Soy Milk for Babies - Poison or Panacea?

We are just beginning to wean our 10 month old baby boy.

I'm not a big fan of cow milk but the kid loves his 'milk' and sleeps better with a full tummy of warm creamy stuff.

We've been trying different alternatives: soy, rice, oat and soy is his favorite.

Now I'm no beginner when it comes to health and diet, it's a 20 year passion, but I never really looked at soy, as it was never a part of my own diet.

Some tout it as the miracle food of the 21st century, others suggest it is quite toxic (phyto eostrogens, isoflavones etc.) and the soy industry is one big conspiracy.

I imagine the truth is somewhere inbetween as usual, but not sure which way to lean at this time.

My jury is still out on this one, but I'd appreciate any good, BALANCED info or links if anyone out there has done the research.

Much appreciated.

RT.

I hope this is in the correct forum.

[edit on 14-1-2008 by RogerT]

To tell you the truth, "I am from the old school", well no as old as my mother's cooked bash of home made formula but when it comes to your child, organic Cow milk (unless the baby is allergic) should be the main milk at least until he is three years old.

After that anything can replace regular milk.

[edit on 14-1-2008 by marg6043]

Roger,

Evidence can be found to support either side of the coin in this one. Both have plusses and minuses it seems. For sure if using cow milk, this is one case where IMHO it pays to go organic or at least hormone and anibiotic free.

If we were to go with animal milk I would rather goat, as it seems more similar to human milk than cow. Unfortunately, I can't find that in our local area.

He tends to puke with cow milk, so he may be a little lactose intolerant, although cheese is ok, as is sour cream, so not sure, but too much milk often comes back, and the soy doesn't.

Depending where you live, here in my littler neck of the woods you can find goat milk at Sam's Club, Publix and I think I seen it at Wal-Mart, no sure but perhaps where you find the can milk.

Originally posted by RogerT
He tends to puke with cow milk, so he may be a little lactose intolerant, although cheese is ok, as is sour cream, so not sure, but too much milk often comes back, and the soy doesn't.

You go with what works. He will get to solid stuff sooner than later anyway so his percentage of soy milk should drop.

Originally posted by marg6043
when it comes to your child, organic Cow milk (unless the baby is allergic) should be the main milk at least until he is three years old.

really? did you have a baby cow? If not, I would suggest HUMAN milk, or human baby formula.

as for soy, every single container I have ever seen states in bold "not to be used as a replacement for formula." So take that as you will.

Originally posted by scientist
really? did you have a baby cow? If not, I would suggest HUMAN milk, or human baby formula.

Breast milk is the best, but feeding in that manner past say a year or so often becomes difficult.

as for soy, every single container I have ever seen states in bold "not to be used as a replacement for formula." So take that as you will.

There are soy based infant formulas avalible for those with cow milk intolerance. We use them in the hospital and you can find them at stores. The biggest issue with soy versus milk is that soy has less protine than cows milk which a infant needs.

Originally posted by FredT
The biggest issue with soy versus milk is that soy has less protine than cows milk which a infant needs.

just to clarify, its not protein from cows milk that is needed, but protein.

cows milk is used to help baby cows gain hundreds of pounds in a short period of time. It's pasteurized for a reason - because it's not suitable for healthy, human consumption. This is yet another conspiracy that's been pushed forward by the dairy industry.

Yes breast milk is good and so formula, but as in my experience you can only breast feed for so long and I had one that could not take any formula.

So again base on experience, what it works for me may work for you or somebody else or may not.

Is all about trial and error.

I happen to like cows and cow milk, is that a problem?

hah, no nothing wrong with it. I'm just opposed to people spreading bad information. Just because it works, and you've done it.. doesn't make it right

I used to be the Milkman, drank almost a gallon everyday. Honestly,the only reason I switched to soy at first was because I preferred the taste. After I switched, I started feeling MUCH better, so I did research on milk and health. That's where all the crazyness came from

I found these links about soy milk not being good for babies and infants.

