Click above to watch my VLOG – How to Have a Healthy Vegan Pregnancy, or feel free to read the transcript below instead!

Transcript:

Note: The following is the output of transcribing from an audio recording. Although the transcription is largely accurate, in some cases it is incomplete or inaccurate due to inaudible passages or transcription errors. It is posted as an aid, but should not be treated as an authoritative record.

Hi Beauty,

Today we’re going to be talking about how to lead a very healthy plant-based pregnancy, which is something I experienced myself. I remained completely plant-based during my pregnancy with Lil Bub, who’s also completely plant-based now. He’s over two, and I was able to remain plant-based throughout my whole pregnancy and I’m still breastfeeding.

It’s something I’m very passionate about sharing because it is something that can be done. It’s a very healthy, wonderful way to approach pregnancy. We know that a lot of toxicity comes into our bodies through the animal food supply.

Toxins to be Aware of During Pregnancy

Unfortunately, there’s a lot of environmental toxins, a lot of hormones, steroids, all kinds of things bio accumulate in the flesh of animals. When we ingest it while we’re pregnant, all kinds of heavy metals and toxin enter our body and, of course, potentially effect our growing child.

It doesn’t have to be all or nothing, of course, just like everything we talk about here in Solluna. There is just feeling what feels right in your body. Maybe introducing more plant-based foods. I just want to share that it is possible to be completely plant-based and feel amazing.

Important Whole-foods & Supplements to Take During Pregnancy

It takes about 80 thousand calories to build a child over the 10 months that we’re pregnant. And of course, our needs shift a little bit during each trimester. The first trimester is not a huge shift for a lot of people, as far as hunger. In fact, a lot of people may lose a little bit of weight in the first trimester.

Prenatal

You may find yourself getting more nauseous. Before conception and all the way through breastfeeding, you want make sure you’re taking an amazing prenatal that has the range of B vitamins, vitamin D, and folic acid.

These are some important nutrients to look out for and to make sure that you are taking a wholefood-based multivitamin prenatal. This is a product I want to create and produce one day. I don’t have one yet but there’s some great ones out there.

DHA & EPA

You also want to make sure that you’re getting DHA and EPA, which are not essential fats but they’re created from omega-3 fats. This is essential for baby’s brain development. When I was pregnant, I took an algae-based DHA, EPA, separate to my prenatal.

Some of them have the DHA, but the prenatals that I saw that had it, I didn’t like some of their ingredients, so I opted to take it separately. It is essential and you want to make sure that you take one every day.

Dark Leafy Greens

Folic acid comes from your prenatal but it also comes from dark leafy greens and having your Glowing Green Smoothie®. Sometimes, for us pregnant mommas, you may not feel like having smoothies during the first trimester, hopefully that comes back. If not, take your prenatal, do your best. Try to add the dark leafy greens, asparagus, broccoli, bananas, and vegetables in general – these are also great sources of folic acid – an essential nutrient for healthy children.

Vitamin D

We talked about vitamin D, which can come from supplementation. I walked a lot when I was pregnant. I did beach walks in lieu of my asana yoga practice, which felt right to me personally (I stayed with my meditation practice though, which was life-saving!). Getting some sunlight on your limbs is really healthy.

It ensures that we stay strong, our bones are strong, and we have the right structure. Hormonally speaking, we stay nice and balanced. Having some sunlight would be optimal during pregnancy, however, there is supplementation.

Fiber

Now, let’s talk about fiber, which is super important. A lot of mommas get constipated, or their digestion gets thrown off when being pregnant. You want to make sure that you’re having enough fiber with lots of plant-based foods.

This is where the power of the plant-based diet comes in. As well as healthy carbohydrates like oats are also really fantastic, especially for breastfeeding. Gluten-free grains such as quinoa, which is technically a seed, or millet, and brown rice – all of these are amazing plant foods and can be wonderful when you’re pregnant.

I had a lot of gluten-free pasta myself that just felt really good. It felt really nourishing. I didn’t get sick from it. You just have to really feel it out during your pregnancy.

Calcium

And finally, I want to talk about is calcium, which is really high in plant foods like black beans, lentils, kale, and butternut squash. You will want to make sure that you’re eating a wide variety of plant foods through your pregnancy.

Protein

And last, but not least, is protein – which stirs up a lot of misconceptions. The average woman needs about 40 to 50 grams of protein. When you’re pregnant, you need about 70. However, it’s very easy to have another Power Protein Smoothie and be more conscious of including more lentils, nuts, and almond butter (which I had quite a bit of when I was pregnant).

Plant-based Pregnancy Plan

I’m going to include below, a sample plant-based pregnancy plan where you can see how easy it is. I like having Chia Pudding, and collard green wraps, and a kale salad and lentil soup which over the course of the day with solid plant-based meals, can add up to around 81 grams of protein.

It’s very easy with some conscious thought into creating an easy to follow plan. One where you’re not only getting the nutrients you needs, you’re getting the protein and calcium, without taking in the toxicity.

Creating a Nourishing Environment During Pregnancy

You will be staying really clean, and your baby is in a very safe, nourishing environment where he or she can grown and have all this amazing intelligence happening. Not the interference of chemicals and things that interfere with the natural health of all of us and especially, and of course, including growing babies.

Being all plant-based or largely plant-based while you’re pregnant is something I highly recommend. I had an amazing experience, something we can continue to talk about more in the community, but I just want you to know it’s possible.

I know there’s a lot of mainstream thought, and scare tactics and fear around, “Oh, no, you really need to have this or that when you’re pregnant.” And again, just from my standpoint, it’s not true. You can really have a beautiful pregnancy that’s plant-based, very healthy, where you feel amazing.

There’s more resources you can explore around Solluna and Honey Bee, lactation foods, and more pregnancy articles. I wanted to have this special time together to talk about this, and again, below you can see the sample meal plan.

Sending you so much love, Beauty. Thank you for tuning in!

Wishing you all the best!! xo

Resources:

Plant-Based Pregnancy Nutrition Sample Meal Plan