Baby Ari’s Vegan Journey, Part 1 of 2 - During Pregnancy

According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, a well-planned vegan diet can provide everything you need during all stages of your life, including when you’re pregnant or breastfeeding. In this two-part series, we have documented how a vegan couple, Minseol and her husband Woojin, kept a vegan diet during pregnancy and how they raised their healthy vegan baby Ari during breastfeeding and the progression to a wholesome plant-based solid diet. She is now just over two years young.

Now, let’s watch Minseol (vegan), who was 10 days away from giving birth in Seoul, South Korea, talk about the results of their prenatal checkup. “According to the tests, the baby is doing very well, and I am very healthy.”

As with all pregnancies, daily intake of fruits, vegetables, and whole foods is recommended. Foods rich in protein, iron, calcium, vitamin D, and vitamin B12 are especially important to consider. Those requirements are easy to meet with a well-balanced vegan diet consisting of a variety of dark green vegetables and other vegetables, fruits, beans, whole grains, nuts, and seeds.

“When I say I am a vegan and that my wife is also a vegan, people worry a lot about whether the baby will develop well, or whether a vegan diet is dangerous for the mother’s health. However, test results have shown that my baby is more than one week bigger than the current gestational age. The development of the baby is also very good. My wife has never had morning sickness. While other pregnant women apply a lot of oil and lotion to their skin because they have gained weight and have stretch marks, my wife does not have stretch marks. I also think that her skin looks better than before pregnancy. And she had no skin problems and slept well.”

“I usually eat cereal for breakfast. Eat only organic food for health.” To be sure that Minseol had the right nourishment during her vegan pregnancy, Woojin cooked a tasty vegan lunch that was delicious and healthy. Minseol appreciated it, and it satisfied her cravings for her favorite foods. Serve the vegan Korean-style curry with boiled brown rice and organic grains, and top it with crispy tofu and half of a nutrition-packed avocado, peeled and sliced. Dinner will be light, consisting of a mixed vegetable salad and a serving of fresh fruits.