Lucy Watson refutes allegations that her vegan lifestyle hindered her ability to conceive, emphasizing that fertility struggles are not exclusive to vegans: ‘Substance abusers can conceive – being vegan does not pose a hurdle’

Lucy Watson has responded to claims that being vegan added to her fertility issues and prevented her getting pregnant. 

The former Made In Chelsea star, 32, took to Instagram on Wednesday to announce she is expecting her first child with her husband James Dunmore, 34, as they posed together and revealed their ‘miracle baby’ was on the way. 

On Thursday she posted a Q&A in which she spoke about their ‘painful’ battle to conceive and how she received ‘years of bad news’ before falling pregnant. 

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Following the initial questions, animal rights activist and author Lucy was then asked: ‘How is like being vegan and pregnant? Will you raise your baby vegan?’ to which she revealed she had been grilled over links between her fertility and veganism.

She wrote: ‘I’ve had many people along this journey tell me you need to give up the vegan diet, it’s stopping you getting pregnant. That is not the case. There are people who are crack addicts and get pregnant, being vegan is not going to stop you’.

Hitting back: Lucy Watson has responded to claims that being vegan added to her fertility issues and prevented her getting pregnant

Wow: She shared a slew of snaps of her baby body alongside the Q&A

Hitting back: Following the initial questions, animal rights activist and author Lucy was then asked: ‘How is like being vegan and pregnant? Will you raise your baby vegan?’ to which she revealed she had been grilled over links between her fertility and veganism

Stunner: She looked stunning in the snaps shared alongside her new insights

Diet: When she was then asked about her eating during her first trimester – which she revealed had been trying – she replied: ‘Also, off the back of the last story… obviously I wasn’t eating like that during my first trimester ha’

Earlier in the Q&A, fans asked about her baby journey, and she revealed they ‘had struggles’ over ‘the past few years’ and were faced with ‘bad news after bad news’.

In light of her career moves, which have seen Lucy pen two vegan cook books and open a plant-based restaurant, she was asked about her pregnancy diet. 

She penned: ”So many questions about veganism, whether I’m still vegan etc… for me veganism is a promise I made to the animals, one I will never break. no matter what.

‘In terms of my diet, I’ve made a conscious effort to eat less processed food and more whole foods. Also – protein. I made sure I got at least 60g a day, protein is the building blocks of life and essential to grow a baby.. 

 ‘Very achievable to get everything you need on a vegan diet, you just need to make a conscious effort, such as with any diet, to meet all nutritional needs… 

‘I have also been taking the ritual prenatal throughout lead up to conception and now being pregnant. I’ve had many people along this journey tell me you need to give up the vegan diet, it’s stopping you getting pregnant etc…

‘That is not the case, and for anyone else dealing with the same doubts, I can assure you it is and can be a very healthy approach to pregnancy. There are people who are crack addicts and get pregnant, being vegan is not going to stop you’.

‘and yes, our baby will be vegan’.

When she was then asked about her eating during her first trimester – which she revealed had been trying – she replied: ‘Also, off the back of the last story… obviously I wasn’t eating like that during my first trimester ha…

Foodie: In light of her career moves, which have seen Lucy pen two vegan cook books and open a plant-based restaurant, she was asked about her pregnancy diet

My guy: Lucy shared details of her fertility journey after announcing she is expecting her ‘miracle baby’ earlier in the week

Heartache: Following the reveal, she returned to the photosharing site on Friday to host a Q&A with fans about her baby journey, in which she revealed they ‘had their struggles’ over ‘the past few years’ and were faced with ‘bad news after bad news’

‘I was purely trying to survive and ate what I could. I spoke to the doctor about it as I was concerned about how little I could stomach/keep down…

‘They assured me it would be fine and to just get through that time eating what I could – incase anyone else is worried about this. Now I’m back to eating how I ate pre conception and so grateful to be able to!’

When she was asked about her exercise habits when she was trying to conceive, she replied: ‘I haven’t & whilst TTC I really eased off. I read a lot about how overexercising can effect implantation etc and it’s just one of the many changes I made to try to help get pregnant…

‘It may not have made a difference for all I know, but I do know that cortisol can be bad for fertility. I stuck to Pilates / yoga and since being pregnant l’ve done nothing but daily walks (barely moved first few months due to sickness)…

‘It’s been hard as I’ve watched my muscle deteriorate & mentally I haven’t felt as good not exercising, but I’m slowly starting to get back into it now I’m further along…

‘think there can be a lot of anxiety around exercise in the first trimester which I definitely had & didn’t feel worth risking for me.

Would like to point out I’ve had plenty of friends get pregnant whilst exercising, it’s just one of the many things I tried on my journey’.

When she was first asked about their baby journey, Lucy wrote: ‘There were times when it felt like bad news after bad news, it was never ending and the light at the end of the tunnel felt faint…

‘We have seen so many specialists over the last few years and there were times when I wasn’t sure if this could ever happen for us. We know there are people out there who have it was worse and for everyone struggling, I see you and feel your pain.’

