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The Vegan Pregnancy Survival Guide
The Vegan Pregnancy Survival Guide is a comprehensive reference book that covers it all – from straightforward nutrition and strategies for maximizing meals, to choosing cruelty-free antacids and how to throw a vegan baby shower – and *everything* in between!
I am thrilled to be working with such amazing, inspiring people on this project, and I’m honored to be able to share this information with the world. Look for The Vegan Pregnancy Survival Guide to hit the 'shelves' in early summer 2011!
I am thrilled to be working with such amazing, inspiring people on this project, and I’m honored to be able to share this information with the world. Look for The Vegan Pregnancy Survival Guide to hit the 'shelves' in early summer 2011!
First published January 1, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
April 24, 2012
I wasn't sure what to expect from this book, but I ended up really loving it. It's written in a very conversational, casually, non-panicy tone, yet still has a bunch of footnotes, showing that the author did her research. This offers very practical advice for all stages of pregnancy, mostly focusing on nutrition, with a real emphasis on whole foods. For me, it was like having one of my friends explain the whole pregnancy/birthing process to me, with a whole bunch of food suggestions and nutritional advice thrown in. And it's short which makes it an easy, quick read and keeps it from being overwhelming like so much of the pregnancy literature out there. I'd recommend it for any pregnant vegans, vegetarians, and even for people who would like to eat a lot of vegan or vegetarian meals throughout pregnancy. It even contains suggestions for how to deal with people who act like a non-meat pregnancy is freakishly unhealthy. And that's something we all will probably need, sadly.
August 9, 2018
I liked both this & "The Kind Mama" although they are different books.
The Kind Mama is more of a large compendium, while this is a travel-size book you can keep in your purse.
The author is a bit silly/fun, as you can tell from her photos.
I first heard of her through a video or two on YT, where she talked about raising vegan kids & her struggle with protein deficiency.
I liked how open she was about protein deficiency, and that she had to be sure she was getting 3 servings a day, in stark contrast to the "never-worry-about-it, you-can't-get-deficient" vegans I was mostly hearing. At the same time, she also talks about protein-paranoia, which you definitely hear about from the well-meaning non-vegans in your life! I aim for 3 servings of legumes a day.
She also talks about the importance of B12 & the vegans on the internet who constantly say you can get B12 without effort or from produce. While you may have been able to do that before the soils were depleted, and before our water supply was sanitized to prevent disease, it is nearly impossible now. Also, you need to wash produce when pregnant (this was a habit I had to learn!!)
I also appreciate her mentioning her struggle to quit smoking, although that is never an issue I have had, I think it is great for people who do to see that she quit, they can too. Cigarettes also may not fully biodegrade, as they are synthetic, and they will certainly leach into waterways.
I like that she talks about coffee being safe at around a serving a day, and that it is not an ideal beverage.
I liked her nutrition information, reminders to avoid fried, sugary, salty, processed; and lists of to-go foods & example food sources to get protein, calcium, vites, etc.
I like that she talks about soy as well, and limiting consumption. While I think that organic, unprocessed soy beans, and lightly processed, organic, non-gmo tofu, miso & unsweetened soymilk can be healthy in moderation (about 2-3x a week), more processed sources can be estrogenic. Too much soy may affect your thyroid (although how much & in what form(s), I am not sure). Obviously ANY processed food can increase cancer risk, and in particular we know from double-blind placebo controlled studies that removed proteins (TVP, pea, soy, & whey protein, etc.) can be carcinogenic (although if you need protein, it should not deter you from the occasional protein bar etc.).
She also gives you a variety of options, herbal/natural & over-the-counter.
In this book, she only talks about hospital birth, if this is your plan, or if you end up transferring this can be helpful information. In "The Kind Mama," she only talks about home birth with a midwife I believe, so there are some differences there.
I just want to say - something I saw in both this & "The Kind Mama" - If you want to eat your placenta, be aware that it has absorbed many toxins to protect your baby. Yes, it may have nutrition, but you will have to decide for yourself whether that risk is worth the benefits.
Conversely to what she says about caffeine, coffee has been proven in double-blind, placebo- controlled studies to help with regular depression and can be more or as effective as an antidepressant. Obviously too much is detrimental, but if you are struggling with postpartum depression, it is certainly worth a shot. When I had extreme PMS depression, I found coffee & saffron to be really helpful.
I highly recommend both this & "The Kind Mama." I prefer this one for its portability & that it can fit in my purse, but overall I liked the wealth of information in the Kind Mama.
The Kind Mama is more of a large compendium, while this is a travel-size book you can keep in your purse.
The author is a bit silly/fun, as you can tell from her photos.
I first heard of her through a video or two on YT, where she talked about raising vegan kids & her struggle with protein deficiency.
