Pregnant and vegetarian? What do you need to know?

If you eat a meatless diet, healthcare providers, friends, and relatives might just get on your case about it when you are pregnant. Many people hold the view that you cannot possibly be a pregnant vegetarian and still get all the nutrients you need. These people tend to be omnivores, perhaps predictably. When you are vegetarian and pregnant, there are some things you should think about. At the same time, not eating meat does not have to be a problem at all when you are pregnant, as long as you eat a generally healthy and balanced diet. As a life-long vegetarian and the mother of two children, I have been pregnant and vegetarian twice now. My advice is not to worry about the comments of people who don't know anything about eating a meatless diet, and who likely do not know what kinds of hormones are contained in most commercial meats today, especially in the United States. Instead, worry about your diet and make sure that you get foods from as many different food groups as possible.

Take special care to consume sufficient amounts of protein. Good vegetable sources of protein include beans, soy-products, milk or dairy products like cheese, and some meat replacers such as Quorn. Calcium is another concern for vegetarian expectant mothers, because it is essential for a healthy pregnancy and fetal development. Unless you are a vegan, getting the right amounts of calcium should not be any problem the aforementioned milk products do the trick just fine. Iron can be obtained through many vegetable sources. And if you are still worried about your diet, there are always (vegetarian-friendly!) prenatal supplements to be sure that you get the recommended amounts of the vitamins and minerals you are worried about. As long as you are a healthy eater, being a vegetarian does not need to be an obstacle when you are pregnant! Also take a look at natural cures for pregnancy anemia, for cure as well as prevention!