Soya formula or soya milk for 12mo?

[schment]

My dd is dairy intolerant (allergic?) and has been having a bottle or two of soya-formula a day for the past few months (still bf for other feeds and eats well). Would it be ok / better to switch to soya milk now that she is a year old or should I stick with formula? Anyone have experience with this?

[lulumama]

has her intolerance / allergy been medically diagnosed ? i would check with doc or HV... can you get soya on prescription?

[schment]

Lulumama - problems with dairy were diagnosed early and she was put on Neocate (I had originally planned to combination-feed due to working full-time). I had to completely remove dairy from my diet (she'd get eczema if I even looked at a piece of cheesecake). Until 6mo, she was exclusively bf (access to neocate a prob, bf better for her anyways) and then I took her to an allergist who did a prick test and it came up (-) for dairy but left red marks longer where the dairy pricks were than anywhere else. I started eating dairy again and there were no problems but have avoided giving it to her directly and she has been having soya formula for times when not bf (1-2x a day max). I tried giving her some yogurt a few weeks ago (when turned 1) and she sicked it up. Her skin also got a tad weird. So, I decided to back off on dairy for now. Last week, I managed to find some goat milk so we gave it a try but she made a face and spat it out (she usually eats anything!).

Muminfife - I'm currently in a small city in the middle of nowhere in south america so tofu, rice-milk and other alternatives are, unfortunately, not an option. I wish they were!! Also, no HV to be heard of and the doctors I've gone to thus far have been remarkably bad.

Wow, sorry, more detail than you every wanted?

[lulumama]

gosh ,right ! sounds complicated...fraid i have no experience ! sorry hope someone else comes along with some useful advice !

[fortyplus]

It was a ver long time ago for me... ds1 is 13 and has been fine with dairy products since he was about 2. But I was told not to use soya milk as it's very deficient in iron for a child of that age.
I'm sure someone will be able to offer some up to date advice.

[schment]

Thanks, muminfife. Maybe I will give yogurt one more try in a couple of weeks.

The soya formula available here (only one brand/type and only in one store that I've found so far) is not toddler formula...

It's difficult finding advice here, at times. My neighbour was giving her dd coffee with milk at 4 months old...

[schment]

No, I'm definitely not local (but my husband is from a nearby state). I'm here for a couple years stint as a visiting prof at a regional University. Just trying not to cringe too visibly as I watch people give their 6mo babies coca cola and crisps!

We went out for dinner last night and decided to do a test and gave dd a small piece of veggie pizza. She LOVED it and so far her nappies and skin are showing no ill signs. Maybe cooked dairy is ok! I'm not going to go nuts and give her cheese every day just yet but it would be lovely to have more options food-wise!

[nellieellie]

I've read a few books and websites re vegan nutrition as I am vegan although raising son as vegetarian. The official advice as I recall it is that soya milk should not be used as main milk source until child is 2 so that means using a soya formula until 2. However if the main source is breastfeeding then as I understand it there is nothing wrong with using adult milk alternatives - eg soya, or nut milk as part of normal diet. This is,as already stated on the basis that things like iron are inclued sufficiently in rest of diet. Soya is seen as a common allergen as well which is why soya formula seems to be frowned on a bit by government advice - although obviously if a child is lacto-intolerant then it can be only alternative. It may be helpful to look at the vegan society website - can't remember it offhand but just do search under "Vegan society"