Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think that vegan/soy based formula is not the right thing to feed a growing baby

139 replies

Wingingthiswholething · 02/08/2019 16:36

Obviously in an ideal world breast milk is the better option. Some people chose not to BF, some people can't, some people struggle with milk production so mix feed. All fine. I prefer a fed baby.

But I've recently become aware that vegan formula is a thing. It is dairy free and plant based.

Surely this isn't enough to feed growing babies?

I don't really know a lot about it so am going to have a read out of curiosity, but I'm not remotely convinced that it is...well...a good idea. Same as feeding a dog a vegan diet.
Fair enough have your own dietary preferences, but is it wise to push that on an infant?

Aware this might be a triggering post. And I understand why some people don't like the dairy industry. Just very surprised that this is fed to babies.

OP posts:
northbacchus · 02/08/2019 17:22

static1.squarespace.com/static/59f75004f09ca48694070f3b/t/5a5a4935ec212dd5067a0622/1515866446317/Eating_well_Vegans_Oct_2017_final.pdf?fbclid=IwAR2CQtAAsDzVDMSFJXHWNZvRZG_l_5Fx3r_FfoOrJ6t4Vc_CgTu6PWeeHws

Here’s a resource on Vegan children, if you’re planning to do some reading OP. It’s by a UK nutrition charity.

NKFell · 02/08/2019 17:24

I'm confused as to why you would assume that a human baby would be nutritionally deficient without consuming milk designed for baby cows. This is an odd conclusion to come to.

I'm in the same boat as this poster...even down to my own love of cheese Grin

AuntieGT · 02/08/2019 17:25

prescribe a formula that's 30 plus pounds a tub.

See I’m wonder why on Earth it costs this much money? All the ingredients are dirt cheap. The manufacturers would have you believe that there is some ‘magical’ formulation to their products but to me it looks like daylight robbery. The formula industry has been quite instrumental in spreading ‘awareness’ of CMPA (not saying it doesn’t exist, but prescriptions have gone up by a silly amount in the last few years). Back to the original point, I have no idea how milk formula compares nutrition wise to vegan but it would seem to make sense to stick to normal formula unless there was an allergy.

Daisychainsandglitter · 02/08/2019 17:25

My DDs had to have prescription amino acid formulas which are diary free for cows milk protein allergy. Absolutely the right thing for them as they were so poorly and they thrive once their milk wasn't making them so ill.
I understand though that if there are no health reasons to switch to a plant based formula it isn't recommended.

HugsAreMyDrugs · 02/08/2019 17:26

I don't think you can get vegan formula in the UK.

HugsAreMyDrugs · 02/08/2019 17:31

I'm a vegan and I abhor the dairy industry.

I breastfed DS and plan to breastfeed any future DC I have. But if for some reason I was unable to breastfeed then I would give my baby cow formula because as much as I hate the dairy industry, I still love my DC more than I love animals.

Obviously milk from another species and meant for another species is not ideal but at the end of the day it is still meant for babies and meant to give them nourishment to grow.

aliensprig · 02/08/2019 17:34

I don't think you can get vegan formula in the UK.

It depends if you're able to breastfeed or not, if you are then it's better to do that rather give (in any scenario). If you aren't then the wysoy has to make do, the lesser of two evils basically. If I had to make a choice between wysoy with non vegan vit d and cow's milk formula, I'd always go with the wysoy. It's a shame that they can't supplement it with plant based vit d but that's SMA and other big companies for you, they're all in the pockets of the farmers that supply them. At the end of the day it's just the grease from sheep's wool, rather than tearing a calf away from its mother needlessly.

HugsAreMyDrugs · 02/08/2019 17:35

Obviously milk from another species and meant for another species is not ideal but at the end of the day it is still meant for babies and meant to give them nourishment to grow.

Sorry, that doesn't really make sense Blush.

