I'm a pregnant vegetarian!

sherbear82 · February 2015

Hi ladies, is anyone else a vegetarian? I've read about the importance of protein, and even though I take a supplement, I'm definitely at the low end, intake-wise, of where I'd like to be.

I've considered switching to a non-vegetarian diet for the duration of my pregnancy, but when I've fiddled around with different foods and numbers in My Fitness Pal app, I still come out high on the fats and low on the proteins.

I'd love to know what vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike are eating!

For breakfast I had three eggs, scrambled. For lunch I had carrot ginger soup from a box with saltine crackers. For snacks I had oatcakes and crackers. For dinner I had veggie curry with naan and rice.

I thought it was a carb overload (which is fine by me, it keeps the nausea at bay), but according to My Fitness Pal, it was a fat overload! I'll have to try again tomorrow!

babystace1985 · February 2015

I'm interested in reading the responses you get here because I am pescatarian but due to concern about Mercury intake I've basically been eating vegetarian since I found out I was pregnant.

Lots of beans (kidney, black, lentils, etc), incorporating more tofu and eating 2 whole eggs/day (which was hard for me b/c I used to only eat the whites) have been my go to things to do. Trader Joes has been my saving grace.

Nice to know there's someone out there in the same boat and interested in any tips others might have.

ehgmorse · February 2015

I'm a pescatarian as well. I have had a hard time just eating food in general since I've been pregnant. But morning star offers a lot of vegan protein burgers and are really tasty. They offer more than burgers too in that line. Check it out.

onewayticket · February 2015

I was a pescatarian during my first pregnancy (I've since reintroduce chicken due to some food allergies my son had). I think it's hard to eat healthy in general when pregnant. At least for me... I started hating vegetables. I think the need for protein is overblown though. You get protein from pasta, beans, cheese, peanut butter, chocolate milk... Lots of places! I loved miso soup and avocado rolls last pregnancy. I also survived on these tofu Vietnamese sandwiches. Ppjs have protein too! So do Mac and cheese

you'll be fine.

abloxham · February 2015

I am also a vegetarian! Growing up I never liked meat so I have always been one! When I was pregnant with my 3rd i actually craved steak. I think my body needed it because I was very anemic. So I did give in and eat it a few times.

I probably don't have the best diet, but I love veggie burgers, salads, bean burritos, veggie chili, cheese enchilada, pasta, cheese lasagna, veggie sandwiches. Would love more ideas!

raspell · February 2015

I am primarily plant based, meaning I don't really eat meat OR dairy at all. I don't really make a lot of exceptions for this diet. You could call it a Vegan diet, but I don't consider myself vegan just plant based.

I do not have any problems getting all of the protein and other nutrients that I need. I eat lots of beans and lentils, root veggies like potatoes and carrots, and broccoli which has lots of protein! I've not been super into leafy greens like spinach and kale since I got pregnant, but even without them I'm good for now.

When I am nauseous (which is pretty much all the time) I eat water-based or very juicy fruits like citrus and watermelon. Those are easier for me to keep down. I cannot WAIT until berry season is in full swing, because that is what I am craving! I also have been a bit more high carb than usual, eating lots of rice and cereals, and of course saltine crackers.

DegiBabe · February 2015

Veghead over here. I'm also plant based with the exception to some fish. I've been eating a lot of egg whites on toast, lots of peanut butter crackers, cherrios with almond milk. I'm feeling guilty because all I've been eating is carbs! But it helps so much with the nausea.... I say this at 4am, starving in bed eating peanut butter crackers as I am ravenous! I can't eat anything fried and preplaning meals is awful. I can't think about food.

sailorgal · February 2015

Also vegetarian and dairy free. As someone else said, it's hard for many to get nutrients during pregnancy! I eat mostly crackers and juice now.

My doctor said her concern for vegetarians is often iron vs protein and sometimes calcium.

I'm trying my best with all those factors but it is tough. I seem to be able to keep smoothies down so I pack those with nutrients. I snack on cashews sometimes.

Cruella66 · February 2015

Lacto-ovo vegetarian here! I have had no problem getting protein for the many years I have been a vegetarian. I downloaded the book Your Vegetarian Pregnancy for my Kindle through Amazon (they also have a paperback version) and what I've read so far has been very helpful. I usually have an egg, a little cheese and 1/4 of an avacado for breakfast. Snacks include raw almonds, walnuts, pumkin seeds, cashews, string cheese, hard boiled egg, small amt of peanut butter, broccoli, cauliflower, handful of fruit...all very low carb. I still do my protein shake after my lifting/strength training sessions. Dinner might be 2 cups salad with some cheese, veggie ckn strips or veggie meat strips or tofu, salsa and more avacado. Pinterest had AMAZING zucchini recipies, spaghetti squash recipies, cauliflower mashed pots...all low carb, high in protein and good fats and pretty simple to make. I also take my prenatal vit, vit b12, super b complex and magnesium. Up until my pregnancy, i was enjoying my Keto Vegetarian lifestyle...but my body is now CRAVING carbs, so I'm giving in, in moderate amounts.

