Weaning my daughter as a vegan has taken a lot of research and preparation to ensure that I’m doing it correctly and that she isn’t missing out on any nutrients

Eve gave up meat for good in 2017 after giving it up for lent and has never looked back. After further research, Eve decided to make the switch to vegan in 2020 and has since seen numerous benefits, the least of which is being at peace with living without causing harm to animals.

Growing up in the fresh air and countryside gave Eve an appreciation for nature and the environment but it wasn’t until her early 20s that she began to think deeply about how what was on her plate could be contradicting this.

After a successful vegan pregnancy and breastfeeding journey, Eve started her page @the_vegan_mama to show others how healthy vegan food can easily become part of their own journeys. With the nutrition carefully researched, Eve’s home cooked food is putting an end to myths about meat free diets being insufficient for both adults and babies. Meatless Movement recently had the opportunity to chat with her

Please tell us more about yourself

Hi! My name’s Eve and I live in Northamptonshire, England, with my husband and six month old
daughter. I’m currently on maternity leave from my job at a National charity and I’ve been using my
time away from work to explore my love of vegan cooking.

Join us on our weaning journey
Eve – The Vegan Mama

My Instagram @the_vegan_mama was born from friends asking me for some ideas for easy but delicious vegan meal ideas and it’s now become my little online collection of my favourite dishes and ideas for weaning children meat-free.

Victoria sponge with strawberry buttercream

I’ve been meat-free for five years now and vegan for the last two years. I gave up meat for lent in 2017 because I knew I would find it really difficult and wanted to challenge myself.

By the time Easter arrived and lent had finished, I found that I had enjoyed living without meat so much that I decided to stick to being vegetarian. Like most people, I had lived much of life up until that point
having meat at almost every meal so it was a huge lifestyle change but I had begun to think more deeply about where meat came from.

I knew that I would never be able to harm an animal myself, especially just for the sake of a sandwich filling, and it dawned on me that by buying meat I was paying someone else to take the life of an animal for me. Over the next few years I started to research more into where my food came from and this prompted me to try veganism.

After two failed attempts, I finally became fully vegan in January 2020 and have never looked back since. I have never felt happier and healthier and I found that being vegan had a lot of very welcome side effects such as clearer skin, more energy, better performance when running and exercising and even a drop in my visceral fat levels.

When I first gave up meat I found it challenging to find adequate replacements and this was
especially difficult when eating out at restaurants and cafes. I am very lucky that five years later, the
UK has become one of the best locations globally for vegetarians and vegans and I now know that
the places I choose to eat will have delicious vegan and vegetarian options. It always helps to look at
the menu before trying somewhere new and making sure that the venue not only provides a vegan
option for you, but that their option is something that you’ll really enjoy.

Children are never too young to learn to love and respect nature
Eve – The Vegan Mama

When I found out that I was pregnant in January 2021, I knew that I was going to continue to be
vegan and so I began researching how to have a healthy vegan pregnancy.

Although vegans are very common here in the UK now, I still faced concern from some family members and colleagues that my baby would suffer as a result of me being vegan. I was thrilled to hear from my midwife when I had my first set of blood test results back that my iron store levels were higher than she sees amongst meat eaters, and I wasn’t lacking in anything whatsoever.

I made sure to eat a variety of wholefoods and fresh fruits and vegetables while pregnant and I was completely fit and healthy the entire 41 weeks! Even my baby shower had a vegan buffet and a gorgeous vegan cake made by my sister.

Food is only one part of my vegan lifestyle 🌱 🌱 I am teaching my daughter an appreciation and love for nature.
Eve – The Vegan Mama

I was determined that I was going to breastfeed my daughter and after birth I found that I had such a
strong milk supply that even the midwives were shocked when they came to visit me for my check-
up. I had researched foods before my birth that would help my milk to come in and this included
wholefoods like oats and almonds.

prMe feeding my daughter at 5 days old ^

I exclusively breastfed my daughter for the entire six months, without ever needing to use any cow’s milk formula or alternatives for her. Now that she is weaning, she eats vegan meals three times a day that I make myself and then I top this up with several breastfeeds a day.

As with my own diet, weaning my daughter as a vegan has taken a lot of research and preparation to ensure that I’m doing it correctly and that she isn’t missing out on any nutrients.

Mama to a 6 month old herbivore
Eve – The Vegan Mama

my baby loves nature and she always strokes trees

Raising my daughter meat-free is only one part of our vegan lifestyle. I am teaching her to be kind to
all people and animals and to have a deep respect for the earth and environment. We spend a lot of
time in our garden or out walking in nature. I am teaching her to grow fruits and vegetables and
flowers and I hope that when she grows up she will continue to think carefully about where her food
comes from and how she can live the kindest existence possible.