What One Mom Said to Insult ALL Pregnant Women

Oh no, she didn't! Yes, she did! Australian blogger Loni Jane Anthony, who made news for going on an extreme diet that consisted almost exclusively of fruit, has opened her big mouth again, and this time she's managed to insult pregnant women everywhere! After she displayed what many critics considered to be an eating disorder while pregnant, often called pregorexia, she gave birth to a healthy baby boy, weighing in at 8 pounds, 7 ounces (thank God!). So, of course, outspoken Loni is now saying she is "living proof you don't have to become a whale while you're pregnant." Exqueeze me!

I think I speak for any woman who has ever been pregnant when I say, "How dare you?" When you're pregnant you are no longer in control of the shape of your body. Yes, it's smart to watch what you eat when you're pregnant, and too much overindulgence in those out-of-control pregnancy cravings can be bad news (leading to bigger, heavier babies, which equals a harder labor for you, and possible obesity in your kid's future). But enough of the fat shaming! It's bad enough when it comes from the media. I don't think women should be doing it to each other!

I also don't think most women want to hear the criticism from Loni, whose radical fruit diet sounds a little nuts. She admitted to eating mostly bananas (up to 20 a day!), drinking fruit smoothies and occasionally pairing it with a salad for dinner. Mom to new son Rowdy, Loni says, "You don't have to put on heaps of weight and never bounce back—you can stay really healthy." She gained about 37 pounds while pregnant, and says she lost 22 pounds within days of giving birth. Loni says her son is the picture of health—"feeding like a machine," "sleeping," and "happy." She also says she's making plenty of breast milk, so that her diet is completely fine.

While I completely believe you can be a healthy vegetarian or vegan with a bun in the oven, I still wouldn't advise any other mom-to-be to follow Loni's lead with her extreme dieting. The Mayo Clinic says the diet of a pregnant woman should consist of nutrients like folic acid, calcium, vitamin D, protein, and iron, which can be obtained through the consumption of foods such as spinach, beans, milk, yogurt, salmon, eggs, lentils, and poultry. It is suggested that pregnant women have a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein.

Since Loni's diet is short in protein—which helps with growth and repair of tissues—and several essential vitamins and minerals, including iron, calcium, and zinc, it can lead to the baby taking calcium from her bones and leaving Loni susceptible to osteoporosis later in life.

According to the New York Daily News, Loni says, "I'm consuming more good fats because I'm breastfeeding, but other than that, I'm eating the same." And she plans to raise son Rowdy with the same diet. "I'm thriving on a plant-based diet, so why wouldn't (my baby)? If I believe that the way I eat is the best way possible, then why would I let him eat any other way?"

TELL US: Do you think Loni's diet is healthy for her and her son?

Image of Loni Jane Anthony and son Rowdy via Instagram.