I liked how open she was about protein deficiency, and that she had to be sure she was getting 3 servings a day, in stark contrast to the "never-worry-about-it, you-can't-get-deficient" vegans I was mostly hearing. At the same time, she also talks about protein-paranoia, which you definitely hear about from the well-meaning non-vegans in your life! I aim for 3 servings of legumes a day.
She also talks about the importance of B12 & the vegans on the internet who constantly say you can get B12 without effort or from produce. While you may have been able to do that before the soils were depleted, and before our water supply was sanitized to prevent disease, it is nearly impossible now. Also, you need to wash produce when pregnant (this was a habit I had to learn!!)
I also appreciate her mentioning her struggle to quit smoking, although that is never an issue I have had, I think it is great for people who do to see that she quit, they can too. Cigarettes also may not fully biodegrade, as they are synthetic, and they will certainly leach into waterways.
I like that she talks about coffee being safe at around a serving a day, and that it is not an ideal beverage.
I liked her nutrition information, reminders to avoid fried, sugary, salty, processed; and lists of to-go foods & example food sources to get protein, calcium, vites, etc.
I like that she talks about soy as well, and limiting consumption. While I think that organic, unprocessed soy beans, and lightly processed, organic, non-gmo tofu, miso & unsweetened soymilk can be healthy in moderation (about 2-3x a week), more processed sources can be estrogenic. Too much soy may affect your thyroid (although how much & in what form(s), I am not sure). Obviously ANY processed food can increase cancer risk, and in particular we know from double-blind placebo controlled studies that removed proteins (TVP, pea, soy, & whey protein, etc.) can be carcinogenic (although if you need protein, it should not deter you from the occasional protein bar etc.).
She also gives you a variety of options, herbal/natural & over-the-counter.
In this book, she only talks about hospital birth, if this is your plan, or if you end up transferring this can be helpful information. In "The Kind Mama," she only talks about home birth with a midwife I believe, so there are some differences there.
I just want to say - something I saw in both this & "The Kind Mama" - If you want to eat your placenta, be aware that it has absorbed many toxins to protect your baby. Yes, it may have nutrition, but you will have to decide for yourself whether that risk is worth the benefits.
Conversely to what she says about caffeine, coffee has been proven in double-blind, placebo- controlled studies to help with regular depression and can be more or as effective as an antidepressant. Obviously too much is detrimental, but if you are struggling with postpartum depression, it is certainly worth a shot. When I had extreme PMS depression, I found coffee & saffron to be really helpful.
I highly recommend both this & "The Kind Mama." I prefer this one for its portability & that it can fit in my purse, but overall I liked the wealth of information in the Kind Mama.
September 15, 2015
Cute little book, but I need more information
October 19, 2017
A quick and easy read - it's perfect for a new vegan and it fits right in your purse!
We were given this book as a gift in 2012 after we found out we were expecting our first child. I was anxious as a new vegan (and as a mama-to-be) and I found a great deal of reassurance within those pages. The information contained, the suggestions, and the described experiences, were helpful and that they made me feel more comfortable with my pregnancy, especially with a vegan pregnancy. The tone that the author sets is nonjudgmental and extremely upbeat. I loved this book and even read it again during my second pregnancy. Even though all of the information regarding nutrition was beneficial, we found that some of the best advice came from the author's own experiences. Sometimes the most simple of suggestions made a world of difference, like making bulk meals in advance before the baby arrived. We did this and taped a list to the side of the freezer with everything we made, as well as the date we froze it. (We made vegan peirogi, waffles, veggie burgers, seitan, lentil "meat" loaves, and veggie balls for spaghetti.)
It isn't packed with facts, but there are a lot of useful recommendations. I appreciated that it wasn't heavy on the "do this" "do that" while still being informative and well researched. It wasn't overwhelming and made for an easy read. I often took this book to work and read it on my lunch break.
l highly recommend this book to anyone considering a vegan pregnancy. It also makes a perfect gift when paired with a few vegan treats or ginger candies (as they can help with morning sickness.)
We were given this book as a gift in 2012 after we found out we were expecting our first child. I was anxious as a new vegan (and as a mama-to-be) and I found a great deal of reassurance within those pages. The information contained, the suggestions, and the described experiences, were helpful and that they made me feel more comfortable with my pregnancy, especially with a vegan pregnancy. The tone that the author sets is nonjudgmental and extremely upbeat. I loved this book and even read it again during my second pregnancy. Even though all of the information regarding nutrition was beneficial, we found that some of the best advice came from the author's own experiences. Sometimes the most simple of suggestions made a world of difference, like making bulk meals in advance before the baby arrived. We did this and taped a list to the side of the freezer with everything we made, as well as the date we froze it. (We made vegan peirogi, waffles, veggie burgers, seitan, lentil "meat" loaves, and veggie balls for spaghetti.)
