Plant-Based Pregnancy: Q&A with Dietician Maya Bach
While I was pregnant and even now as a new mom, I get questions all of the time about my vegan pregnancy and raising a vegan baby. Although my pregnancy and birth were both very smooth and now my baby is thriving, I wouldn’t really consider myself an authority on the topic. I’ve been vegan nearly 10 years now, but for most of it I didn’t really think about or study nutrition related to pregnancy. Instead, my focus was mostly on maintaining a healthy lifestyle by way of a whole foods and plant-based diet. That seems to have served me well, but I still didn’t feel confident in tackling the topic of vegan pregnancies on my blog without some expert guidance.
Enter Maya Bach. I met Maya, a vegan prenatal dietician, in the manner most new friendships are forming these days… online! While I was pregnant, I came across her Instagram account which focuses exclusively on vegan prenatal nutrition and of course I immediately began following her. On her account, Maya shares simple, helpful information regarding healthy food choices, snack ideas and even food options to help relieve nausea during pregnancy. As one of her loyal followers, I knew she would be amazing at contributing helpful information for you about vegan pregnancies. I couldn’t be more excited to have had the opportunity to interview her for my blog. Here is what we talked about:
Amy: What is your background and how did you become interested in plant-based/vegan pregnancies?
Maya: My mom, who has been vegetarian since she was 18 years old, raised me and my sister in a predominantly vegetarian household. It wasn't until after college, when I was living in Australia, that I decided to stop eating all meat. I saw a news story about the live export of cattle from Australia to Southeast Asia and it shook me to my core. I have always been interested in nutrition, but I didn't consider fully pursuing it until I realized that what we eat impacts our health and the well-being of others. I left my job, moved back to California and pursued a Master of Public Health at Loma Linda University with an emphasis on dietetics. Fast forward to 2020, my sister announced that she was expecting her first baby. And while she doesn't identify as vegan, I was amazed to discover that all prenatal nutrition recommendations were anchored in consuming animal-based products. As a vegan who is passionate about women's health, it made sense to shift my private practice from general nutrition to prenatal nutrition, specifically towards supporting women who don't want to eat animal products feel confident having a healthy pregnancy. And here we are!
A: I've been vegan for nearly 10 years and remained fully vegan throughout my pregnancy, but when I was pregnant a few people asked me if I consumed eggs to avoid choline deficiency. Although at no point in time did I crave or even think of adding eggs to my diet, that question did get me thinking. What purpose does choline serve in pregnancy and how can we get it on a vegan diet?
M: This is a great question and something many of my clients are concerned about. While choline supports fetal brain development, we don't have enough information to know with a high degree of certainty the amount of choline found in plant foods. From the obstetricians I've spoken to, choline is not routinely supplemented and there isn't a blood test offered to reveal its levels in the body. Per the National Institute of Health (NIH), true choline deficiency in the United States is actually very rare. While there are a lot of unknowns around choline, we do know that your body produces some choline and certain plant foods are higher in choline including edamame, kidney beans, quinoa, some fortified dairy-free milks, and peanut butter. My recommendation? Focus on plant foods that are naturally high in choline, take a prenatal that includes choline in their formulation, and talk to your OB if you have concerns.
A: It can be beneficial to increase dietary protein during pregnancy, whether or not somebody is vegan. Do you have any tips on how vegan mamas-to-be can increase their protein intake? And do you think it could be beneficial to top it up by adding protein powders into the mix?
M: Yes! Protein can feel like a struggle. To help ease the "am I getting enough protein?" concerns, one of the things I encourage my clients to do is to track what they're eating for a few days. It doesn't have to be forever, but it offers an insight into nutrients like protein that we can address together through food and/or supplementation.
Tips for boosting your protein include:
Switching from a wheat-based pasta to a lentil or chickpea pasta
Sprinkling nutritional yeast onto veggies or tofu scrambles
Using quinoa instead of rice
Choosing soy, flax or pea milk instead of almond or oat milk
Swapping from firm to extra firm tofu
Snacking on roasted edamame and almonds
Adding chia seeds to your toast, oatmeal or baked goods - this is my personal favorite!
Protein powders can be a great way to help you meet your protein goal for pregnancy, especially for my clients who are struggling with nausea and find it challenging to hold much of anything down. They can also be handy if you're travelling and want to make sure you have an easy protein option on-hand.
A: When I was pregnant I supplemented with a good quality prenatal, vitamin D (as I live in Canada) and a vegan omega-3 supplement. Does that sound adequate to you? Are there any other supplements you recommend to your clients?
M: Before starting any supplement, I always recommend talking to your healthcare provider first and getting a blood test. This will help you develop a "supplement roadmap" for what nutrients you need to focus on during your pregnancy. A good quality prenatal is a must!
A: If people are interested in learning more from you where can they find you?
M: You can find me on Instagram @vegan.prenatal.nutrition - Feel free to send me a DM and say hi! Right now, I offer a small group coaching program for vegan women who are planning for pregnancy or who are currently expecting. It's a great way for you to connect, get support, and boost confidence about your decision to have a vegan pregnancy. You're not alone!
And that wraps up my interview with Maya! I hope you found this information helpful and that you take some time to connect with her in the online world because her information is incredibly valuable for the education and conversation around vegan pregnancies. If you have any questions of your own for Maya, please leave them in the comments below or contact Maya directly.