a large part in their diets. In particular solid foods now provide an important source of iron. You can puree or sieve family foods to give variety, as long as they do not contain added salt.
Try introducing tofu and mashed lentils if your baby is not already eating them. Dairy foods (yoghurt and cheese) can be introduced after six months, as can eggs as long as they are hard-boiled, though some experts recommend avoiding all dairy products and eggs until 12 months old.
8-12 months
Your baby will gradually be able to cope with lumpier foods. Foods from the family table can be given as long as they do not contain salt. Well cooked and mashed peas and beans can be introduced from around 8 months. They are difficult to digest and so can cause problems if introduced earlier. Avoid sweet biscuits and rusks. Try introducing pieces of peeled apple, raw carrot or crusts of bread. When your baby is able to chew pieces of fruit, sandwiches and toast can become normal everyday foods. By the age of 12 months your baby should be enjoying three meals a day.
Many companies produce baby foods suitable for vegetarians but it's quick and easy to prepare your own food for your baby. If you buy shop bought food, always check the ingredients label and look out for The Vegetarian Society's Seedling symbol to be absolutely sure that it is totally vegetarian.
Iron
This is an important nutrient during weaning, as milk is a very poor source of iron. Babies are born with their own store of iron but this will be depleted by six months. Although iron is less easily absorbed from non-animal sources, there are plenty of good vegetable sources.
Iron-rich foods suitable for babies after six months include: puréed apricots, molasses, refined lentils, cereals, well mashed beans and green vegetables. avoid cereals that are very high in fibre as these may inhibit iron absorption. Vitamin C aids absorption of iron from plant foods and so it helps to give sources of these nutrients together. Vitamin C is found in frozen, fresh or juiced fruit and vegetables.
Calcium
Breast or formula milk contains all the calcium your baby needs initially. Good sources of calcium for the later weaning stages include cow's and fortified soya milk, cheese, green vegetables, wholemeal bread, beans, lentils, ground almonds, sesame paste and tofu.
Protein
Because babies are growing rapidly they require more protein than adults compared to their body weight. Breast or formula milk will provide the major source of protein for the first eight months. A variety of foods should be given each day so the baby obtains the right balance of amino acids. For example if a baby has toast, lentils and yoghurt during a day that would give a good balance.
Energy
Babies between the age of 6 and 12 months require 700 to 1000 calories a day, so they need concentrated sources of energy. Babies and young children do not have the capacity to eat large quantities of food and so they need small and frequent meals. Their diet should not contain too many foods that are bulky or watery. Make sure your baby has some concentrated energy foods like lentils with vegetable oil, avocado, cheese or smooth nut butter. Sugar is not a good source of energy for babies.
Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 is made by micro-organisms and is found mostly in animal foods. Very young babies will get all the vitamin B12 they need from formula or breast milk. Later, vegetarian babies should obtain enough of this vitamin from dairy products and eggs. Vegan babies will need vitamin B12 from fortified foods such as some soya milks, low salt yeast extract or veggie burgers.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is found in dairy products, eggs and fortified foods like margarine and some breakfast cereals, and can be made by the action of sunlight on the skin. It is found exclusively in animal foods so vegan babies may need a vitamin D supplement. Breast or formula milk should provide all the vitamin D needed initially.
Fibre
A diet too high in fibre will fill up a child before their nutritional needs have been met and can interfere with absorption of minerals, such as zinc, iron and calcium, so refined bran must not be added to a young child's diet. If you think your baby is constipated give extra fluid such as water or diluted fruit juices.
Milk
Babies under two should not be given semi-skimmed and children under five should not be given skimmed milk because skimmed milk lacks the fat soluble vitamins A and D and young children need the energy from fat. Soya milks should be specially formulated for babies if they are used instead of breast milk and should be fortified if used as an alternative to cow's milk for young children. It is recommended that if avoiding animal milk products, soya formula be used up to the age of 2 years.
Salt and Sugar
These should be avoided in the diet of babies and young children. A baby's kidneys are not mature enough to cope with too much salt, and sugary foods and drinks are a prime cause of tooth decay. Sugar gives calories without any associated vitamins or minerals. In addition, a baby who is encouraged to develop a sweet tooth may have problems with obesity in later life.
Nuts
Whole or chopped nuts and seeds are not suitable for children under five because of the danger of choking, but they can be used if finely ground, for example in cooking or smooth nut spread. However many experts suggest avoiding nut products altogether in a small child’s diet due to the risk of allergies developing. If there is a history of allergies or other atopic diseases in a family it is certainly best to avoid any nuts, especially peanuts, until at least three years. The pregnant or breastfeeding mother should also avoid peanuts if there is a history of allergies in the family.
Quorn and textured vegetable protein
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