Chris W of Toronto,
iron is not only found in animal products, the article advises that you make wholegrain cereals and potatoes a basis for every meal to provide iron, the dietary advice has not left out iron at all.

Lorna, Bedfordshire,

I know this is not really the place for this comment, but it always makes me laugh hwo so many vegetarians/vegans wear leether shoes and trainers. They find extremely unethical to eta animals, but have no problems WEARING them...

Yeni, Sydney,

Good Luck with your baby first and foremost!

And whoever was saying we aren't designed to eat meat should also note that we aren't designed to have alcohol or loads of sugar either, but we do.
It can all be balanced, but then so can a vegan diet - I just imagine vegans need more imagination!

Indigo, UK,

I see Chris W from Toronto has bought into the industry propaganda. In short,you don't know what you're talking about. 100s of 1000s of people now in their 30s have been raised from baby to adult on a vegan diet and have 'not' fallen prety to the industry hysteria you are copying and pasting here.

Andy, West Country, UK

Chris and Gill - I can understand your anger and ignorance, most of the western world is deluded into thinking that the only healthy living is one with meat. It is just not true, I have many friends from India and the US that raise healthy Vegan children to adult hood - no forcing either.

C Evans, Portland, OR, US

I just want to add that we are NOT designed to eat meat. When in our history have we had claws or teeth to rip flesh, our eye teeth are only equipped to crack nuts or similiar. When is the last time you physically chased down prey, killed it and ripped the flesh from its bones?

C Evans, Portland, OR, US

Patricia/Kate: the meaning of my post was distorted because I was forced to break it up to accommodate the site's limits. Yes, fortified grains and leafy greens contain iron. But all of those soy products chelate- or leach- iron from the body. (Organic) animal products don't come with such a caveat.

Chris W., Toronto, Canada

There are many benefits to a vegan diet, but somehow you always hear about just the "horror" stories. There is a good website called VeganWorld.com, where there are articles and discussions about parents successfully raising vegan children. Research for yourself. http://www.VeganWorld.com

Mike, Miami, US

Gill, as meat-eaters (me too) we're also imposing our own dietary habits on our children. A veggie child can decide to eat meat as an adult. Our bodies are built to reproduce/die at 40; we don't live remotely naturally, and most of us eat far more meat than is healthy in hunter-gatherer bodies.

Kate, London, UK

A good test to see if you are in fact a bonified meat eater is to look for some road kill and see if you find yourself getting hungry and wanting to eat it. Now try the same thing with an apple laying on the ground. You get my point now?

C Evans, Portland, OR, US

Finally, an article that looks at veganism rationally. It is all too common to read about the horrors of veganism and the 'terrible consequences' of raising children on a vegan diet.

Thankyou for this article, and good luck to Lorraine.

Alice, Birmingham, England

Gill: our bodies aren't suited or 'designed' to the high fat, salt and sugar diet most of us eat today. All parents 'force' their diet on their children whether that is vegan or meat eating- if the child doesn't suffer it isn't cruel. The mother has followed this diet for 20 years- hardly a fad.

Claire, London,

Chris in Toronto has some reading to do! There is iron in green leafy vegetables, especially the dark-green ones!!
Anaemia is no more common in vegans than it is in meat-eaters.

Patricia Tricker, Bedale, UK

Chris W - Where does the article recommend leaving out iron?

There are several references to iron-rich foods such as whole grains, leafy green veg, iron-fortified cereals and the recommendation to eat foods rich in vitamin C to aid iron absorption.

Kate Saltfleet, Cleethorpes, UK

ALL parents impose their beliefs on children. A well balanced vegan diet is suitable for all life stages, thanks for the balanced article.

Vicky, Midlands,

It's cruel to enforce these food fads on innocent babies. Our bodies are built to use animal protein, essential amino acids, especially during growth. Let the child decide when it grows up. Buy a rabbit or a cow. People who impose diets on their pets are also cruel - cats and dogs are carnivores.

Gill Sperrin, Dorking, Surrey

Additionally, soy products contain phytic acid, goitrogens, trypsin inhibitors, excitotoxins and isoflavones (genistein). These leach critical elements (ca-mag-zinc-cu-fe), interfere with metabolism (Iodine) & the uptake of protein, affect nerve cell death, and inhibit synthesis of steroid hormones.

Chris W., Toronto, Canada

Take vitamin B-12, but leave out the iron? The advice given here is irresponsible. This critical element is only found in animal products- something that vegetarians and vegans don't eat. Diets containing little or no iron WILL give rise to anemia and dramatically boost the risk of childhood stroke.

Chris W., Toronto, Canada

This child will not lack the nutrients found in dairy products if the mother breastfeeds several years. This is common in many countries, some of which have no dairy animals. Natural term BF results in naturally healthy mums and babies. Let's hope this mum can get early, good support to BF.

Alison Blenkinsop IBCLC, Aldershot, UK

Excellent article. Much better than the inflamatory & sensationalist "girl made ill by strict vegan diet" story of last week, that failed to offer any real nutritional information or advice. This article shows a good awareness of the health benefits of a vegan diet & i hope this baby is a happy one!

Ben Hillyer, Yorkshire,

For people wanting help, advice or guidance on going vegetarian or vegan, the Vegetarian & Vegan Foundation produce a range of easy-to-read guides full of practical tips and recipes as well as a series of useful fact sheets and fully referenced scientific reports.

J Butler, Bristol, UK