Is Soy Milk Dangerous For Babies?

www.wbaltv.com...

UCB Parents Advice about Eating
Soy Milk

parents.berkeley.edu...

Can We Trust Alternatives to Milk-Based Formulas?

www.encyclopedia.com...

reply to post by scientist


Well I am in my 40s I have been a three glass or more (now fat free) cow milk drinker and I just like the milk, I have no problems with it.

Now as for soil milk I have tried the stuff and can not stand it.

But is all about preferences and taste for adults but with babies is a different matter, actually I just found out that soil milk may no be so good after all for babies.

reply to post by marg6043


ya, soy milk is apparently not a great thing to give babies. It's printed on just about every soy milk container you can find.

Plus, I'm not against milk as a whole - I mean I still have ice cream, and I still use milk in cooking.

Just look a little more into the whole milk / dairy industry. Who ever said milk was good for you? Take a guess... same people that make money when you drink said product.

I will have to agree with you, on the corporate angle of it, I am very picky when it comes on what I buy.

But I have very good memories of milk carts full of real creamy milk before it came the pasteurization process, my mother used to do that at home the whole boiling process, when I was a child, by the time I was a pre-teen the milk was brought to the house by a milk man in glass bottles, the taste has deteriorated through the years.

To me milk in plastic gallons taste like the plastic is contained in.

[edit on 14-1-2008 by marg6043]

Soy has a naturally occurring chemical that mimics estrogen in the human body. It is NOT recommended for consumption by young developing children and particularly boys.

If you want your son to have feminine features, then by all means go ahead.

reply to post by Terapin


although I don't claim to know everything about soy, I have read numerous times that the estrogen thing, while based in true science, is an over exaggerated rumor.

www.soymilkquick.com...

In a recent study looking at soy's affect on reproductive health in healthy males, men given 40 mg of soy isoflavones daily for 2 months (there are 20 mg of isoflavones in 1 cup of soy milk; 38 mg in 1/2 cup of tofu), there were no effects on serum sex hormones, testicular volume, or semen quality. This was deemed the first study to examine the effects of a phytoestrogen supplement on reproductive health in males. (Mitchell et al., Clinical Science 100(6):613-618, 2001 June)

also from that link:

[phytoestrogen (in soy)] can also act like antiestrogens, reducing the effects of naturally-produced estrogen. This is one reason that soy might possibly be protective against the development of some types of breast cancer which are stimulated by estrogen.

[edit on 14-1-2008 by scientist]

reply to post by Terapin


Funny that didn't even cross my mind, the link to estrogen, until now, soy milk is actually recommended to help pre menopause symptoms in females.

reply to post by marg6043


Thanks Marg for the links.

I'm way skeptical of 'fad science' so not really put off by the 'new' discoveries on soy and phytoeostrogens. I did the extreme diet thing for over a decade and found it to be mostly hooey, with one man's poison another man's panacea.

From your links, this quote rang bells of common sense for me:

"1. Soy has been eaten in great quantities by many people for hundreds (if not thousands) of years. It has not been shown to be harmful, even in high doses.

2. Phytoestrogens are very weak. Our environment is full of chemically produced estrogens that are even stronger than those produced by the human body. Because of the way estrogens lock into estrogen receptors in the body, current thought is that it is better for these receptors to be locked up with mild plant estrogens than with strong chemical estrogens."

but of course that could be just because I want the soy to be ok

I'm with the Scientist on the 'cow milk for cows', although I believe that in small quantities, raw, organic whole cow milk can be very beneficial in certain circumstances.

I guess we will keep our eye on Justin and see how he responds over time. Right now, he is doing well on the soy, which supplements/replaces the constant nighttime breastfeeding he was used to. he's been eating solids from around 3 months, so it isn't his only source of nutrition.

Children's reaction to soy varies. I think there is no harm in soy milk in general, but:

when we tried to supplement cow milk with an occasional cup of soy milk, our baby girl threw up like there was no tomorrow. After having done this experiment twice, we decided to stay away from it. I love soy milk myself, by the way.