No, I Don’t Want Lamb with My Folic Acid

Pregnant vegans and young parents in Aotearoa finally have resources that aren’t made by the meat lobby. Reviewed by young Mum, Jennifer Dutton.

I don't eat tongue anymore, but it nearly made me want to munch on my tongue in rage when I was pregnant and given leaflet after leaflet sponsored by New Zealand Beef & Lamb. Steak this. Kidney that. Roast beef blah blah. It sucked.

Being pregnant is a vulnerable time. I didn't want to do the wrong thing and harm my precious developing poppet or myself. I desperately wanted to do what was best. But what was I to think when so much of the information provided by the medical establishment emphasised that I should be getting an avalanche of animals down my gullet? Or else, would I be a negligent mum?? Surely not.

My first pregnancy was in 2018, and at that time, decent resources supporting vegan pregnancies and children were scarce and only from overseas sources. What I found was vegetarian-friendly literature. While a step in the right direction to stop telling me I needed to eat someone else's liver, it wasn't helpful as it implored me to chug the breastmilk of another animal. I'm not sure the exact details of what is being distributed to pregnant peeps nowadays, but I've heard it's still pretty grim.

So here's the good news - bleak literature shores no more! Thank goodness, now in 2025 Aotearoa, the grass is a lot greener. Our local NZ Vegan Society has recently released another addition to their suite of nutritional support guides covering life stages from pregnancy through to kiddos, aged up to 8. And so with this column, I'm making sure you know about them! Be supported and resourced to progress your pregnancy or parenting journey with confidence and evidence. Here's a summary.

There are now 4 pamphlets available:

• Pregnancy

• Babies from 0 - 12 months

• Tamariki toddlers 1- 3 years

• Children 4 - 8 years

The good bits:

• They're current and relevant. No more outdated materials referencing overseas guidelines that mean little here.

• They're FREE. I mean, as they should be. But still, free is good.

• They're drawing from legitimate, respected sources. Compiled in partnership with an impressive variety of (named) certified professionals registered in their fields, and with appropriate nods and consultation to Ministry of Health frameworks. They can hold their own in a medical and child development setting.

• Examples of foods, meals and menus. I don't always want to do all the thinking, so I like examples.

• They are clearly New Zealand-specific, with lots of lovely Reo woven in.

Less good, room to improve:

• Enough about the soy yoghurt. Where is this soy yoghurt for sale?? Let alone in individual pottles. I'm convinced it's a myth here.

• I wish it were noted that many farmed animals in New Zealand are supplemented with B12, just like us. Supplementing is common, it's just if we use an animal as the middle man, or take it directly ourselves. I've found many healthcare workers don't know our farmers routinely supplement animals with B12. They are often surprised when I point out they, too, are getting a B12 supplement, just via a cow. Google 'SmartShot for livestock'.

• Would love it if hard copies were available, even if only sent by request. How good to be able to request a lovely colour set in the post to then drop off with your LMC, at the local birth care and maternity unit wards, make it rain flyers at Plunket and other Well Child Providers, sprinkle them all through the GP's office. But alas, not at the moment. Digital downloads are what's on offer. However, printing a copy in black and white at Warehouse Stationery only costs $1 if you pick it up from the store.

In my experience, it can feel like veganism is quickly considered the immediate offender and blamed as the culprit for any health woe during pregnancy. Never mind the fact that omnivorous Kiwis have a myriad of sicknesses that eating meat clearly doesn't solve! For example, right near the end of my first pregnancy, I needed an IV iron infusion. Eyebrows raised at my vegan diet. But then a few years later in a subsequent pregnancy, my iron stayed fine, through pregnancy and into postpartum and breastfeeding. No interventions needed, even with a few more years of exclusive veganism on the clock by then. Go figure.

An ace card I have been lucky to pull out was being able to donate excess breastmilk. You might be shocked to learn how astonishingly high the demand is for donor milk to support vulnerable young allergy babies (or for vegan mothers who are having hurdles of their own, for a myriad of reasons, and prefer vegan-sourced milk). For infants with serious allergies, a breastmilk donor needs to be entirely free of whatever the culprit is (often dairy, egg, or both) for weeks before it is considered safe to donate. This is what a profound impact what we eat has on our weird and wonderful human anatomy. It was my privilege to donate allergy-friendly excess milk to some of the most sensitive babies after I had both my children. Only made possible through an exclusive vegan diet, might I add.

I was happy to learn these flyers have been shared in some baby-care settings already, such as by the NZ Midwifery Council in their newsletter at the end of 2024. So ask your LMC if they have already seen them, perhaps. Consider these free resources to be an advocate in your pocket as you scope out an OB, attend a Well Child appointment, or have a chat with your GP. Take an extra copy to leave with them and share with confidence, encouraging your healthcare provider to be across recent wellness data that is vegan-approved and supporting.

Oh and final note: in one of the leaflets, the Vegan Society notes that if people want more individualised, tailored advice, they keep a directory of top-notch registered dieticians who are well-schooled on robust vegan nutrition. Email them on (ADRIAN OR AMANDA INSERT ADDRESS HERE) to get some leads.

Good shout, Vegan Society, on making these resources to support parents who are embracing making the next generation with baked-in kindness.

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