Hellobee Boards

I think this is something to talk to a doctor or nutritionist who specializes in this kind of thing about. You have very specific circumstances so I doubt an internet search will answer your question, you know? I do know that my sister was vegetarian (no meat or fish, but eggs and dairy were OK) for several years before becoming pregnant. Around the beginning of the second trimester she had such strong cravings for meat that she gave in and ate meat for the remainder of her pregnancy, and actually hasn't gone back. So, I think your body will start telling you when you need it, but surely it's possible to do it without going to meat. Look at Alicia Silverstone-- she's super strict vegan, but I'm sure she had a cook and nutritionist on call too. Can your doctor recommend a nutritionist or dietitian?

I, too, have just been a fish-eater for several years, after being a full veggie from about age 14 to 27. But as we struggled to get pregnant, I grew concerned about my protein intake and started eating well-sourced chicken about 2 times a week (since I also cut down on my seafood intake) to try to keep up the protein. I, too, have really cut down on the use of canned beans, and try to cook a batch of dried beans about once a week (usually on the weekend) that we can supplement into meals during the week. And, I'm still mostly ok with eggs - I can't believe how many I have eaten since I got pregnant. They don't sit well everyday, but enough times a week that I feel ok. It is tough! I'm sure I'm not getting 80 grams a day - that seems like an impossible goal!

Don't worry about it too much - it's totally possible to get all the protein you need as a total vegetarian. It's a myth that vegetarians can't easily get what they need - it's completely fine for most women.

Soy milk and almond milk are great high protein options (and easy to keep down, for me anyway). I made smoothies with frozen berries, yogurt, soy or almond milk, and you can even add protein powder if you're really worried about protein.

Leafy vegetables like spinach, collard greens, kale, etc are very high in iron, as are other foods like sweet potatoes, peas, prunes, and peanuts.

You can also use dried lentils and beans (just soak them overnight and you can cook with them the next day) if you're worried about the canned ones.

Eggs, milk, cheese, yogurt, cottage cheese, tofu, nuts and nut butters, seeds, are all good options as well. Quinoa is a fantastic grain, super high in protein, and can be used all sorts of ways.

I'm a pescatarian as well and also had a really hard time with protein when pregnant, the first trimester all I wanted was bread and potatoes, possibly with a little butter but nothing else.

Over here in Europe it's fine to eat fish more than twice a week as long as you avoid fish that may contain heavy metals such as mercury (eg tuna, swordfish). I forced myself to have fish 4-5 times a week and then tried to have soy and other kinds of veggie proteins. Omelettes was a good compromise.

Man, I don't think that *I* eat 80 grams of protein a day AND i eat meat regularly!

What about protein smoothies? I've been drinking those in the morning. Greek yogurt, protein powder, a little juice, some fruit (a banana, frozen strawberries, and frozen peaches in mine), and some spinach. It probably has close to 30 grams in it between the powder and the yogurt. I could easily have two a day if I needed to. They are sweet enough to stay down easily, are a good consistency, and I like the extra folic acid from the spinach since I don't absorb it well.

You could buy bagged beans and soak them instead of the canned ones. Kind of a pain, but better than nothing! Do they sell beans in jars? Jars are safer than cans. I would probably just rinse them really well if I bought canned beans, though.

I also have been eating an apple with a few TB of honey peanut butter every day.

I was eating tofu and soy regularly, but my doctors advised me to stay away from it since my hormones are a bit fickle.

I'd maybe search to see what women in other countries consume for their vegetarian pregnancies. Hindus don't eat meat; you might be able to find some good recipes that "hide" the egg a little, yet make it palatable. I ate a crapload of eggs in my first trimester--always fried egg sandwiches with cheese. Sometimes I'd scramble an egg into some soup, too.