soy milk for my baby?

[sncmom]

Hi knowledgeable mamas,
I was hoping you all could help me decide whether or not to add soy milk to my baby's diet. She's 19 months old, has cerebral palsy, lots of oral issues and difficulty eating. She's off the charts for weight, I think around 20 lbs or so at present, and needs lots of extra calories. I pumped for her until 13 months, and since then she has been on cow's milk products (milk, half-and-half). ALso eats a lot of whole milk yogurt and a special pudding I make her with heavy cream. We struggle a LOT with constipation, takes miralax every day (which bums me out but seems really necessary). She won't drink juice or eat any of the poop-producing fruits at present. I know some of her constipation issues are due to her CP and low trunk tone, but I suspect that some of it is also due to her high-fat/low-volume diet (not optional to decrease fat at this time) and some is due to all the dairy. Her nutritionist wants me to mix her cow milk with soy milk so she gets a non-dairy protein source.
I am hesitant about this because I am concerned about phytoestrogens in so young a girl and also because (despite labeling) it is often hard to find truly organic soy milk. I have considered rice milk and almond milk, both of which have very little protein and lots of sugars. Hazelnut milk is a little better, but still doesn't have as much protein as she probably needs. The amount of soy milk she'd be getting a day is not much, likely less than 8 oz/day total. I know she tolerates soy b/c she was on soy formula (as a caloric supplement to breastmilk) when we were trying to figure out her reflux issues.
So anyway. Sorry this is so long, it is just kind of complicated. Any thoughts about the soy milk? WWYD in my shoes?
Peace and thanks so much,
Rachel

[mama1803]

Have you considered hemp milk?

http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/n...-of-hemp-milk/

[Natsuki]

What about coconut milk? That is very high in fat but a healthier source .

[sahmmie]

I would not use soy for several reasons. First as you mentioned the phytoestrogens can be dangerous for developing children, but also because soy is one of the most (if not THE most) genetically engineered crop in America. I don't touch soy for that reason.

Secondly, soy can indeed be very constipating. My son had issues with constipation as an infant due to a condition called DGE (Delayed Gastric Emptying) and low motility. I tried soy a few times with him (before doing the research I later did on soy) and his constipation worsened considerably.

Here are some natural remedies that worked very well for my son's constipation.

1. Flax Seed Oil (I used to put a teaspoon or two into his oatmeal each morning. As he got older he'd take it by spoon, as do my older children. They never minded the taste, but if she won't take it try sneaking into her food, but never cook it.)

2. Pear Juice and Prune Juice. I know you said she won't drink juice but you don't need much to get the desired result. My son would not drink juice either. I used to put about 1/2 ounce of each into his morning bottle and his evening bottle, and later when he quit the bottle I'd add it to his oatmeal.

3. Benefiber. This stuff works wonders and it's all natural. I used to put 1/2 a teaspoon into his oatmeal each morning.* You can add it to anything. It's colorless and tasteless. Just be sure she is getting at least a few ounces of liquid with each dose. Water is essential with fiber.

*I used to refer to my son's morning oatmeal concoction as my "little science project" because of all of the little tricks I tried to get him to move his bowels. The three above remedies are what finally got things moving. If I missed even one day of this regimen he'd be blocked up the next day.

4. Plenty of water. Sometimes constipation is caused or worsened by dehydration. Make sure she is getting enough to drink.

BTW my son also had reflux, as did my 2nd child. There seems to be a connection between reflux and low motility/DGE.

Anyway my son was a terrible eater for a very long time and would not eat any fruits or veggies. I started pureeing fruits and veggies for him and sneaking them into his foods which really helped. You can sneak some purees into her yogurt and she probably wouldn't even notice. Pears and peaches are great for constipation. Apples not so good. (Apples contain pectin which can be binding).

Broccoli is one of the foods that almost always helped my son poop. I used to puree it by the bushel!!! I'd use pear juice and water for a liquid. He'd eat it plain which I know your daughter probably won't and it probably wouldn't taste very good in yogurt, but broccoli works so well that I have to urge you to try pureeing it and getting her to eat it somehow by mixing it into something she does like.

Good luck!! I know how challenging it can be.

[Sayward]

Personally, I am much more concerned about the very real mammalian hormones in dairy milk, than I am about the estrogen-like compounds found in plants. This is my own personal belief, but here is an example of what I'm talking about:

"Japan had been devastated by losing a war and was occupied by American troops. Americanization included dietary changes. Milk and dairy products were becoming a significant part of the Japanese diet. According to this study, the per-capita yearly dietary intake of dairy products in 1950 was only 5.5 pounds. Twenty- five years later, the average Japanese ate 117.4 pounds of milk and dairy products.

In 1950, the average twelve-year old Japanese girl was 4'6" tall and weighed 71 pounds. By 1975, the average Japanese girl, after changing her diet to include milk and dairy products containing 59 different bioactive hormones, had grown an average of 4 1/2 inches and gained 19 pounds. In 1950, the average Japanese girl had her first menstrual cycle at the age of 15.2 years. Twenty five years later, after a daily intake of estrogen and progesterone from milk, the average Japanese girl was ovulating at the age of 12.2 years, three years younger."
-from here

Keep in mind, this study is referring to the *naturally occurring* hormones found in milk, not the added rBST hormones that people avoid by buying organic and local dairies.


So for me, I would definitely try to add something else to displace some of the dairy. Whether it be soy (which is non-GMO if you buy organic, also avoid brands like Silk and stick to reputable brands like West Soy etc) or some other alt milk.

I think coconut would be your best option, as it's full of amazing micronutrients as well as tons of healthy fats.

Good luck!

[sahmmie]

Yeah, I agree with all of that. Personally I believe that cows milk was made for baby cows, and that we probably were not meant to drink milk past infancy. I compromise by giving my kids only organic milk (which I know still contain mammalian hormones) and only small quantities, but deep down I hate giving them cows milk for the reasons the pp posted.

Oh, and also I learned when my son was suffering from reflux and constipation that dairy products can cause constipation and reflux (as well as many other GI disturbances), especially in people with allergies or food intolerances.

But, the OP needs an immediate solution to her child's constipation problem and the child does not eat much variety. Ideally increasing her protein intake with something besides milk/soy as well as increasing her caloric intake and her vegetable/fruit intake would be beneficial, but such things are often easier said than done. That's why I suggested the purees. My son was a lousy eater for a long time and purees is what got fruits and veggies into him.

OP, don't give up on teaching your little girl to eat wholesome foods. My son is a very good eater now! I am able to keep dairy to a minimum because he (and my other two children) eat a wide enough variety so that dairy does not have to be a mainstay.

[sncmom]

Thank you all so much for your suggestions. I will try adding some juice to her milk, and perhaps some benefiber as well. She won't consistently eat her oatmeal, but maybe I'll try to sneak in some flax seed oil anyway. She actually eats more veggies than fruit. I food-mill a combo of peas, green beans and spinach, which she loves. I can try to add some broccoli to that again, although it hasn't been popular in the past.
She definitely doesn't drink enough, no water and no juice, just milk at present. She pees multiple times a day, but she clearly isn't getting enough fluid to clear out her bowels well. I have tried coconut milk, but she doesn't seem to like it, especially in her sippy cup. She will occasionally just eat some coconut oil off a spoon plain.
Anyway, I'll keep experimenting. Thanks for your input.