A 25-year-old British mom is facing heavy criticism after proclaiming on social media that her 7-month-old baby subsists on an entirely vegan diet.
What are the details?
Tasj Rose, who lives in Newcastle upon Tyne, told the New York Post that a recent video in which she said that she was raising her infant to be vegan sparked a heavy discussion about parenting and the health of developing babies.
In the original video, Rose appeared with her daughter, Oak, and announced that she’d be subjecting her daughter to a vegan diet.
One user railed, “[Babies] need meat in their diets. This has absolutely nothing to do with what’s best [for your baby] — it’s you being selfish.”
Another added that Child Protective Services ought to be called in to take custody of the child.
“If that baby ever develops any health issues because of that, you’re guilty of child abuse — you’re incriminating yourself,” another user wrote, according to the Sun.
Rose told the outlet that she won’t let critics get her down and that she’s sticking by her convictions.
“I love animals and don’t agree with using them for our own means,” Rose insisted, adding that her 7-month-old daughter gets all the nutrition she needs from breastmilk, fruits, vegetables, beans, and seeds. “I believe cow’s milk is for baby cows, and human milk is for baby humans.”
“I am able to consent to who drinks or takes my milk from me, animals are not,” she added.
Rose said that those criticizing her are merely uneducated and have “ill-formed opinions without evidence or research to back them up.”
The Post pointed out, however, that while some studies state that comprehensive and well-balanced vegetarian and vegan diets can be appropriate for all ages — including infants and toddlers — others note that such eating restrictions can negatively impact growth, bone health, and more.
In 2019, a Florida couple were charged in their 18-month-old son’s death after he passed away due to malnutrition. The child reportedly only consumed bananas, avocados, and other raw fruits and vegetables to sustain him. At the time of his death, the child weighed as much as a child less than half his age.
@tasjrose Look at her little wave tho 😭 #OakFaolán #BabyOak #Oak #babiesoftiktok #yesiam #veganbaby