Lina: Planning a Vegan Pregnancy

[GeoBQn]

Many vegan cookbooks start by explaining what is to be vegan. I don't know if Geo is quoting the veganomicon, but some of them have whole FAQ sections.

It was from one of the Sarah Kramer books, either "How it All Vegan" or "The Garden of Vegan." I think it was one of the earlier vegan cookbooks, so maybe they felt the need to explain some of the health aspects in greater detail. I was more disturbed by some other questions they included, like "My hair is falling out. Is it because I'm a vegan?" and "I stopped getting my period. Is it because I'm a vegan?" (I'm not a vegan, but since I keep kosher I like vegetarian and vegan books because I can eat everything in them.)

[Witsec7]

Its not just the vegan stuff, I do know healthy vegans, and vegan women who had healthy pregnancies (all of them females past the age of 27). TT is now promoting raw food, and lovely Lina is adapting to that concept. Admittedly large pieces of dead animal weren't very attractive to me when I was vomiting my way through pregnancy but pizza, lasagna, Thai and other ethnic foods kept me going.

[sea_gale]

I think our baby will take after my husband because these "little flutterings" have been quite strong at times!

Hopefully she means that Love is OMG so swoonfully manly and strong, not that he kicks her violently and often... O_o

[Witsec7]

Hopefully she means that Love is OMG so swoonfully manly and strong, not that he kicks her violently and often... O_o

Doe that mean we can expect the child to toss cats off balconies?

[Spider Burps]

Doe that mean we can expect the child to toss cats off balconies?

I've been wondering if the baby will be safe from being tossed off of a balcony by TT... Part of me is joking. Part of me is actually scared.

[ChickeyMonkey]

You mean like these? :D

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5830 ... ed-recipes

You are pure evil, you know that, Books? ;)

I have texture issues, and snotty things are up there at number one. I am completely grossed out by undercooked eggs and have to leave the room when my husband eats - no, slurps - soft boiled eggs or balut. I

I can't believe that book is serious! Please tell me it isn't, please! I don't think the FDA will allow semen-infused food. I'm sure there would never be a supply shortage, and men would love going to work.

[tropaka]

that book deserves its own thread....wonder if it's semi vegan if it comes (insert joke) from a vegan man?

[Witsec7]

that book deserves its own thread....wonder if it's semi vegan if it comes (insert joke) from a vegan man?

You would be vegan by injection.

[Beeks]

I think there's some misinformation on this thread regarding diet. While I understand the worry for Lina because of her general food weirdness, the "menus" she has posted do look pretty healthy and she is receiving prenatal care. Her latest post almost reads like an answer to this thread. Ha.

Anyway, the things that bother me more on this thread are the implications that we NEED meat or dairy in our diets. Cows milk is actually bad for the majority of people. Somebody mentioned being worried for a woman whose kids avoid dairy and egg. Really? My son is allergic to both those things and he eats far, far healthy than your average toddler partly because of his allergies! Nowadays it's pretty easy to live an extremely healthy life while avoiding meat and/or dairy. Vegans are probably not the ones we need to worry too much about when it comes to healthy eating these days (see instead: the majority of Americans who are obese/overweight and ingest ridiculous amounts of processed crap).

[Witsec7]

I think there's some misinformation on this thread regarding diet. While I understand the worry for Lina because of her general food weirdness, the "menus" she has posted do look pretty healthy and she is receiving prenatal care. Her latest post almost reads like an answer to this thread. Ha.

Anyway, the things that bother me more on this thread are the implications that we NEED meat or dairy in our diets. Cows milk is actually bad for the majority of people. Somebody mentioned being worried for a woman whose kids avoid dairy and egg. Really? My son is allergic to both those things and he eats far, far healthy than your average toddler partly because of his allergies! Nowadays it's pretty easy to live an extremely healthy life while avoiding meat and/or dairy. Vegans are probably not the ones we need to worry too much about when it comes to healthy eating these days (see instead: the majority of Americans who are obese/overweight and ingest ridiculous amounts of processed crap).

