Being Vegetarian And Breastfeeding

Some people claim that vegetarian mums probably are not able to provide adequate nutrition to their newborn baby by way of their breast milk. In particular, the claim is made when mother is a vegan. Since Vegans don't have dairy or milk products, are they taking in enough calcium to pass it on to their infant in breast milk?
There is however little basis to this claim so long as the mother has a balanced diet that includes enough nutrients such as calcium, zinc, and vitamin B12 which are important for the mother as well as the baby. The fact is that the body manages to create a good balance in terms of nutrients to a baby by way of breast milk.

It is actually possible to get these vital nutrients from food sources: bran cereals, peanuts, beans, wheat germ, spinach, yeast and pumpkin seeds provide zinc.
There are also many vegetarian and vegan food sources that provide adequate calcium.
If the mother is a vegan who does not have any dairy or fish, then getting vitamin B12 is a problem. It may be required for her to supplement her intake with a B12 supplement while pregnant or nursing.

Source: Bliss Tree