Some people make such a big deal about vegetarianism that I feel I should say that every time I meet someone. I, honestly, don't see the big deal. Now how about this one:

"Hi I'm pregnant and a vegetarian."

That's even more of a big deal!

Before I start on that issue let me tell you a little about myself. Like I said, my name is Danica, and I'm 19 years old. I've been "veg" since I was about 11 or 12 (I don't think it's a big deal, so I really don't keep track). As a child I never really liked meat, but I ate it (reluctantly) anyway, because I thought it was just something you had to do. Then one day I met a woman named Dee. She didn't eat ANY meat!! I didn't know that was OK - you ate what was on your plate, no questions asked. I asked her about it, why she didn't eat it, what she did eat.

"WOW I didn't know that you could just not eat meat!" That was my response to her explanation. She just softly said, " It's a little more complicated than that" and proceeded to tell me that you need to make up for the vitamins you're missing and such. I wasn't sure how this whole thing worked, so I asked, "How do I do that?"

Knowing I was young, she told me to talk to my mom about it. I did, and my mother just told me to try it if I wanted too. It was as simple as that. Now back to being pregnant. I was 17 when I got pregnant. Now I probably know what you're all thinking: "That's too young! What kind of girl is she? Does she know the father? Are they still together??" I'll let you know about all of that. Yes, that is too young for many people, but I think I'm handling it well. I don't drink, do drugs, or party; my partying and "goof off" years are no more. It takes a lot of growing up and maturity to be a good teen mother.

About the rest of those questions: yes, I am still with my daughter's father, and he was the first and only person I've had sex with. I think in being a vegetarian, you should have respect for your body and your health in every aspect. That, for me, is including partners and drug use. This is the only body I have. If you're concerned enough about your health to stop eating meat, you should be concerned with everything about it.

Back to my pregnancy: I really didn't have any problems with my pregnancy that weren't normal. I gained weight normally, had a very healthy 7-pound, 4-ounce baby girl, and all without eating a spec of meat. Of course, there was a big uproar in my family and my boyfriend's family (all except my parents) about me staying vegetarian. I talked to my doctor about it, and she suggested maybe trying some chicken or turkey but if I wasn't going to, just to take all my prenatal vitamins and eat healthy. So that's what I did. I also took extra iron supplements.

Eating healthy can be somewhat of a challenge when you're pregnant, with cravings for ice cream at 2:00 am, but I fared pretty well. I ate the same things that I do now: veggie-burgers, tofu, tons of peanut butter, lots of veggies, stuff like that. If you are a well-balanced eater being vegetarian, you should be OK while pregnant. I tried to avoid being a "junk food vegetarian," which is what I call buying only boxed, pre-packaged meals and food. Some of it is pretty tempting, but think about it - if you're insistent on having organic food, well… take a look at the ingredients, TONS of chemicals. By the way, this is in no way an encouragement for teens to get pregnant, it's just a reassurance that you will be OK if you are vegetarian and pregnant, if you eat healthy.

Now my daughter is one and a half, and she is not fully vegetarian. But she is lactose intolerant, so she drinks a lot of soy and rice milk. I always get the enriched kind, because it's got all the vitamins and calcium you'd be missing if you don't drink milk - without the nasty side effects of drinking milk. I pretty much feed her what I eat, but she does eat some meat. Anyone with an almost-2-year-old child can tell you its very hard to get them to eat anything so limiting my child's diet, for me, was not the right choice. The main reason I chose to have my child eat meat is that it is her choice, and at this age she isn't old enough to make that kind of decision. It was my choice to make, and I believe she has that same choice. Everyone has their own reasons for being vegetarian, and if my daughter decides to be one, I want it to be for her own reasons or beliefs, not mine. I will educate her on the pros and cons, and of course I'll try to encourage her to become veggie. I do not oppose any other parents choice on their child's eating habits. To each his or her own. Everyone has different opinions on this issue, and I've expressed mine. I hope that if you choose to have your child be a vegetarian, you do your research well, and make sure your growing child gets all the nutrients necessary.

--Danica has been a vegetarian since middle school, and she has worked for Defenders of Wildlife. She says that it was the most rewarding and meaningful job she's ever had, working as a "door-to-door-tree-hugger."