vegan infant milk?

[Geoff_N]

We were lucky and able to breastfeed our babies but now one of those is having their own infant soon and breastfeeding is not going to be an option. I can remember being able to buy 'follow-on' soya-based milk for 6 months onwards over 30 years ago but what about these days? A quick search on the web and in Boots and I can only find cows milk with fish oil added - so not even veggie let alone vegan for new born babies!

Has any member come across a brand of baby milk for new born available in the UK?

[Enchantress]

Heinz Nurture Soya Formula looks like it should be okay.
http://www.heinzbaby.co.uk/products/...wder-can).aspx
http://www.auravita.com/product/Hein...adid=HENZ10820

[Geoff_N]

Thanks.
Weirdly your first link is Heinz Nurture and if you look at the ingredients tab it contains fish http://www.heinzbaby.co.uk/products/...wder-can).aspx

but the second link, which is also Heinz Nurture but for a slightly different product doesn't.

Amazing that so many parents don't mind their infants having ingredients from dead animals!

Geoff

[Enchantress]

My first link must have re-directed. Look at the soya formula under the "specialist milks" tab

[Geoff_N]

Yes, I did that too. Heinz believe that babies should only have vegan soya milk on medical advice. My son has been told this too by other milk producers. The power of the dairy industry is awesome awful.

[Sunkist]

Farleys used to do a Vegan soya formula, -which my nephew used to have,(my sister didn't breastfeed and he was raised on cow milk formula until he got an allergic reaction and asthma attacks at only 6 months of age - She was advised to switch him over to Soya formula milk 'on medical advice' and he's been fine ever since.

You used to be able to buy it in Boots , but I was told a while ago that you can only get it by mail-order now

[Pob]

We saw that Heinz soya baby formula in a supermarket the other day. Can't remember which one or where.

[veganf]

I would definitely look in to donor breastmilk. Even if soy formula is used, it should be supplemented with donor breastmilk a few times per day for optimal brain growth.

[veganf]

Yes, I did that too. Heinz believe that babies should only have vegan soya milk on medical advice. My son has been told this too by other milk producers. The power of the dairy industry is awesome awful.

It's not just the dairy industry at work here, but it is medically sound advice not to use exclusively soy formula in infancy if possible. Babies need dietary cholesterol for the first 2 years of life for optimal brain development, which should normally come from human breastmilk.
Soy formula is not a very healthy alternative (of course neither is dairy formula). It is made from highly processed (usually not organic) soy protein isolates, and corn syrup (also usually not organic), plus a chemical slurry of various vitamins, minerals, oils, etc. Also, soy products are common allergens as well, so soy formula is not always the solution for babies with allergies.

[Geoff_N]

Thanks folks. The scares over soy products in the 1990s still pervade some websites - ie the plant oestrogen may cause hormonal problems long term. Sadly the UK IPP baby milk, which was organic and veggie is to be made with fish oil and animal rennet from January. It seems a shame that in the UK there are hardly any veggie let alone vegan non-soy baby milks for babies for whom a breastfeeding mum is not an option.

donor breastmilk is a good idea, though mainly for the immunity to disease options it provides rather than optimal brain growth I would have thought. The latter being available from other sources of omega fats.

Aren't babies complicated?

[veganf]

rather than optimal brain growth I would have thought. The latter being available from other sources of omega fats.

No, because cholesterol and fatty acids are not the same things. Obviously omega 3's and DHA are also important to add to a baby's diet (or to a breastfeeding/donating mother's diet before baby is 6 months).

[Sunkist]

No, because cholesterol and fatty acids are not the same things. Obviously omega 3's and DHA are also important to add to a baby's diet (or to a breastfeeding/donating mother's diet before baby is 6 months).

This is what I thought,- I hope you manage to find some donor milk or maybe a wetnurse?

[sandra]

There are quite a few soya formulations for babies out there. I don't see why soya should be queried anymore than cow's milk. There are numerous hormones (natural and not so natural) in cow's milk and yet people feed that to their infants without question.

If it was me, I would prefer to give my baby a soya based formula rather than cow's milk formula.

[cookey]

I used Farleys soya formula for both my babies, although I also breastfed for a short while, and they had a period of mixed feeding. At the time, Farleys was the only one that was certified by the Vegan Society. I think the product is now made by Heinz.