274 Part VI: Veganism for All Walks of Life Whether you’re breastfeeding or using formula, if you notice that your infant is experiencing rash or low or no weight gain, talk with your doctor about possible food allergies Cow’s milk products are the most common foods known to upset a nursing baby, but other foods also may cause a negative reaction Depending on how sensitive your baby is, and how much of the problematic food you ate, the reactions may be mild to severe Rash, eczema, wheezing or asthma, ear infections, fussiness, colic, and constipation or diarrhea are all possible signs of sensitivity It may take a little time and some detective work to discover a sensitivity Food reactions can occur within a few minutes or over the course of a 24-hour period If you notice a pattern of feedings and reactions, start writing down what the baby ate or what you ate before nursing the baby, and what the reaction is Talk about the pattern with your midwife, doula, lactation consultant, or doctor Breastfeeding: So perfectly vegan! The female breast is designed to provide milk for the human baby The first milk women produce is immunity-building colostrum, which pregnant women start producing late in their pregnancies Easy to digest and high in carbohydrates and protein, colostrum is also low in fat, making it the perfect first food for a baby This rich milk is full of the mother’s antibodies, which help a mother share her stronger immune system with a baby (who hasn’t yet developed its immunity) Your body will provide the exact nutrients your baby needs for proper growth and development — an example of how amazing the human body truly is! Because breastfed babies receive vitamin B12 through milk, vegan moms should remember to supplement appropriately Vegan babies still need vitamin D2 (D3 is made from animal ingredients), which can be produced through daily sun exposure or supplementation of micrograms a day Once the baby starts eating solid foods, be sure to include legumes and whole grains to provide the zinc necessary for proper growth and development How long should I breastfeed? The longer you’re able to breastfeed your baby, the better The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends nursing your child for at least one year, and the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) both recommend at least two years Why? More than 100 components contained in breast milk protect babies from infections and disease Many studies prove that significant health risks arise for both the mother and child if breastfeeding doesn’t occur Breastfed babies have fewer incidents of ear infections, allergies, diarrhea, and possibly asthma than formula-fed babies Chapter 21: Bouncing Baby Vegans Breastfeeding benefits for mama Breastfeeding isn’t just a great choice for baby; moms receive plenty of health benefits, too Lactation causes the mother’s uterus to contract to its original size after expanding during pregnancy Breastfeeding also reduces a woman’s risk of developing breast cancer, osteoporosis, and ovarian and uterine cancers later in life Nursing also helps her lose the extra weight gained during pregnancy Breastfeeding provides the perfect opportunity for the new baby and mother to connect on a deeper level as well A newborn infant can only see objects 12 to 15 inches from its face — the distance to its mother’s face while nursing This constant visual contact allows a baby and mother to imprint each other’s faces The good news about vegan moms is that most of us tend to breastfeed our babies — well into their first year, and even into their second year Consider this: Up to 60 percent of all mothers in the U.S nurse their babies in the hospital immediately following the birth, but only 25 to 39 percent of those mothers are still breastfeeding at months Some vegan communities like the Farm in Tennessee, on the other hand, report breastfeeding rates of 95 percent This amazing fact shows that vegan mothers are pretty hip to the outstanding benefits of mother’s milk They realize that it trumps all other options Prepare for successful breastfeeding by choosing a pediatrician who is probreastfeeding Ask how they support new mothers who have difficulties nursing and whether they recommend formula as a last resort A lactivist, or pro-breastfeeding pediatrician, should also have a certified lactation consultant to recommend to you should you need more expert help I’m having trouble with breastfeeding — now what? New breastfeeding moms often become concerned about their infant’s growth because they can’t tell how much their baby is taking in Also, formula-fed babies often put on weight faster from ages to 12 months, leading some people to believe that breastfed babies aren’t getting enough milk To make things worse, many growth charts provided to pediatricians and doctor’s offices haven’t taken into account the differences in weight gain between formula-fed and breastfed babies, leading some parents to feel pressured to switch to formula to help their baby gain weight faster Even though “breast is best,” many doctors have unwittingly been complicit in pressure to wean too early or to supplement with formula due to the misguided and misinformed focus on weight gain Luckily the World Health Organization has collected data from around the world to help develop a new set of international standards and growth charts for infants and children through the age of years The new charts were created using growth information on both exclusively and predominantly breastfed children, and can be found at www.who.int/childgrowth/standards 275 276 Part VI: Veganism for All Walks of Life Considering using another mom’s milk If breastfeeding is not going well for whatever reason, another alternative is to search out mothers who have extra breast milk that they’re willing to share with you Using another woman’s breast milk is preferable to many vegan women who would prefer that their children not be exposed to highly processed cow’s milk formula or refined soy products at such an early age You have two options within this “borrowed” milk model: ✓ You can casually share milk with a mom you know and are comfortable with You may even find other vegan moms who are willing to pump extra for you, although a nonvegan mom is preferable to canned formula ✓ You can contact the Human Milk Banking Association of North America (www hmbana.org) to see whether your baby qualifies to receive donated milk This group connects parents all over the country who need milk for their babies with prescreened human milk supplies Donated milk offers your baby the wonderful immunity and disease prevention that your own milk would have provided It’s a useful and safe way to help mothers who have postoperative problems or infection diseases that stop them from breastfeeding Besides concerns over baby’s weight gain, most women are tempted to stop breastfeeding because it’s painful (usually due to improper latch) or because they don’t feel comfortable with the functional aspect of handling their