I was recently asked a question on “The Vegan Mom” FaceBook page, about feeding a Vegan infant. I am not a doctor, and honestly my family went Vegan when my youngest child was three years old. So, I don’t have much experience in this department. BUT, I plan to have one more child, so I have done lots and LOTS of reading and research on this subject!
This newly Vegan mom was concerned about what she should be feeding her 7 month old daughter, other than breast milk. She is not currently producing enough breast milk to completely nourish her baby. The mom is using formula to supplement her daughter’s diet, and wonders if this is the best thing to be doing for her child. The answer is yes, since babies less than 12 months old need to be drinking breast milk, formula, or both. Vegan parents should be feeding their child the best possible formula, and Vegan health educator “Christina Pirello” claims that “Babies Only Organic” brand formula is the best bet for Vegan infants. It is soy based and free of corn syrup and GMO’s.
After babies turn one, they can stop drinking breast milk or formula (although, many natural health professionals feel that breast feeding your baby until he turns two is best). At this point your child is ready to thrive on a well planned, plant based diet! What does this mean? A variety of fruits, veggies & whole grains! Introduce a colorful mix of organic foods slowly. See what your little one likes and does well with! Try to stay away from white breads, pasta & rice. Buy whole wheat & whole grain versions. Offer sweet potatoes more often than white ones. Also steer clear of too much sugar and processed foods. Feel free to let your little one try some non-dairy milks, such as almond or oat. Soymilk is okay, but make sure it is organic and free from GMO’s. Processed soy products are not recommended in large amounts. Try to stick with “traditional” soy, such as organic tofu, edamame, tempeh & miso.
You may want to add a vitamin supplement to your child’s diet, if you are concerned about the lack of any nutrients. But if your toddler is a good eater, and enjoys a well balanced Vegan diet, the only thing you need to be concerned with is B-12. The bacteria known as B-12 comes from the ground, and humans obtain it through meat, eggs, & other animal bi-products, probably from the dirt the animal ate. Since we wash our veggies so well, we don’t get this vital bacteria from a whole foods, Vegan diet. We must obtain B-12 from fortified foods & beverages or supplements.
Overall, feeding a Vegan baby or toddler is easy & rewarding! It is such a great feeling to know that you are offering your child the best nutrition our planet has to offer! You are setting your child up for a life of optimum health and compassion! People will question you, and even try to persuade you to feed your child animal products, but always stand your ground. Your child will thank you….. some day. 
I love your post and page. I am a vegan mom too.I have a website Vegidea.com and I twitter at 1veganmama. We awesome vegan moms have to support one another
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My coworker’s grandson is a newborn and is having trouble w/all milk including breastmilk. I was wondering what vegan mothers do. I was wondering if there is a rice based formula that’ll help. As far I know they can’t use soy anything as of now. Can you help us?
I do not know of any approved formulas that are not milk or soy based. I will ask my “Vegan Parents” Facebook followers for their advice on this one!
So far all advice is for mom to keep a food journal, because the baby is probably sensitive to something she is eating. ex (soy, peanuts, spices etc..)
The Vegan Mom is absolutely right. My mom breastfed me 50 years ago when it wasn’t popular to do so. There were a lot of foods she loved that came through her breast milk and made me ill: peppers, onions, spices, garlic, cabbage, beans — popular foods in a vegan diet (though she was definitely a meat eater!). My sister had the same problem with her son; the offending products were dairy. Both kept a journal to discover the offending foods. The new mother should absolutely consult the pediatrician — there are also prescription formulas for babies with severe food allergies. We have friends who had to resort to that solution. Wish your co-worker’s family good luck!
I want to switch my daughter over to almond milk. I recently became vegetarian and am attempting vegan by eliminating what I notice and working on the rest as it comes along. Anyways, my only concern about almond milk is that it contains 1g of protein while whole milk contains 8g. I love that almond milk has more calcium and other vitamins than milk, but I’m wondering where she will get that protein from? I do include tofu and beans in her diet but she’s just started eating the tofu so I’m unsure if she likes it or not and beans are not incorporated into every meal. Should I just include beans in her daily diet? What do you suggest?
First off, try not to get too crazy about the whole protein thing. Most Vegans get more than enough protein each day without a problem. I love almond milk! That is what my family drinks. We also get lots of protein from beans, hummus, tofu, tempeh, edamame, quinoa, seitan, nuts, seeds & plant based protein powders. Try to incorporate these foods into her diet & she should be fine in the protein department!!
I honestly suggest you find a really good vegan nutritionist who is very experienced working with babies and young children. You will likely meet some resistance from your pediatrician — and doctors don’t usually get much in the way of nutrition in their training — so unless you have a very special pediatrician, I wouldn’t start there. We don’t want our efforts to do the best thing by our children to inadvertently backfire on us!
Please note that, according to the ingredients, the formula mentioned in this post is likely NOT vegan, as it contains Vitamin D3, which is typically animal-sourced.
At this time, this is the only “Vegan” formula that I know of. Vegan educator, Christina Pirello recommends it. I do not know for sure where the vitamin D comes from. Obviously breast is best…..
I clicked on the link for the Babies Only Organic, and it said it was for babies over one year of age.
Yes, the company says breast is best before 1 year. BUT, moms tell me that their pediatricians have checked out the ingredients & they are fine for infants. Christina Pirello recommends this for infants also. Most importantly, do your research & make the best choice for your child.