Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Allergies and intolerances

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

Flip

1 2

Original poster

Anyone feeding their under 6 month old soya formula?...please read

28 replies

ess · 25/03/2008 21:18

My DD was prescribed soya milk for a suspected lactose intolerance/milk allergy at 5 weeks old.
I was not told of any risks involved just to keep her on it a few months.
Since then I have become aware of the health risks associated with the large levels of plant oestrogens in soya formula and did my own digging oround.
I came accross a guide written by the Department of Health for health professionals (GPs/ hHVs etc) for feeding 0-5 year olds.
You can look up their website on www.bhnft.nh (sorry, can't link it) but it basically says this:-

Soya formula should not be prescribed to babies under 6 months because of the potential damage the ostrogens can do to maturing organs (reproductive ones).

Soya formula should only be prescribed when hydrolised formulas have been tried but refused (Pepti, Nutramigin etc).

When prescribing Soya formula, parents should be warned of the health risks associated with this.

Soya is an allergen and young exposure to it can cause other allergies including peanut.

There is also loads of other stuff on the web- quite a horrifying read actually.

When DD was prescribed this she was 5 weeks old. I feel terrible that her health has been jeopardised in this way. If I knew what I know now I would never have put her on the horrid stuff (she's now on Pepti Junior).

Please be aware that doctors are not supposed to be prescribing this to babies under 6 months and then only as a very last resort afer going through the full health implications with you.

Hopefully your GPs haven't been as incompetent as mine.

I am going to see him in the morning and have printed all this off for him to see.

Wish me luck!

OP posts:

samkearsey · 26/03/2008 08:14

good luck this morning

i have 3 children all milk intolerant, first on soya from 6 weeks old till 3 years, second breast fed for 15 months then soya for 6 months now refuses any milk, and third 20 weeks and breast fed, when i breast fed i too have milk free diet and have rice milk!

i was told by my hv that babies in australia are given soya milk with no ill effect!

please post your outcome, obviously very keen to hear.

ninedragons · 26/03/2008 08:52

Thanks for posting this, very much appreciated.

Original poster

ess · 26/03/2008 21:40

Well I did the deed. My GP was very defensive at first - "babies havie been using soya for use and been fine". Yes- but you're not going to know for 20-30 years what effect it's had on their reproductive organs. He couldn't answer that.

Was very apologetic, said he hadn't heard of any of the risks I showed him and he would be reading all the information and talking to his colleagues about it.

Next step is for me to write to the practice manager asking to make sure all the doctors in the surgery are aware of the risks/ proceedure for prescribing soya to babies. Then I'll be writing to the Deaprtment of Health as my GP said he thinks this is a Nationwide problem with regard to lack of information being given to GPs.

Just hope my LO has been lucky and her health hasn't been affected by this. If I can prevent even the few doctors in my surgery doing the same to other babies then that may be something.

OP posts:

nightcat · 26/03/2008 22:19

To be honest, I am not surprised, there are numerous instances where short term result justifies long-term damage at the hands of drs (for example prolonged use of antacids).

Our experience when my ds was prescribed soya milk was that I tried some first - and I was in agony (pain & stomach cramps). Then it all went in the bin. And when I looked into it, I wouldn't go near it again!

BTW, it's natural for older children and adults to decline milk, the milk digesting enzymes phase out with age.

VeniVidiVickiQV · 26/03/2008 22:25

I was aware of this, but DD had been prescribed soya formula when she was 7 months old as I had been b/feeding her up until then.

How did you discover your baby had a milk allergy?

Original poster

ess · 26/03/2008 22:27

I've never drunk milk either. Just goes to show, if you're at all concerned about something your GP prescribes, check it out yourself. Just a shame we have to do all this ourselves.

OP posts:

Original poster

ess · 26/03/2008 22:27

I've never drunk milk either. Just goes to show, if you're at all concerned about something your GP prescribes, check it out yourself. Just a shame we have to do all this ourselves.

OP posts:

Doobydoo · 26/03/2008 22:29

Hi There
I am in Ireland and was vaguely told vague things about soya formula when ds2 was 4 months old.He has,however been having soya formula since then.He is nearly 1 now.It is awful.I do feel anxious.The vagueness made me cross.It was as if the hv and doctor had a small amount of info but did not really understand what it meant

pruners · 26/03/2008 22:29

Message withdrawn

Original poster

ess · 26/03/2008 22:30

V- DD was very unsettled crying 8 hours+ a day since birth. We tried Gaviscon/Ranitidine to rule out reflux (DD1 had it badly) so my GP said to try soya milk as it may be an intolerance.