I hope this helps anyone who reads it! My Dr is fine with me staying meat free unless my iron levels drop and i become anemic. Baby's health is #1, so i will eat a filet here and there if I need to. Happy veggie pregnancy ladies!

bonniecouture · February 2015

So happy to see all these fellow vegetarians! I'm a lifelong ovo-lacto vegetarian with no intention of eating meat during my pregnancy. Morning sickness has definitely cut my protein intake, but I'm not worried about it because once I'm able to eat normally again I'll go back to eating my usual foods. My go-to foods are: egg whites, beans (yay burrito bowls!), Morningstar/Boca products, Thai vegetables with tofu, vegan protein shakes from pea protein, and vegetables like spinach and asparagus have high protein content as well. I am a fitness fan and if these worked training for a bikini competition, they sure as hell will work feeding a growing baby. Good luck to everyone!

knowmeinadifferentlight · February 2015

I didn't eat meat for 17 years. My first pregnancy was during this time, and I made sure to up the egg intake and the peanut butter as well. She went two weeks past due date and was 8lbs 6oz. I started eating meat a couple of years ago, and I'm curious to see if this pregnancy will vry greatly because of that. Just make sure you are getting enough for you, because baby will get enough on its own regardless, but will deplete what you need if there is not enough.

ButterflyRae · February 2015

I'm a vegetarian of many years too. :-) When I'm not too nauseous, I do my best to eat a cup of fat-free cottage cheese with fruit for breakfast. There are actually 24 g of protein in a cup of cottage cheese--the same as in 4 large eggs--so I feel like it is a healthy way to get a good start on my protein intake.

jenboston22 · February 2015

I'm a vegetarian, too. There are lots of ways to get protein as a vegetarian: milk, eggs, tofu, beans, lentils, vegetables, yogurt, peanut butter, faux-meat products, etc. Good luck!

BTW, my husband is from India, and his entire family are vegetarians. It's very common to be vegetarian in India, so there have certainly been plenty of healthy pregnant vegetarians

barrelocarol · February 2015

I'm a pescaterian who is struggling to get protein these days. Maybe when the nausea and aversions wear off, I'll be in a better spot.

Im 11w and my doc said I need to start heading towards the 75g of protein a day which is suuuuuper high, I think even for meat eaters. 50-60 is about normal for meat eaters.

I don't eat eggs and they smell horrible right now. Yogurt drinks are LIFE right now. Also, I just bought the most amazing protein powder from whole foods. It tastes like the creamiest chai drink and it's super nutrient rich!

kissthebunny · February 2015

Good for you! I was a vegetarian for a year and a half before I was pregnant...then one day I craved bacon lol. There was no going back afterwards. While I was breastfeeding I had lots of meaty soup and felt my supply increased significantly afterwards. I will definitely start a veg diet after I'm done breastfeeding this time around. Even now I eat meat but not every meal. Listen to your body and don't be too harsh on yourself. As long as your diet is balanced and healthy it's fine.

JRenee+1 · February 2015

I eat a gluten free, vegetarian diet. I talked to my doctor and she said that there is no reason to change this while pregnant, unless I am having strong cravings for meat. I'm 10.5 weeks pregnant and she told me that the most important thing to focus on right now is staying hydrated. So 8+ glasses of water a day. Of course it is important to eat healthy as well but the baby is so tiny that he/she will get all the nutrients needed from either the food I eat or what's stored in my body. Knowing this, it eased my mind a little and I am able to stay more relaxed when I get a craving for something that I think of as "not healthy".

For breakfast, I try to eat scrambled eggs with hash browns or granola (with nuts & seeds) with yogurt and fruit.

For lunch I've been eating a lot of soup. Lentil or pea soups have a good amount of protein and are hydrating. I've also been craving grilled cheese, mmm!

For dinner, veggie and tofu or nut stir-frys can be high in protein. Quinoa is also really high in protein and quinoa burgers are super yummy! I also LOVE mexican food and you can make a lot of bean-based meals with cheese.

Raw almonds also make a really good snack and my husband keeps checking with me everyday to make sure that I ate my almonds! lol For some reason an orange with a handful of almonds has been so satisfying lately!

Nutritional yeast is a really great way to get your B vitamins if you are a vegetarian. It tastes great, especially on popcorn!

Kat0730 · February 2015

Have you heard of the books "Eat to Live" or "The China Study"? They are both excellent reads and very thought provoking about the validity of our Western notions that we need a LOT of protein to be healthy, especially animal protein. Both books challenge this idea and posit that in many ways, people in countries that eat essentially vegetarian diets are much healthier and have significantly lower rates of heart disease and cancer -- including incidents of cancer in babies and children. "The China Study" suggests that there is a possible connection between high amounts of animal protein and incidents of cancer, including those among children. There's obviously a lot of conflicting information out there regarding nutrition, but I do believe that a lot of what we grow up believing is healthy (i.e. meat, dairy) is instilled in us thanks to very effective lobbying and marketing by some very powerful industries! Just food for thought... ;-)

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