Lucy and James married in a lavish ceremony in 2021 after meeting on the reality show and on Tuesday revealed they are set to become three. 

Touching: Fans were keen to know why she had branded their baby ‘a little miracle’ in her announcement post, with one of her 1.1m followers writing: ‘Why did you write miracle baby? Did you struggle to conceive?’

In love: The reality star-come-author announced her engagement to her partner James in September 2020, after meeting on the E4 set of Made In Chelsea in 2015

Fans were keen to know why she had branded their baby ‘a little miracle’ in her announcement post, with one of her 1.1m followers writing: ‘Why did you write miracle baby? Did you struggle to conceive?’

Lucy replied: ‘A lot of people asking this. I genuinely believe every baby is a miracle, but yes we did have our struggles. I think we went into it like most, thinking it would happen easily. It was most definitely not the case for us…

‘There were times when it felt like bad news after bad news, it was never ending and the light at the end of the tunnel felt faint…

‘We have seen so many specialists over the last few years and there were times when I wasn’t sure if this could ever happen for us. We know there are people out there who have it was worse and for everyone struggling, I see you and feel your pain.’

Lucy was then asked: ‘How many weeks are you?’, to which she revealed: ‘I hope everyone understands I won’t be sharing specific dates but I will say we are having a little Pisces baby’, meaning her baby is due between February 19 and March 20.

When one fan queried: ‘Will you find out your baby’s gender? Congratulations btw’, Lucy replied: ‘Thank you. We are finding out very soon and will definitely share at some point! What do you think? Boy or girl?’, while she attached an Instagram poll. 

Pisces baby: Lucy was then asked: ‘How many weeks are you?’, to which she revealed: ‘I hope everyone understands I won’t be sharing specific dates but I will say we are having a little Pisces baby’, meaning her baby is due between February 19 and March 20

Touching: In another search for advice, a follower asked Lucy: ‘How can I support someone who is struggling to conceive?’

In another search for advice, a follower asked Lucy: ‘How can I support someone who is struggling to conceive?’

She replied: ‘I love this question. It can be a very lonely and depressing time. I know for me it was all consuming. It can be hard for friends and family to know what to say… I get that…

Sometimes too many questions is too much and  then not asking at all makes you feel slightly unseen. I think just letting someone know you’re there for them, checking in on how they are feeling…

‘I would avoid saying things like “if you just relax it will happen” or “when you stop thinking about it it will happen”. There kind of things are unhelpful. Also avoiding them or the topic, not nice. 

‘People need to know you’re a safe space and they will open up about it if that’s what they want to do.’

On the subject of the pregnancy thus far, a fan asked: ‘Did you have any morning sickness? You look amazing and congratulations’

She replied: ‘Because of what we’ve been through to get here, I always said I would never be someone who complains when I finally do get pregnant… but wow the 1st trimester & . I think I was nauseous/throwing up until about 14 weeks…

‘Everything and I mean EVERYTHING made me feel sick. I literally hated food. I found I could stomach green apples & crackers. I was basically living off apples lol. Baby may come out looking like this’. 

Guess what? When one fan queried: ‘Will you find out your baby’s gender? Congratulations btw’, Lucy replied: ‘Thank you. We are finding out very soon and will definitely share at some point! What do you think? Boy or girl?’, while she attached an Instagram poll

Announcement: On the subject of the pregnancy thus far, a fan asked: ‘Did you have any morning sickness? You look amazing and congratulations’

Before: Lucy and James are pictured on the show together in 2015 a year before both deciding to quit 

One follower reached out to Lucy to ask for advice on how to cope, saying: ‘Struggling TTC [Trying to conceive] – any tips? Finding it so so hard’. 

Lucy responded: ‘I have soooo much advice on this topic & as a lot of you will know my personality, when I want something (or in this case, someone ® ). I will do everything in my power to get there.

‘I’ve done so much research over the last few years as well as spoken to experts in the field.  I would be happy to share what I’ve learnt, maybe a YouTube video or something. Is this something people would want?’

Her younger sibling Tiffany welcomed her first child – a son named Jude – with her footballer husband Cameron McGeehan in June. 

The reality star-come-author announced her engagement to her partner James in September 2020, after meeting on the E4 set of Made In Chelsea in 2015.

She quit the show a year later.

She spent four years alongside her fellow Sloane Rangers on the hit show before deciding to start her own vegan restaurant, Tell Your Friends, the jewellery line Creature and a series of cookbooks.

She famously dated the likes of Andy Jordan, Jamie Laing and lothario Spencer Matthews during her time on screens.

Last year James opened up about married life with Lucy in an exclusive chat with MailOnline, following their sun-soaked Seychelles honeymoon.

Lucy and James tied the knot in a romantic Kefalonia ceremony in 2021, but the star admitted that the label didn’t change much for the couple.

Parents: Her younger sibling Tiffany welcomed her first child – a son named Jude – with her footballer husband Cameron McGeehan in June