Within 2 days she was a different baby-much, much happier.

Were you told of the risks when your GP prescribed it?

OP posts:

Original poster

ess · 26/03/2008 22:33

Pruners- soa formula is available in supermakets although it does say on the tin to seek medical advice first (GP should then tell you of the risks before you use it). Shouldn't be available this way I don't think.

Tell your friend there are hypoallergenic formulas available now. They're milk based but the protien has been broken down so that even babies with an allergy/intolerance can have it. My DD is on Pepti Junior now and fine on it.

OP posts:

VeniVidiVickiQV · 26/03/2008 22:34

Yep, vaguely, but yes. We had little choice (so I thought), but the instant the formula touched her skin it formed welts. She screamed and screamed. She wouldnt take it at all (thankfully - I might add!)

To be honest, had I known what I know now, I wouldnt have even bothered trying to switch DD from b/feeding to formula in the first place. It just seemed like all part of the routine to give up at 6 months and move to formula. Seems so ridiculous now, when I think about it.

Had your DD been on formula since birth, or had you changed over at around that time too?

Original poster

ess · 26/03/2008 22:35

Doobydoo, this is precisely why I think GPs need to be better informed again about the health risks. There have been 59 studies done on this which means they must have some real concerns about it.

OP posts:

pruners · 26/03/2008 22:37

Message withdrawn

Original poster

ess · 26/03/2008 22:37

V- I breastfed her for first few weeks but had been so anaemic after a traumatic birth that I found it too tiring- also having a boisterous 3yo! Feel bad about that now but I really didn't have the strength to carry on with it. My HV was very supportive.

OP posts:

Doobydoo · 26/03/2008 22:38

Totally agree ess.Our gp wasn't very sympathetic and we did it ourselves.The doctor at the hosp offered no alternatives,just a vague[sorry to say it again]lecture.I was not at all clued up about alternatives.I just wanted him to stop yelling!and the soya stopped that.

VeniVidiVickiQV · 26/03/2008 22:39

So it was also a pretty much instant reaction then?

Dont feel bad. You did what you felt was right at the time.

Original poster

ess · 26/03/2008 22:40

I know- it did seem like a miracle cure to us too but I think any formula without lactose/ milk protein in would have had the same effect. At least we all know now and can inform others about it.

OP posts:

Original poster

ess · 26/03/2008 22:43

V- yes it was, within a few days she was so much more settled. The other problem with going from normal formula onto Soya as well was we now don't know whether she was lactose intolerant or had a milk allergy (thery can grow out of intolerances). I'm just starting to wean her now and won't be able to include any dairy or lactose I suppose. I did ask the GP for a dietician referral to get some guidance on this but he said it wasn't neccessary. "Just try her in a few months"....and so it goes on.

OP posts:

VeniVidiVickiQV · 26/03/2008 22:57

Actually, it is remarkably simple with weaning if a) you leave it late and b) you do basic veg and fruit for a good few weeks. Most pasta, rice are fine. But you do need to check ALL bread-type products. Ready/processed goods have hidden milk in them too in the form of whey powder etc.

Best to stick to very basic stuff, or, if you are going to use some jars - go for organic - they are usually better labelled.

samkearsey · 27/03/2008 07:49

this is extremely worrying all we can do
now is pray our daughter is okay after nearly 3 years of soya milk!

not told my husband about this yet as he will go up the wall!!!

sarah293 · 27/03/2008 08:08

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Doobydoo · 27/03/2008 08:23

Ess...we have same concerns re lactose/dairy.I would like to know how people are going to introduce nuts and dairy[or how they went about it].Ds2 is definitely gluten intolerantwith oats[workedit out ourselves]I suppose it is just trial and error.Quite muddly and scary though I find.

Doobydoo · 27/03/2008 08:24

Meant milk,sorry.

Original poster

ess · 27/03/2008 08:25

Yes it is worrying but let's just hope are children are ok and there will be no ill effects. Apart from anything else it's terrible if they have teeth as the lactose is substituted for glucose.

OP posts:

Flip

1 2