breasts Women’s breasts have become overly sexualized in our culture, so some moms are uncomfortable nursing in public Plus infants require milk every two to three hours, and that can be exhausting for a new mother If you haven’t decided whether to stick with breastfeeding, try it for a few weeks before switching to formula (it’s very difficult, if not impossible, to change back to breastfeeding from formula-feeding) Get expert help and support through your local La Leche League or hospital-sponsored breastfeeding support group The lactation consultants are trained to help guide you through the learning stages of nursing — even though breastfeeding is natural, it doesn’t always come naturally They can also help you if you begin to feel postpartum depression Thinking about formula as a last resort If you’re a vegan who’s considering formula for your baby, you should know that at this time you can’t buy commercially made organic, vegan infant formulas Several soy-based formulas contain no dairy but aren’t vegan due to the added vitamin D3, which comes from animal sources Baby’s Only organic soy-based formula is widely available but isn’t 100 percent vegan Chapter 21: Bouncing Baby Vegans Your baby has to eat, though, and if breastfeeding just isn’t possible for you, the soy-based formulas are certainly acceptable alternatives Your little one can be 100 percent vegan a little later on in life Soy and rice milk aren’t the same as soy and rice formula These milks that you may use on your cereal don’t contain the proper nutrition for babies to thrive And while you can find some recipes online for homemade formula, which can be made with vegan ingredients, no studies have been performed to discover the long-term effects of these homemade formulas, which may not provide the required fats, protein, and calories for infants Also, toxins could be lurking in toddler and infant formulas, so it’s wise to research the manufacturing and packaging of each product The major organic soy and dairy formulas claim that hexane, a volatile solvent used to manufacture some of their ingredients, isn’t present at all in the final product Still, parents worry that any product made with a dangerous chemical isn’t healthy for their children Similarly, canned foods, including formula, may contain Bisphenol-A (BPA), a resin used in packaging materials Overexposure to BPA can be harmful to an infant’s reproductive system and can alter hormone levels Even organic formulas can be packaged in containers with BPA Liquid formula tends to leach higher amounts of this chemical, so it’s safer to choose steel cans of powdered formula Starting Older Babies on Solid Foods After your baby reaches the age of to months, you may decide to start offering him food in addition to breast milk or formula Not only must the baby’s digestive system evolve slightly to allow for some food, but the baby’s mouth muscles also need to develop enough to move food around and swallow Around to months, your little one also will begin to hold up his head, developing stronger neck muscles for swallowing as well as sitting up with some help These milestones are all important on the way to solids Current recommendations state that the main source of calories should be coming from breast milk or formula until a child is at least months old Some parents decide to wait until their child is even older, perhaps not introducing solid food until he’s to 10 months old As long as your baby is still gaining weight and meeting developmental milestones, you have no reason to start feeding your baby solid food too early Whenever you and your baby are ready, this section is here to help Even though your baby may be ready to begin trying some solid foods, hold off on introducing any type of milk The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that cow’s milk not be fed to children under the age of 1, because it can cause digestive problems and allergies As a vegan, you aren’t likely to be buying cow’s milk anyway, but you still need to hold off on giving your baby 277 278 Part VI: Veganism for All Walks of Life soy or rice milk until after they’re year old Stick to breast milk, formula, or a bit of water to wash down solids for now Slow and steady wins the race If your little vegan has reached those pivotal milestones of development and starts grabbing for your dinner, you can start experimenting with different foods Take it slow and introduce foods one at a time Experts have several theories about which foods are best to serve first, so you can simply go with what makes the most sense for your little one Choose only one food at a time, giving each a trial of a few days For instance, feed your baby a few mashed spoonfuls of avocado a couple of times a day for up to a week If the baby has no noticeable reactions, try mashed banana the next week, on its own If she still has no reactions, you can move forward in this manner with a different food every few days If your baby has a reaction to any certain food, you know not to use it again for a while Keep in mind that if you were to make a mash of several foods at once and the baby reacted, you wouldn’t know which food was the culprit So always introduce one food at a time Deciding what and how to feed your growing baby What should you choose for your baby’s first solid foods? Iron-fortified rice cereal is a popular first food for vegan and nonvegan babies alike Rice is a great first grain because it rarely causes digestion problems, is gluten-free, and is low in protein These rice cereals can be mixed with a little breast milk or formula to make a thin gruel You can use your finger or a spoon to tip the cereal into your baby’s mouth Miniature wooden or bamboo spoons are excellent choices for your infant’s first feeding tool Rather than relying on plastic-coated spoons, which can chip off microscopic bits into your baby’s mouth over time, try bamboo, which is totally natural and nontoxic These spoons can be found in most health food stores, natural baby stores, and online Some health experts have expressed concern that starting babies off with a refined carbohydrate cereal can lead to food sensitivities and obesity later on Other experts state that introducing grains actually prevents these same issues Clearly the jury is still out, so the choice is yours Iron fortified grain cereals are often recommended as a first food since baby’s iron reserves start to decline after months ... Thinking about formula as a last resort If you’re a vegan who’s considering formula for your baby, you should know that at this time you can’t buy commercially made organic, vegan infant formulas Several... with a mom you know and are comfortable with You may even find other vegan moms who are willing to pump extra for you, although a nonvegan mom is preferable to canned formula ✓ You can contact the... feed your growing baby What should you choose for your baby’s first solid foods? Iron-fortified rice cereal is a popular first food for vegan and nonvegan babies alike Rice is a great first grain