My DD didn't have cows milk (aside from ice cream) until she was about 10. She did eat cheeses (sheeps milk) and goats milk yogurt. Eggs were never a part of her diet. Heck I had my first egg in 3 months on monday and seldom use any milk products aside from a dollop of yogurt here and there or some grated hard cheese once a month. I've dropped my cholesterol 14 points in two months, my BP is now within normal ranges, and my blood sugars are all within normal. My health went downhill for 3 years when I was using food as comfort and a replacement for love and self esteem.

[Ralar]

I thought I'd pipe in and point out that lina herself stated that her midwife is fine with her vegan pregnancy. I don't know what kind of midwife she has but it does appear that she has some form of prenatal care. Also, as I understand, it seems to me that lina was a vegan a while back? So this is not all new to her.

No need to worry, Lina is a vegan expert (probably like she was a fake-Jew expert):

From today's blog post:

Having had the experience of being vegan for approximately three years, I feel confident about my choice to grow a vegan baby :) Numerous blood tests as a teen confirmed that I was doing it right. In fact, I was told by my uncle, who is a doctor, that my blood results turned out so perfectly, it would literally be impossible for me to ever develop diabetes! Another doctor told me my blood is so clean and healthy, I could sell it!

I say bullshit! What doctor would tell her, "it would literally be impossible for [her] to ever develop diabetes!" And blood so clean and healthy she could sell it? Junkies sell their blood and blood plasma.

[ChickeyMonkey]

Hey experiencedd, I just wanted to say that I'm happy for you that you're getting your health back! Dietary changes are hard to stick with, and I wish you the best! Congrats on getting your cholesterol and BP into normal ranges on your own! :)

[Witsec7]

Hey experiencedd, I just wanted to say that I'm happy for you that you're getting your health back! Dietary changes are hard to stick with, and I wish you the best! Congrats on getting your cholesterol and BP into normal ranges on your own! :)

Its all knicking away on the post separation depression too. I hit five miles on the bike today in 15 minutes. Two weeks ago I couldn't last five minutes. Last July I was doing 20 miles a day in 45 minutes. I think I'm turning a corner. Thanks for the acknowledgment Chickey, it means a lot!

[Spider Burps]

No need to worry, Lina is a vegan expert (probably like she was a fake-Jew expert):

From today's blog post:

I say bullshit! What doctor would tell her, "it would literally be impossible for [her] to ever develop diabetes!" And blood so clean and healthy she could sell it? Junkies sell their blood and blood plasma.

She's so full of shit! I wonder what the doctor really said to her? "You're unlikely to develop gestational diabetes"? Cos, you know, in Linaland "unlikely" means "IMPOSSIBLE". Also, I have so many medical problems that I am unable to work, yet my blood work always comes "perfect". You aren't necessarily healthy just because your blood work is great >.<

[tabbytiger]

Something I noticed on Lina's blog...

On Jan 15, she said she was 15 weeks pregnant. So according to the timeline she's been presenting, she would have been about 16.5 weeks along on Jan 25. In her post from Jan 25, she says, "yesterday and today, I felt lots of little kicks." That was the first time, but since then she's mentioned frequent kicking in a few of her posts.

I've never been pregnant, but I've been hooked by the Lina pregnancy gossip... so out of curiosity I looked up fetal movement. According to webmd:

"When Will I Feel My Baby Kicking?

You should feel your baby's first movements, called "quickening," between weeks 16 and 25 of your pregnancy. If this is your first pregnancy, you may not feel your baby move until closer to 25 weeks. By the second pregnancy, some women start to feel movements as early as 13 weeks. You're more likely to feel baby move when you're in a quiet position, either sitting or lying down.

What Does the Baby Kicking Feel Like?

Different moms describe their baby's movements as butterflies, nervous twitches, or a tumbling motion. At first, it may be hard to tell whether your baby has moved." ...

How Often Should I Feel My Baby Moving?

