The mum claims that many other people have criticised her choices. Photo / 123RF
The mum claims that many other people have criticised her choices. Photo / 123RF
A mother was left mortified after claiming a midwife refused to deliver her child due to her being vegan - and even sent her a photo of a 'real food for pregnancy' book.
Brittany Davis, 30, was searching online for the best at-home birthing midwives in her area and reached out to one via email who suggested meeting that evening.
However, after just 30 minutes of meeting with the midwife the conversation turned towards Brittany's diet and she claims that the woman was questioning her on her intake of protein, vitamins and calcium before saying she'd have to 'really think' about working with her.
Brittany Davis (pictured with her husband Garrett) was mortified when she met with a potential midwife who said vegans she had previously worked with 'just didn't cut it'. Photo / Caters
The following day Brittany, from Central Iowa, USA, claims she received a text message from the prospective midwife where she said suggested the expectant mother to return to 'classic' diets before sending her a photograph of a book labelled 'Real Food for Pregnancy'.
Brittany, who is 13-weeks pregnant, said: "Within half-an-hour of meeting I was flooded with questions about my diet and the midwife told us that I'd have to eat 'tonnes and tonnes' of my usual diet to 'meet the nutritional needs of a pregnant woman'."
"I quickly shut the conversation down and told her I didn't have anymore questions, to which she replied 'I'll really have to think about working with you, I've worked with vegans before and they just didn't cut it.'"
"The next day I got a text from her basically saying that she wouldn't work with me due to my choice of being vegan and would only consider if I chose to return to a 'classic' diet."
The text message. Photo / Caters
The midwife suggested a book on 'real food'. Photo / Caters
"At first I felt defeated, then relieved that I knew she wasn't the one."
The midwife's message read: "Hi Brittany. Thought carefully about us working together... Thinking we might stress each other out with 'veganism!' - if you could find will to return to classic - maybe paleo diet even - it might work - i'm of the mind that you are building 'an animal of sorts' & need animal protein - esp during pregnancy! And you starting off with 'weak blood' by my standards.... Blood is the river of life!! Let me know if you want to talk further... I enjoyed meeting you & Garrett!'"
"I've been vegan for over two years, so how could I have lived this long and become pregnant again if we were so deficient in these important things needed for development?"
"All I'd say is that she should have researched more before shooting down the idea of working with a vegan entirely to try and get a better understanding of it."
Despite this being the first midwife who has turned her down due to her dietary requirements, Brittany, an independent consultant, claims that many other people have given her backlash for her choices.
Brittany Davis' ultrasound. Photo / Caters
She said: "I became vegan just before my two-year-old son started solids, so when he is also fully vegan."
"For the first six-months, at least once a week, I was explaining to people that it is possible to raise a child vegan and not have them be malnourished."
"I would keep track on an app what I'd feed him everyday and if someone brought it up I would show them the app - it happens a lot less often now."
"I also track my own nutrients and take prenatal vitamins and supplements to keep myself and my baby healthy."
