Vegan Friendly OBGYN's

[Mybelle65]

Is there a list or website somewhere that provides vegan-friendly OBGYN's? I am moving to the San Diego area soon and wanted to do some research ahead of time.

[Erin Pavlina]

I'm not aware of any lists or sites that have that information.

But you know, the subject may never even come up. I don't think OB's routinely ask their patients what they eat. They might ask more vague questions like, "Are you getting enough protein? Be sure you're drinking lots of milk for calcium." Etc. But you can just respond with, "I'm very aware of my dietary needs during pregnancy and am taking great care to get all my nutrients. I'm also taking a prenatal vitamin." And leave it at that.

I know some women feel like they want their OB to know about their veganism, which is fine, but remember that an OB is not a nutritionist. So any responses or comments you get from them will likely be uninformed.

If you're actually concerned about your diet during pregnancy, consult with a vegan R.D.

[xmysticprincessx]

i have a midwife, and she's great. i told her at the 1st appt that i'm vegan, and she had no problem with it. i'm now in my 8th month, and she hasnt once lectured me about drinking milk or anything like that. the baby is growing. i feel fine, and havent really been sick since ive been pregnant.
you may want to call a heath food store in san diego and ask for recommendations. also, try the mothering.com forums. people will often post names of drs/midwives who specialize in something in particular or who are more laid back about other things.
welcome to the boards!

[Ronni]

Hi, I just want to add that Indian doctors normally know alot about veganism and will probably love the fact that you're a vegan (as opposed to alot of other doctors who will quickly tell you that you'll die without meat!).

My OB/GYN is from India and when I was pregnant with my son, I informed him that I was a vegetarian and his face just lit up and he told me that now he won't have to worry if I was getting proper nutrition or not.

I recently switched my son over to an Indian Pediatrition and he seems equally as impressed with a vegetarian diet. He told me that most people who grow up in India know that children can survive without animal products.

So, there' s another route you can take. Good luck.

Ronni