Early in your pregnancy, you may just feel a few flutters every now and then. But as your baby grows -- usually by the end of the second trimester -- the kicks should grow stronger and more frequent." ...

(http://www.webmd.com/baby/fetal-movemen ... -baby-kick)

The kicking Lina has been feeling is certainly in the realm of possibility, but it seems pretty strong, pretty early... which shores up predictions others have made for a large premie! ;)

[ilovetchotchkes]

Something I noticed on Lina's blog...

On Jan 15, she said she was 15 weeks pregnant. So according to the timeline she's been presenting, she would have been about 16.5 weeks along on Jan 25. In her post from Jan 25, she says, "yesterday and today, I felt lots of little kicks." That was the first time, but since then she's mentioned frequent kicking in a few of her posts.

I've never been pregnant, but I've been hooked by the Lina pregnancy gossip... so out of curiosity I looked up fetal movement. According to webmd:

(http://www.webmd.com/baby/fetal-movemen ... -baby-kick)

The kicking Lina has been feeling is certainly in the realm of possibility, but it seems pretty strong, pretty early... which shores up predictions others have made for a large premie! ;)

With both my kids, thing one and thing two i've felt movement at 13/14 weeks. I'm FAR from slender. Lina is pretty tiny so its possible she's actually feeling something.

Not that i'm defending her, or hell, because I honestly think she was pregnant before the wedding, but it IS possible to feel movement that's not "gas" early on especially if you're as thin as she is.

[tabbytiger]

Also, from the comments on that same Jan 25 post:

Emily said...

Mmm, looks and sounds great!

Just curious, are you not totally vegan yet, or did you have a whipped cream substitute?

January 25, 2012 9:29 PM

Paulina said...

Hi Emily - no, I am not totally vegan yet, but am well on my way towards that! We still have a few dairy products in our fridge that we need to get rid of.

January 26, 2012 3:30 PM

But she announced her decision to transition to a vegan pregnancy on Dec. 13. And she'd been referring to herself as vegan and posting about their vegan lifestyle for weeks between 12/13 and 1/26... but they still had dairy in the house over a month later? How much whipping cream have they been keeping on hand, anyway?!

So my suspicion is that Lina is "vegan" in the same way she was/is "Jewish." I.e., "I will call myself vegan because I like calling myself vegan, regardless of whether I actually truly AM vegan."

FTR, I eat veggie 90% of the time and vegan maybe 70% of the time... but because I'm not committed to it beyond my current level, I do NOT identify myself to others as vegetarian! :roll:

[Wolfie]

Beeks- the person I mentioned is so picky that it is nearly an eating disorder. No soy, and nearly no grains or legumes. Even with dairy her diet is lacking, without it, it is even worse. She nurses her children on this diet, and only feeds them and her husband what she will eat. At least her husband can occasionally eat out.

I do not think that vegan is optimal because of how our digestive systems work. We can get by on a vegan diet, but it is a lot of work, and some people never do well on one. Others are okay. In any case, I think that both Lina (have you looked at her menus) and the other person I mentioned are not close to doing it right.

[tabbytiger]

With both my kids, thing one and thing two i've felt movement at 13/14 weeks. I'm FAR from slender. Lina is pretty tiny so its possible she's actually feeling something.

Not that i'm defending her, or hell, because I honestly think she was pregnant before the wedding, but it IS possible to feel movement that's not "gas" early on especially if you're as thin as she is.

Yeah, I will definitely defer to those who have actually experienced pregnancy! It's completely possible that she felt the baby on the early side... I just think it's a fun tidbit in light of the rest of her story.

[Beeks]

Beeks- the person I mentioned is so picky that it is nearly an eating disorder. No soy, and nearly no grains or legumes. Even with dairy her diet is lacking, without it, it is even worse. She nurses her children on this diet, and only feeds them and her husband what she will eat. At least her husband can occasionally eat out.

I do not think that vegan is optimal because of how our digestive systems work. We can get by on a vegan diet, but it is a lot of work, and some people never do well on one. Others are okay. In any case, I think that both Lina (have you looked at her menus) and the other person I mentioned are not close to doing it right.

