The decision to have a vegetarian baby is a serious one. It requires careful consideration when it comes to choosing what to serve your baby. Formulas and solid foods will have to be made at home with attention to detail when it comes to the proper ratios of vitamins and minerals that are required for a infant.
When the mother of the child is a vegetarian and she plans on breastfeeding the baby, supplements to the breast milk will be necessary. A licensed nutritionist or medical doctor will be able to give the proper guidelines of nutrients that must be added to ensure that the infant will be getting everything it needs to thrive.
If the mother is a vegan, then without a doubt vitamin B-12 supplements will need to be added to the formula to ensure a proper vegetarian baby diet. Besides the B-12, the baby will be receiving all nutrients through breastfeeding. This should hold true even if the mother is on a strict vegan diet.
For the mother that decides not to breastfeed but rather use store bought formulas, careful attention must be paid to the nutrients that are contained in the formula.
There are problems that can develop with your infant if you opt to make formula at home with soy milk. It is possible that the baby may show evidence of developmental problems because of a lack of proper nutrition. There are soy formulas that are commercial distributed that you can buy for your infant. You just need to make sure that the the formula is adequate as far as its nutritional value.
Once the baby reaches the 12 month mark, formula and breast milk can start making way for other types of nutrition. Now is the time that you may start mixing in homemade formulas, soy milk, and yogurt.
Experts in the field of vegetarian babies will recommend that your child be kept on a full fat, high protein diet once the baby reaches the age of 12 months. At this time the vegetarian baby food can include mashed avocados, soy milk, fortified tofu, and yogurt.
When the child is ready to eat solid foods, you can start adding veggie burgers, eggs, and cheese to the diet.
If you take the time and put in the effort to supplement a vegetarian babies diet with the proper amount of fat and protein, there should be no reason why your child would not develop with complete health.
Just one word of caution: Weight Loss Tips do not apply to babies. If you think that your infants overweight then you need to inquire with a pediatrician.
It is always recommended that you consult a medical doctor before you decide on any specific diet for an infant. With proper care and nutrition you can raise a perfectly healthy vegetarian baby.