Question about soy formula???
Mommieto2Girls wrote: Maddies old doctor told me a while back that a new study said soy formula can stunt a baby growth. They had there daughter on soy the they changed it cause of what the other doc said. I was worried that Maddie couldn't handle regular formula so I kept her on the soy any way. Wel I just saw them again and they asked how Maddie was doing and I told them that she is on the small side for height and they said I should take her off the soy.
When she went to for her check up the other day and they charted her height it isn't going up the chart line like it should and the doc said in a few more months if she isn't growing then we will look into it, but he said not to worry cause she is a happy and healthy baby. Well I am worried, he might not be to much but I will feel awful if it all has to do with soy milk.
So yesterday DH and I changed Maddie to regular milk and so far she is fine. Tonight DH is going to Wal-Mart and getting the daily vitamins with iron for her. She seems to like the milk and is actually drinking more than when she was on soy formula. I was switching her in 1 month anyway and thought well I might as well as do it now. Am I wrong for doing this? Has anyone heard about soy stunting baby's growth?
Thanks for listening.
Schnoogly replied: Well a quick google search on it brought up one questionable site that said there might be problems with baby's digestion of soy protein (but I don't know that this study is unbiased) and another medical site has an abstract of a study done that said growth was almost identical among infants fed milk-based formula, soy formula, and breast milk. I have never heard of this and since Maddie is still growing (although shorter than average) I don't think you have anything to worry about. Iain is a shorty too and he gets breastmilk and hypoallergenic formula.
Schnoogly replied: OK more research. Iain got soy formula for about a week (Not that I'm worried, but thinking about switching him to it if he tolerates it)
The AAP's current guidelines
http://www.aap.org/policy/re9806.html
but the latest reference here is 1996, most of the studies on growth were done in the 1980s. I found several soy industry sites claiming that the latest research says soy is OK and they cite studies. But of course they're going to say their own product is OK. A New Zealand gov't site also says it's safe but should only be used when there is a clear milk allergy, not just because there might be one, because soy is also an allergen. But asian babies and kids eat tons of soy without problems too. I would think that after breastmilk, soy and regular formulas are pretty equal.
A 2001 article
http://www.lef.org/newsarchive/nutrition/2...9957292894.html
Mommieto2Girls replied: He is a article that I found and if I had seen this earlier Maddie would have never been on soy.
http://www.westonaprice.org/soy/infant.html
Schnoogly replied: OK I found the study finally--it says that the phytoestrogens in soy might be responsible for early puberty in girls and slow growth in boys--because it is a sex hormone. But this is only one study.
Clearly, breast is best! But what's done is done, don't beat yourself up over it.
Schnoogly replied: That's the questionable one--I don't know who sponsors that site.
mckayleesmom replied: I never really thought about it, I always just gave her regular formula cause I assumed Soy was for babies with allergies to the regular formula. But I wouldn't beat myself up for it either,,you didn't know and I besides, no matter how tall, skinny, chubby she is when she gets older, that is just who she is suppose to be. I try not to worry about that stuff cause if I did, my hair would be falling out more than it already is from giving birth. And if I do say so myself I think you are doing a wonderful job with Maddison, she is beautiful, healthy, loved and happy. Babies don't come with manuals, and you did what you thought was right ( part of parenting), and you are always going to find out stuff you wouldn't have done if you would only have known this or that. I change things if I can when I don't agree that she should have it, but other then that I try not to stress about stuff I already did cause I can't change it. IMO everything is bad for you and everything causes you cancer too. You know I can still remember when babies were suppose to sleep on their stomachs too. Things always change and things are always discovered to be bad for you. There is no such thing as perfect parenting, or perfect living for that matter. I say that if that is what you wanted to give her then you did a good job chosing what was right for your child.. 
Mommieto2Girls replied: Thank you you guys, I feel better about it now. She is off soy and I will never put my future baby on it (hopefully he/she will be bf). I know theres nothing that can be changed, but at least now I know for the future. Thank you Brianne and Stephanie, 
mckayleesmom replied: Your welcome. Hope you feel better. I just try not to worry too much about what I read or hear. But thats just me.
mummy2girls replied: I may be too late in responding to your post but here is my responce.... My jenna is below average in her height and she has been on milk based formula all her life. She is in the 10th percentile in height. just thought i would add that in
catou_98 replied: Just one more thing....I switched camille to whole cow's milk at 9 months and that's when all the spiting up STOPPED! and that's when she started drinking better and more! with her formula we could only get her to drink about 20 to 23 ounces a day now she drinks easily 26 to 28 ounces a day! and she actually put a little bit more wieght and hieght on since she's on cow's milk...so i think you did just fine with switching her! 
ediep replied: I agree with mcakayleesmom. I don't think there should be a problem switching her a little early. I doubt if one month makes any difference.
I never heared about soy milk stunting growth.
MommyToAshley replied: I've never heard that about Soy Milk... and you have to consider that this is all based on one study? There are a lot of other factors that could play into this study as well -- genetics, other nutrition factors, environment, etc.
I also wouldn't worry about switching to cow's milk one month early. My Mom said that they used to recommend it at 9 months... and we turned out ok. 
I think she is fine, and you are doing a wonderful job!
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