5 Eye Opening Takeaways from a Vegan First Time Mom
Hi, my name is Sarah, and quite possibly the most important decision I ever made was becoming a Vegan.
1. How Being Vegan Has Given Me Confidence As A New Mom
I made the switch seven years ago and have never looked back. It shaped my life in such a positive way and gave me complete confidence in my health and natural instincts.
I recently became a new mom to my beautiful baby girl, August.
I had a wonderfully healthy pregnancy, home birth, and recovery. We are currently exclusively breastfeeding and both thriving.
My first-time mom experience isn’t one of luck but of education and hard work!
I truly believe, that my lifestyle choices set my body and mindset up to succeed in motherhood.
2. Physical and Mental Transformation
All other vegans will understand when I say, going Vegan isn’t just a physical change…. it’s a mental one too!
I have come to learn that living a vegan lifestyle makes you evaluate every aspect of your life and change for the better.
From what goes in your mouth, to the type of laundry detergent you use, all the way to how you parent.
At first, I went Vegan just for the animals but started to comprehend how much better my body felt.
I had major issues with food as a child. I put on quite a bit of weight in my pre-teen years and it really killed my confidence.
I soon started becoming obsessed with losing weight and calorie restriction.
Long story short, when I switched to a vegan diet, I began to educate myself and finally took control of my health.
I read, watched, and listened to any information about the Vegan lifestyle I could get my hands on.
I soon stumbled onto the concept of a whole foods plant-based diet and was mind blown.
3. Taking Control Over Your Health
All my life I had been conditioned to believe that I had zero control over my health, and it was left up to chance.
I was conditioned to believe in our consumer-centric society, narrow-minded education system, and traditional parenting styles.
Once I realized my health was controllable, by eating simple whole foods, I started simplifying every other aspect of my life.
Every decision I made was more intuitive and had better intentions. I became more aware, empathetic, and open-minded.
Adopting a natural Vegan lifestyle can help take the guesswork out of new parenthood! Starting with a vegan or whole-food plant-based diet.
If you are putting proper food in your body, it will thrive!
There is so much evidence pointing towards the benefits of plant-based diets and their ability to protect the body from health issues.
Once your body is getting what it needs nutritionally, you can focus on removing other toxins from your home and switching to natural self-care and cleaning products.
Essentially, I became an accidental hippie.
4. Preparing for a Vegan Pregnancy & Birth
Seven years of piecing together the natural vegan lifestyle puzzle gave me such confidence going into pregnancy.
I never once worried about health complications and trusted in my body to do what it was designed to do.
I had a natural home water birth and even caught my daughter as she came earth side.
My team of midwives were amazing and supported all of my natural parenting choices.
I knew breastfeeding, co-sleeping, cloth diapering, and attachment parenting were key to a happy healthy baby.
5. Raising a Baby in a Healthy & Intuitive Way
I got compliments all the time at how bright and happy August looked. People were amazed at her alertness and strength right from birth.
For the longest time, I would just say “Oh I guess we got lucky” … but now I am speaking my truth!
I don’t believe we got lucky … I believe our lifestyle choices set our baby up for success!
You see, I think expecting mothers are conditioned to doubt in their natural abilities to nourish, birth, feed, and care for their new babies.
They feel their health and the health of their baby, is out of their hands.
They are bullied by healthcare professionals, big corporations, and society to feel like they are helpless.
I am so passionate about helping moms realize that they can, in fact, have control over their health.
After that, it all comes down to mindset. Start asking yourself how you can simplify your parenting choices.
For example, if baby only wants to sleep on you …. why not just go with that?
If our bodies are capable of providing the perfect nutrition for our little babies …why use a bottle?
Do we really need so many overpriced baby items?
Taking a natural and intuitive approach to motherhood has removed all the guesswork out of it!
Both my baby and I are thriving. Holistic lifestyle choices play a huge role in this.
The Thoughts I Want To Share With Vegan Moms
I realize every situation and baby are different, but I firmly believe taking a more natural approach to motherhood can make the transition easier for everyone!
In my opinion, the biggest thing holding moms back from trying a more holistic approach to motherhood is, how time-consuming piecing together the big picture of holistic health can be.
The only way natural lifestyle choices work is by taking a big picture approach.
For example, you can use essential oils all you want but if you are still eating animal products, then you won’t reap the full benefits and vice versa!
It is my mission to help bring the big picture of natural parenting and lifestyle choices together for new moms.
Moms are superheroes and have the power to control their health, the health of their families, the health of our animals, and the health of the planet!
Together we can raise a healthier, happier, more balanced, compassionate, and environmentally conscious generation.
How to Connect With Me
I am currently working to develop an online community/course content platform, geared to help guide new moms along a more natural parenting journey.
The goal of this platform will also be to help bring like-minded moms together!
Since having my daughter, I have realized how important it is to surround yourself with others who share similar values.
I am passionate about sharing the wealth of knowledge seven years of vegan living has brought me.
I want to help empower other moms, so they can take back control of their health and the health of their baby, through holistic lifestyle choices.
I am beyond grateful for the abundance a Vegan lifestyle has given me, and I want to share everything I have learned.
Currently, I share daily tips, recipes, stories, and motherhood insights on Instagram @planted.moming.
I would love to connect with other Vegan Moms (and the ones that plan to become one), so make sure you visit me on Instagram or send me a message!