It isn't packed with facts, but there are a lot of useful recommendations. I appreciated that it wasn't heavy on the "do this" "do that" while still being informative and well researched. It wasn't overwhelming and made for an easy read. I often took this book to work and read it on my lunch break.
l highly recommend this book to anyone considering a vegan pregnancy. It also makes a perfect gift when paired with a few vegan treats or ginger candies (as they can help with morning sickness.)
January 24, 2018
The nutritional advice is succinct and concrete, even specifying brands to consider. Everything is explained in brief, and if you have more nutritional questions, I'd recommend the much thicker tome, Vegan For Her, which is a treasure trove in itself.
As someone who hasn't has a baby, I enjoyed her brief anecdotes of her own challenges with pregnancy (morning sickness, etc.) and specific examples of how she solved them. She gives a list of easy snack ideas, collected from other pregnant, vegan ladies. Thank you!
If you're well-read on pregnancy books and vegan nutrition, you can probably skip this, but as a primer or a quick book to consult or comfort, it's an awesome choice.
Also, the author is super upbeat without being a Pollyanna. Pregnancy seems less scary with her kind words doodled throughout the text.
Final note: I told my husband he should read it too, and since it's so short, it's not a big ask at all!
As someone who hasn't has a baby, I enjoyed her brief anecdotes of her own challenges with pregnancy (morning sickness, etc.) and specific examples of how she solved them. She gives a list of easy snack ideas, collected from other pregnant, vegan ladies. Thank you!
If you're well-read on pregnancy books and vegan nutrition, you can probably skip this, but as a primer or a quick book to consult or comfort, it's an awesome choice.
Also, the author is super upbeat without being a Pollyanna. Pregnancy seems less scary with her kind words doodled throughout the text.
Final note: I told my husband he should read it too, and since it's so short, it's not a big ask at all!
June 9, 2024
Not currently pregant, but doing my diligent research for future me!
I picked up some valuable info, like nutrition, lists & suggested food groups, a heads-up on bodily functions and the social aspects of being a pregnant vegan. Then a section on expectations after the baby is born and some pointers on keeping up your vegan lifestyle.
This wasn’t the content that I was expecting, as I was hoping for more of a science-based layout of superfoods and their benefits. But honestly, I am grateful to have discovered this read anyways!
This book feels supportive and it’s quick to get through! And as for vegan pregnancies, so far, this book stands as one of very few contenders in this genre.
I picked up some valuable info, like nutrition, lists & suggested food groups, a heads-up on bodily functions and the social aspects of being a pregnant vegan. Then a section on expectations after the baby is born and some pointers on keeping up your vegan lifestyle.
This wasn’t the content that I was expecting, as I was hoping for more of a science-based layout of superfoods and their benefits. But honestly, I am grateful to have discovered this read anyways!
This book feels supportive and it’s quick to get through! And as for vegan pregnancies, so far, this book stands as one of very few contenders in this genre.
December 11, 2018
Helpful and fun.
March 2, 2021
Great quick read on a vegan pregnancy. Having two toddlers and my family switching to being vegan one year ago, this will be my first vegan pregnancy. Excited and glad to have this little resource!
July 12, 2016
This is my dream book. Google vegan and pregnancy, this is the second book to come up on Amazon. I read the reviews and hesitated to buy it, it didn’t seem to have lots of information. This was very wrong of me. Yes, the book is very short, and very small (physically, it easily fits in a purse.) Sayward is treating you like an adult who probably picked up a few other books about baby making. She touches nutrition very lightly, which I like personally since as my review of What to Expect says, your diet when pregnant is pretty much the same before hand.
Sayward hits the main vegan questions- what drugs can I take to deal with some of the pregnancy side effects? Oh she is listing BRANDS! Thank god! No joke, I read her blurb about heartburn, and saw her comment on tums, left the house, bought a container. She touches the topics of what treatments are vegan, and gives tips that she and other vegan parents had done. She talks about pregnancy, birthing, breastfeeding, and raising children.
Downfalls? Well, the book isn’t very long, which is both nice and flawed. Yes, it made it an easy book to tell my husband to read through for any question family members might have. But I would recommend taking this book with another more clinical/thorough pregnancy book like What to Expect When Expecting. And since the book is so small it can easily get outdated. Those name brand vegan drugs could add non-vegan ingredients to them. And I know one bit of outdated information was on vitamin D. Since the book was written before the discovery of vitamin D3 that can be synthesized in a vegan form with lichen, Sayward says that all D3 isn’t vegan, and says the brand Garden of Life prenatal vitamins aren’t vegan. Since the book is so short, I doubt it will be updated with this new information.
