Why Eggs and Dairy Are Bad For Babies

This is not a post about health. Well, not human health.

This is a post about the things that people don't think about when they buy eggs and milk. This is a post about why you, as a parent, should care.

Both industries have one unfortunate byproduct: boys.

Think about it. Eggs and milk come from female animals, right? And to keep the industry going, they have to keep breeding more animals. More egg laying hens and more dairy cows. Just like any other time, though, half of the babies will be boys, so what happens to them?

First, lets point out a fact that is often overlooked. Cows produce milk for their babies. You don't lactate when you haven't had a baby right? Well, cows are just like us, so they are kept perpetually pregnant to keep lactating. The male calves that result are most often used for veal. Maybe you don't realize just how cruel veal is, so I'll share. When I was an intern at Farm Sanctuary, Farmer Brown took us to visit a stockyard, so I was able to see firsthand. The calves are taken from their mothers as soon as possible, maybe a couple days old if that. They're put into a pen together and shuffled around with canes and electric prods. I saw the workers cracking them in the heads to get them to move where they wanted myself. They're scared. Then they are auctioned off and taken to a strange place. There, they are kept confined either in a crate or on a very short tether. They're fed an improper diet and kept from moving so that they don't develop any muscle tone. Then, they're slaughtered while they're still babies.

Veals in crates.

The egg industry is even more ruthless. As the chicks are sexed, the males are simply tossed into trash bags to suffocate or ground up alive. It's that simple.

Male chicks left to die in a dumpster.

That is why eggs and dairy are bad for babies.

Please, sign the pledge to go veg for one week, and consider making it a lifelong change.

It's Veg Week!

So it seems appropriate to talk about why veganism is the best decision a mother can make.

There are tons of resources out there about the health benefits of veganism, but I'd like to share the health aspect from my perspective.

I was a fat kid. I was not only inactive, but I established unhealthy eating habits early on. Even though my dad is a vegetarian, like many families, veg or not, we had a lot of meals based around carbs and dairy.

13 years old and approx. 180 lbs

I know that when I went vegetarian I lost weight. When I went vegan, I lost weight again. You don't have to worry about the temptation of the chocolate bars in the checkout lane. McDonald's isn't an option on the way home from work. Those are good things! Without the ethical objection to these things, it's too easy to cave in when your will power is low, and no one needs them! When my step-children come to visit, the two things they can identify as we drive around are McDonald's and Burger King, and I don't want that for them or my little vegtababies.

I think veganism is a great way to set my children up for success. They'll eat tons of veggies. They'll grow up eating ethnic food (my son's poop currently smells super garlicky). Don't get me wrong, you can totally eat junky as a vegan, but it's not quite as convenient as it is as an omnivore. If my children inherit any of my tendencies to overeat, I think veganism will be helpful to curb that.

So that's my take on the health benefits of veganism. A diet backed by ethics, which we'll get into later in the week.

Don't forget to go to my Deals and Contests page to sign the pledge to go veg for one week and be entered to win prizes! Be sure to check out their Events tab to see if there are any veg-friendly events near you.

The Scariest Moment

I had a really scary moment about a week and a half after Jonah was born, and I thought I would share in case my experience can help anyone else. I'd been feeling better, and I thought I would try out my new Moby Wrap. I was standing there putting it on and blood started flowing out of me, down my leg, and onto the floor.

I hurried to the bathroom to check out the situation, and there was just a puddle. It kept coming too. Mitch grabbed my phone and started getting ready in case we needed to go to the hospital. I called my midwife, and she told me to do two things: 1) Press as hard as I could into my uterus and 2) Get Jonah to latch on.

She said if it wasn't better after 30 minutes to go to the hospital. Jonah was of course up to the challenge. Breastfeeding helps your uterus contract. After half an hour it was definitely better, and we didn't have to go to the hospital! Within a day or two my bleeding was back to where it had been before.

So, if you experience something similar, don't panic. Definitely call your healthcare provider as soon as possible, but let your little one help you out too!

B-12

When you're pregnant, you have to be twice as diligent about getting all your vitamins and nutrients. A good friend of ours had some serious medical issues arise due to a B-12 deficiency, and he posted this article on Facebook today:

What Every Vegan Should Know About B-12

My pre-natals have B12 in them, but I also take an occasional B-12 supplement by Country Life. They're good to have around if you ever need a little boost.

Thanks for the reminder, Jim!