I meant that cows milk is obviously meant for baby cows and is meant to nourish them and help them grow. It is therefore not unreasonable to assume that it will nourish human infants as well. Obviously not ideal and our own breast milk is best but if that's not possible then cows formula will have to do.

aliensprig · 02/08/2019 17:36

*rather than give formula, whoops! Must be the b12 deficiency.

progestermoan · 02/08/2019 17:39

My dc have all had soya 1-3 toddler milk from 12 months (2 had it from 10 months due to circumstances) alongside breastfeeding
They are all ok

HugsAreMyDrugs · 02/08/2019 17:42

It's also worth pointing out that soya milk is the only plant based milk which is recommended for children. Other plant based milks like oat milk or almond milk don't have enough calories for growing children.

I don't think dairy is classed as a food group anymore either. If I'm not mistaken it is now known as the dairy and dairy alternatives food group. I still think just renaming it to calcium would be better though...

Original poster
Wingingthiswholething · 02/08/2019 17:47

I meant that cows milk is obviously meant for baby cows and is meant to nourish them and help them grow. It is therefore not unreasonable to assume that it will nourish human infants as well. Obviously not ideal and our own breast milk is best but if that's not possible then cows formula will have to do.

This is sort of where I was coming from.
I don't even eat a lot of things like meat myself, frankly I find a veggie diet is easier for me (not vegan but that is just because I like cheese) so it's not like I'm a steak scoffing person that is totally anti-vegan and anti-vegetarian, and I wasn't starting this discussion coming from that angle.

OP posts:
SarahTancredi · 02/08/2019 17:47

Yy hugs

Rice milk.is not deemed suitable cos of the arsenic or something.

Although the dietitian did also suggest koko fir an alternative if soya hadnt been ok.

Too much milk can also fill a child up so they dont eat enough and cause problems

Looneytune253 · 02/08/2019 17:49

Surely if a parent was vegan they would absolutely choose to breastfeed where possible. I'm sure this formula is meant for allergies etc.

SarahTancredi · 02/08/2019 17:51

Surely if a parent was vegan they would absolutely choose to breastfeed where possible. I'm sure this formula is meant for allergies etc

Many parents of children with allergies and who are vegan put a great deal.of thought and planning into their meals tonemsure they are balanced.

After all they cant just plonk.nuggets chips and a milk shake in front of their kids

itscallednickingbentcoppers · 02/08/2019 17:54

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Looneytune253 · 02/08/2019 17:54

@SarahTancredi erm I think you missed the point of my post.

SarahTancredi · 02/08/2019 17:57

No sorry I was agreeing with you. Blush

Vegans do tend to breast feed. And allergy parents are very aware of what they need to do to provide a balanced diet.

I'd worry less about soy formula and more about the crap many kids are weaned on and brought up on. By the very dairy and meat eaters who think a baby is being deprived ...

TheHandsOfNeilBuchanan · 02/08/2019 17:57

Slightly off topic, but you often great 'only humans consume milk meant for babies from another species. Can someone tell my cat this, I can't walk away from a bowl of cereal for two minutes. Genuine question, why do cats like cow milk?

TheHandsOfNeilBuchanan · 02/08/2019 17:58

Also fish, surely in the wild felines would rarely encounter fish...

twolobsters · 02/08/2019 18:00

I'm a vegan and agree with you about the marketing. If a baby needs dairy free it's brilliant but it exists and I know it's common to need a dairy free formula.

But the idea of making a baby vegan from birth for ethical reasons doesn't sit right with me personally.

HugsAreMyDrugs · 02/08/2019 18:03

I'd imagine cats drink cows milk because their staff gives it to them...

SeeWhoRustsFirst · 02/08/2019 18:19

Taking aside the issue with soy, specifically, for a minute - why does it matter where the formula comes from? It's an artificial formulation meant to mimic the proportions of fat/vitamins/etc in breast milk... so why does it matter where the specific fat molecules originally came from? Any more than it matters if an adult gets fat from olive oil or butter (providing their diet is overall 'complete' and provides all vitamins and minerals etc)?

Cow's milk is not a necessary part of anyone's diet - and no, I'm not actually a vegan.

cushioncovers · 02/08/2019 18:41

Genuine question, why do cats like cow milk

I suppose like and need are two different things. 🤷🏻‍♀️ same reason cats also eat flies 😄

derxa · 02/08/2019 18:41

www.bbc.com/future/story/20190218-when-did-humans-start-drinking-cows-milk
Not that anyone will read this though.