I have looked at her menus. What do you think she is lacking?

[fancypants]

I'm with Beeks, it'd be nice if people would stop saying "tsk tsk, it's just not right" and start giving some specific shortfalls in Lina's diet. I need to know this info myself, because I'm due 2 days after her and her diet is looking awfully tempting to me (I've been a vegan for about 2 years and after some sloppy eating months first trimester, I'm ready to tighten up my diet a bit, too).

Incidentally, this is baby #7 for me and I've felt each of my babies at different times in pregnancy ranging from about 15 weeks to 19 weeks, and some much stronger than others. Current baby is a bit of a wimp. :-) Her statement about feeling her baby's strong kicks so early did not make me bat an eyelid -- and I could see them feeling strong to her since she has nothing to compare them with (first pregnancy).

[pomology]

Also, from the comments on that same Jan 25 post:

But she announced her decision to transition to a vegan pregnancy on Dec. 13. And she'd been referring to herself as vegan and posting about their vegan lifestyle for weeks between 12/13 and 1/26... but they still had dairy in the house over a month later? How much whipping cream have they been keeping on hand, anyway?!

So my suspicion is that Lina is "vegan" in the same way she was/is "Jewish." I.e., "I will call myself vegan because I like calling myself vegan, regardless of whether I actually truly AM vegan."

FTR, I eat veggie 90% of the time and vegan maybe 70% of the time... but because I'm not committed to it beyond my current level, I do NOT identify myself to others as vegetarian! :roll:

Honestly, I'm vegetarian what would probably amount to 95% of the time if not more. But although I do occasionally eat meat, I always identify myself to other people as vegetarian, because since I am both picky and keep kosher, the chance that somebody who are not my parents producing meat that I would actually eat is nil. Since I'm not vegetarian for ethical reasons (although I do think that there are important environmental reasons to eat far less meat than the average Americans) I don't get self-righteous about being vegetarian, but I do tell people even when it's not 100% the truth, because for all intents and purposes, if you are making me a meal or trying to eat a meal with me, I do not eat meat. If that makes any sense.

[Wolfie]

I have looked at her menus. What do you think she is lacking?

I just looked at her more recent menus. Still a little low in calcium, but MUCH better than the ones a month ago, which seemed to be a lot of snacks for meals.

[Angri-la]

Its all knicking away on the post separation depression too. I hit five miles on the bike today in 15 minutes. Two weeks ago I couldn't last five minutes. Last July I was doing 20 miles a day in 45 minutes. I think I'm turning a corner. Thanks for the acknowledgment Chickey, it means a lot!

I will still be force feeding you cake if you do come to my neck of the woods. I am proud of you as well, I just happen to be an evil enabler.

[emmiedahl]

Something I noticed on Lina's blog...

On Jan 15, she said she was 15 weeks pregnant. So according to the timeline she's been presenting, she would have been about 16.5 weeks along on Jan 25. In her post from Jan 25, she says, "yesterday and today, I felt lots of little kicks." That was the first time, but since then she's mentioned frequent kicking in a few of her posts.

I've never been pregnant, but I've been hooked by the Lina pregnancy gossip... so out of curiosity I looked up fetal movement. According to webmd:

(http://www.webmd.com/baby/fetal-movemen ... -baby-kick)

The kicking Lina has been feeling is certainly in the realm of possibility, but it seems pretty strong, pretty early... which shores up predictions others have made for a large premie! ;)

She already edited! Damn, that girl reads freejinger more than I do...

The good news is that Baby continues to wiggle inside my tummy. These movements, which I mistakenly referred to as "kicks" are not kicks at all, but little flutterings. I think our baby will take after my husband because these "little flutterings" have been quite strong at times! The other day, while watching a movie, our baby moved so abruptly and dramatically, that I very literally jumped! If these early movements are as strong and frequent as I feel them, I wonder what real baby kicks will feel like in the later months?!