Sayward hits the main vegan questions- what drugs can I take to deal with some of the pregnancy side effects? Oh she is listing BRANDS! Thank god! No joke, I read her blurb about heartburn, and saw her comment on tums, left the house, bought a container. She touches the topics of what treatments are vegan, and gives tips that she and other vegan parents had done. She talks about pregnancy, birthing, breastfeeding, and raising children.
Downfalls? Well, the book isn’t very long, which is both nice and flawed. Yes, it made it an easy book to tell my husband to read through for any question family members might have. But I would recommend taking this book with another more clinical/thorough pregnancy book like What to Expect When Expecting. And since the book is so small it can easily get outdated. Those name brand vegan drugs could add non-vegan ingredients to them. And I know one bit of outdated information was on vitamin D. Since the book was written before the discovery of vitamin D3 that can be synthesized in a vegan form with lichen, Sayward says that all D3 isn’t vegan, and says the brand Garden of Life prenatal vitamins aren’t vegan. Since the book is so short, I doubt it will be updated with this new information.
October 6, 2016
A book I really wanted to love after hearing Sayward was publishing one for vegan pregnancies. She is very inspiring on YouTube and has a very kind heart, someone I would love to learn more about kind parenting from before we have children. Unfortunately, I found the book to be a bit disorganized and lacking in information. Many of the topics brought up did not have sound backing and thus a website link for more information was given to do all the research alone. While a new vegan might find some information interesting, all of the information can be found in numerous other pregnancy books. Additionally, some information was inaccurate. On a plus side, the book is a great size (who wants to carry around a textbook to the hospital appointments) and has a cute design throughout the book. I would love to read a book from Sayward again, one that is a bit more involved and maybe a bit longer for the price tag. If looking for a good vegan pregnancy book, I suggest The Kind Mama.
June 2, 2016
I have been waiting for this book to be written! Sadly my vegan pregnancies are all over and done with, but I still had to get this book so that I could honestly review it and recommend it to friends.
I thought it was a great book, and Sayward does a good job outlining the main points that need to be thought of for a newly vegan mom-to-be, or a longtime vegan mom-to-be who wants to make sure that all of her bases are covered. It is a small book and doesn't really get into too much depth about anything, but presents enough information to cover the basics.
I also enjoyed the layout of this book, the tone, and I love that Sayward included photographs of her own journey through pregnancy! All in all, excellent resource. I can't wait for my friends to get knocked up so I can gift them a copy! :)
I thought it was a great book, and Sayward does a good job outlining the main points that need to be thought of for a newly vegan mom-to-be, or a longtime vegan mom-to-be who wants to make sure that all of her bases are covered. It is a small book and doesn't really get into too much depth about anything, but presents enough information to cover the basics.
I also enjoyed the layout of this book, the tone, and I love that Sayward included photographs of her own journey through pregnancy! All in all, excellent resource. I can't wait for my friends to get knocked up so I can gift them a copy! :)
December 30, 2013
Other than her recommendation to eat the placenta, I am thankful for Sayward Rebhal's book. I feel prepared to answer questions about being a vegan while pregnant (I'm not there yet) and how to eat healthfully while pregnant. I also feared I will crave non-vegan foods when the day comes, but as it turns out, that is normal. Cravings are tied to emotions and some women develop pica, with cravings for dirt and non-edibles. Glad to know there are vegan prenatal vitamins and good supplements out there. Glad also to know that there are places where I can get support online. Lancaster County isn't exactly the vegan mecca. Quick read. Appreciate most of the advice and will start looking into prenatal nutrition for myself.
June 17, 2014
I found this book very resourceful. While small or "pocket size" it is packed with information. Also, unlike Skinny Bitch Bun in the Oven: A Gutsy Guide to Becoming One Hot (and Healthy) Mother! it assumes the reader is already vegan so it does not go into the whys to be vegan. So if you already vegan or have been vegan and looking for a book that can give some help while your are pregnant or thinking about pregnancy - this is the book for you.
Read
August 4, 2023This is the best book I've found so far on vegan pregnancy. It doesn't go into all the details though, it really is a guide. I would love to see an extended version of it. Too many of the books I've read on pregnancy (both vegan and not) spend way too much time talking about basic stuff that you most likely already know.
March 2, 2015
I am not vegan, but aspiring to be. I really enjoyed the information because I am hoping to move in that direction even while pregnant. for now I enjoyed the nutritional information and the empowerment piece of this book. thanks.
May 26, 2014
The first book I purchased when I found out I was pregnant with my daughter in 2012. Great guide for expectant plant based mamas.
January 12, 2017
I enjoyed the author's sense of humor and while it's a little more on the earthy hippie side of veganism it has a lot of great tips and encouragement.
September 2, 2016
I love that it's a pocket book! Wonderful advice. :)
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews