Early Pregnancy (6-7 Weeks)

"Morning sickness" has arrived. I had great plans for how I would only eat healthy, natural, organic foods during my pregnancy. They've all been squashed by the onset of near-constant nausea and fatigue. I have little to no energy for cooking or preparing healthy meals, and the foods that appeal to me are by-and-large high in sodium. On top of all this, I've had some complications and am prohibited from exercising. So I'm feeling less than ideal these days. I'm trying to remind myself that this will pass, and I can improve my diet during the second trimester!

Things-I'm-not-so-proud-of-eating in the past week include macaroni and cheese (usually Annie's or Whole Foods brands), canned minestrone soup, cheese pizza, 7-Up, lemonade, and ginger snaps.

Borderline foods that have given me some comfort include egg noodles simmered in canned vegetable broth with carrot, garlic, and ginger, plain sparkling water, and stacks of Saltines.

Some of the healthier foods I've been able to stomach are smoothies (made with yogurt, bananas, and strawberries), salad, oranges, and Dipman beans (recipe to appear later).

On the whole, I feel like I'm probably not getting enough protein or calcium . . . but I'm working on it.

Early Pregnancy (4-5 Weeks)

I found out that I was pregnant quite early, before I was even four weeks. This was because I had been charting my temperatures every day, so I knew that something was different.

In those first days, I felt a little dizzy or queasy on occasion, but not enough to affect my appetite. I did have a strong desire for melted cheese on a daily basis, which I responded to by making grilled cheese sandwiches with mustard and "pizza bagels" -- toasted bagels, sprinkled with mozzarella cheese and oregano, and microwaved for about half a minute.

I had already been taking prenatal vitamins for three months, and had also recently added a daily B-Complex formula to regulate my hormones. In addition to those, I take daily calcium supplements.

Definitions

What does being vegetarian mean to me? Twelve years ago, I stopped eating all meat, including beef, chicken, and pork. I had never liked eggs very much, so I avoided those most of the time. I also eliminated any products made with meat, including broths and soup stocks.

Mid-way through college, a kid I was babysitting for saw me eating Lucky Charms at his house and asked, "Why are you eating marshmallows if you are vegetarian? Don't you know they have gelatin?" I hadn't known that gelatin was an animal product! After a call to the Jell-o company, in which they tried to assure me that despite being made from animals, their gelatin was still kosher, I sadly stopped eating Lucky Charms (and any other foods made with gelatin).

When I was about 23, PETA sent me information about the process of making milk from cows. I was disgusted, and stopped drinking it. I continued to eat some other forms of dairy, though, including cheese and ice cream. Part of me would like to go all the way and become vegan, but in general I do enjoy eating some dairy.

About that same time, I started eating a little bit of fish. Today I average 2 fish meals per month. So I know I'm not a complete vegetarian, but I still think of myself as one.

Introductions

I've been vegetarian since the age of 18. At the time, it seemed like a solid way to do some good in the world. As I went through college and early adulthood, I learned more about factory farming, environmental degradation, animal welfare, health, and nutrition, and felt even happier about my decision. At a certain point, I realized that I wouldn't be able to feed meat to my own children. My husband agreed that we could raise them vegetarian, at least until they are old enough to make their own decisions about such things.
As we moved closer to starting our family, and the topic of vegetarian children came up on occasion with family and friends, I started hearing the same questions over and over. "How will you be sure they get enough protein?" "What will you do if they want to eat meat?" "Don't you think you should allow them to make their own choices?" The questions bugged me, just as I am sure that critical questions bug most parents (or future parents).
I started trying to find information about vegetarian families on the internet, and discovered that it's not so easy. What I was looking for was true stories of real people -- not how-to manuals or heated debates. So, the idea for this blog was born. Long before I became pregnant, I decided I would want to share the experiences of vegetarian motherhood with any others who are interested. I hope this site is helpful for anyone who is looking for information about raising a vegetarian family.