soya milk and babies , advice please

[veggiewoman]

From yet another friend in need ,lol :

Any advice welcome.
I and my mother have a milk intolerance. I decided to introduce my son to Cow's milk slowly (on his weetabix) from about 8 months. He started to show the same side-effects that I get (excessive mucus, tummy aches), so I switched to soya milk on his cereal and the mucus cleared away almost immediately.
L is now coming up to 12 months old (when toddlers can have milk as a main drink)and I was intending to give him Soya Milk as a daytime drink. A friend has told me however that Soya Milk shouldn't be given to infants at all as there is a potential link with breast cancer (as told by a doctor). I know that men can develop breast cancer as well as women so now I am worried that I'm doing the wrong thing. He only has such a small amount at the moment but when his (non-breast) milk intake increases I'm worrying what to do for the best.

Any advice would be most welcome

[Maisiepaisie]

From yet another friend in need ,lol :

A friend has told me however that Soya Milk shouldn't be given to infants at all as there is a potential link with breast cancer (as told by a doctor). I wouldn't listen to nutritional advice from non vegan doctors. I never heard that before. I haven't read it but I've heard this (http://www.vegansociety.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=1&products_id=242) book recommended several times.

[Tigerlily]

If you are worried about the soy, you can always feed him rice milk.

[herbwormwood]

soya milk should not be fed to young babies, not because it is harmful to them, but because it does not contain enough fat. Breast milk and formula contains the right balance of protein, fat and carbohydrate, soya milk doesn't. Babies have to be fed the right balance of fat,or they will not develop properly. Their needs are quite different to older children and adults.
On my carton of soya milk it says it can be introduced as part of the diet at 6 months, and as a main milk source from 2 years. Hope this helps.

[Risker]

Doesn't look likely from the information given by a quick search on google.

http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=soy+milk+%22breast+cancer%22&btnG=Google+Search&meta=

[Maisiepaisie]

Veggiewoman did you know they make soya infant formula?

[cookey]

I wouldn't worry about the cancer angle at all. Bristol Cancer Help Centre advocate a vegan diet for cancer prevention and recovery. Once a child is 1 they should be eating scaled down versions of adult food anyway. They do need more fat, but they don't have to get it from the milk they drink. Soya milk generally has calcium added so is still a good source of protein and calcium. I still add more fat to my children's food than I would to mine and they're 8 and 6.
G.P's have very little training in nutrition ( I think less than one day!) so shouldn't really give advice unless they have had extra training.
Don't worry to much, I stopped giving mine formula milk at around age one and gave them water or soya milk or watered down juice to drink and a good balanced vegan diet. They seem to be turning out just fine!
This site may have some more info:
www.veganfamily.co.uk

[veggiewoman]

Veggiewoman did you know they make soya infant formula?

nope, I didn't . Where can I search for them or do you know of any products available in the shops that I can recommend?
Thanks for all your help and tips everybody :)

[cookey]

I used to use Farley's which says it's vegan.

[psychocandy]

I use farley's soya formula for my daughter. As far as i am aware it is only available from Boots stores (not all stores sell it though).

[moonshadow]

i'd go along with soy milk being okay for an baby over 12 months, but not as a main milk source.

my girliewhirl is still on the boob (presently, in fact!) but she gets soy milk in her porridge and soy yoghurt on a regular basis, too.

i've heard of farley's being vegan, but have never looked into it.

if your boy is still on the boob, try keeping him there until he's two and you should have no worries :)

[VeganMata]

yes what moonshadow said..keep him on the boob!! myy dd gets all her vitamins,fat protein etc from that. pretty much everywhere in the world except american and perhaps parts of eurpoe mothers breastfeed their babies til the age of 3 or 4. thats all baby needs milk wise (along with solid foods of course) .and no farleys formula is NOT vegan,there is no such thing as vegan formula.

HTH!

[psychocandy]

) .and no farleys formula is NOT vegan,there is no such thing as vegan formula.

HTH!

Then why is it registered with the vegan society in the UK then AND contains NO animal ingredients?

[thecatspajamas1]

Are you still lactating? Human breastmilk is the best for babies, and you could use a breastpump if you feel he is too old to breastfeed.

[VeganMata]

check the source of their vitamin D. either way formula isnt healthy for ANYONE!
did you perhaps adopt? its hard to nurse adopted babies but it can be done ;)



sarah..i,too,eat nutritional yeast by the spoonful...esp while preggo!!

[cookey]

I would agree that breastfeeding is best all round if it can be done and should be encouraged, but it doesn't work for everyone.
I really hated breastfeeding and it made me feel miserable every time I had to do it, even though I had seen my mother do it for years with my younger siblings.
I'm really glad there was a vegan soya formula available for my daughters so that when I felt exhusted from trying to cope on my own with two under twos, I didn't have to turn to cows milk.

[VeganMata]

2% of the worlds population really and truly can not breastfeed. ppl dont realize the number is so tiny. so i can totally undertsand that tiny 2% wanting formula..although there are milk banks that provide human breastmilk..i'd take that route first before going near formula.
and why is it that humans are the only species that actually thinks we can feed our young something completely artifical?!?!? you dont see any other animals doing that or feeding their young another animal's milk.
breast is simply not best, it is the standard. ANYTHING else is sub-standard.

and yeah i admit i dont always want to bf..sometimes im in the middle of something and its the last thing i wanna do but then i realize how my baby NEEDS it and its the best thing for her so i put my silly selfishness aside and nurse,kwim?

[cookey]

I think we are all pro breastfeeding here and also vegan so would not advocate the use of other animals milk in place of human milk.
If only our physical limitations were all that held us back in life! Instead we are influenced by a mixture of social, psycological and environmental experiences. There are many reasons why a woman may not choose to breastfeed and this may include particularly bad experiences during their childhood or very challenging situations while trying to raise their child. I wouldn't want for a person in this situation to be made to feel guilty, wrong or selfish for choosing to use a vegan formula. Rather I would want them to feel supported and loved as a fellow vegan parent.
At the same time as campaigning for the world to be more supportive and accomadating of breastfeeding, as a vegan, I would also like there to be a better choice of formula milk. I would prefer that this milk came from an atrificial and so cruelty free route than from another animal.

[psychocandy]

I totally agree with previous post. Just because a woman isnt breast feeding doesnt mean they havent are are against it quite the opposite for most. I dont know of anyone who thinks that breastfeeding isnt best. Like already mentioned there are a whole variety of reasons a woman cant or stop for example birth trauma,illness,surgery or etc.For most they can overcome the initial feeding problems and others not. I was so relieved to find a vegan formula (have also breastfed) and not have to use cow's milk formula. So yeah for the last time there IS a vegan formula available (uk)should anyone want to use it.

[VeganMata]

great points mamas!! BUT let me point out again if you do have these issues you can always have a wet nurse or go to a milk bank as well it's much better andsafer for your baby than formula ;)