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of baby-making duty. You can choose from three types of iron supplements: iron sulfate or ferrous sulfate, chelated iron bisglycinate, and ferrous fumarate. Iron sulfate, also listed as ferrous sulfate, can cause upset stomach, black stools, and constipation. The easier types of iron to digest are called chelated iron bisglycinate, ferrous succinate, and ferrous fumarate. If you take separate calcium and iron supplements, take them a few hours apart, because calcium and iron can interfere with each others’ absorption.

Similarly, if you aren’t getting sufficient sunlight on a daily basis, talk with your healthcare provider about taking a vegan vitamin D2 supplement. While some orange juice and soymilk is fortified with vitamin D, it may not be enough to reach the levels required during pregnancy to ensure proper calcium absorption.

In general, vitamin and supplement tablets and oils should be kept away from heat and sunlight and be stored in opaque containers to prevent oxidation and breakdown. Liquid supplements usually are easier for pregnant women to digest and absorb, but chewables seem to be second best. If you’re having a difficult time digesting whole supplements, feel free to cut them into smaller pieces or grind them up and separate the entire dose throughout the day. Chapter 4 provides more detail on choosing vegan supplements.

Awesome snack list for amazing mamas

Snacking is one of the fun parts of pregnancy — you’re encouraged to do it often! Nibbling throughout the day while pregnant can help you maintain a healthy weight and avoid heartburn. If you snack on smaller meals throughout the day rather than gorging on three large meals, your digestion may be easier. Snacking also can help you maintain a steady blood sugar rate, avoid dizziness, and keep nausea at bay.

Choosing nutrient-dense snacks can help you meet your daily requirements for protein, calcium, iron, and other vitamins (see the earlier section “Nutritional know-how: Getting enough of what you need.” Stock your fridge, car, and workplace with several items from this list to snack more healthfully:

Cans of low-sodium vegan bean soups

Carrot sticks and hummus

Dolmas (stuffed grape leaves)

Fortified cereal with berries

Hemp milkshakes with frozen bananas and cashews

Individual boxes of soy, rice, or almond milk

Miso broth

Mixed nuts and seeds, raw or roasted (try to avoid too many salted nuts)

Olives

Organic fruit

Rye crackers with sesame seeds, hummus, and olive tapenade

Soy yogurt with organic dried fruit and slivered almonds

Toasted nori sheets

Whole-grain crackers with mashed avocado and grated carrots

Whole-wheat bagel with almond butter and apple butter

Eat organic fruits and vegetables during your pregnancy. Pesticides and herbicides linger on conventionally raised produce, and they can travel across the placental barrier to your developing fetus.

Discussing the Weighty Issue of Weight Gain

Gaining a healthy amount of weight is truly important for your health and that of your baby. It’s another subject that may cause you grief as a vegan lady who’s got a bun in the oven. Friends and family may worry that you aren’t gaining as much weight as they think you should. Many vegan women are on the skinny side when they conceive so they may not seem as plump as other pregnant women. Whatever you do, don’t let these loved ones guide you. The guidelines set forth by government and health agencies should be your number-one source. Those guidelines, along with healthy vegan foods, can help you maintain a steady, healthy weight gain.

Understanding healthy weight gain

The Institute of Medicine offers reasonable guidelines for U.S. women to aim for when tracking their pregnancy weight. Your midwife or doctor can help you track your gain and offer advice if you feel you’re gaining too much or too little. It’s better for you and the growing babe in your belly if you maintain a steady weight gain.

During your first trimester, a total gain of about 3 to 5 pounds is considered