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

[Wingingthiswholething]

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.

I feel like it's actually really difficult to get unbiased information on stuff like this, because everyone has an agenda.

My son is allergic to dairy and soy so he is on a prescription formula that is dairy free and amino acid based so I mean technically, it’s vegan lol. It is completely nutritionally sound and he is absolutely thriving on it after going in a nursing strike at 6 months. You can not buy the milk he has but I know you can buy wysoy in shops which is a soy based formula or something but this is for kids with intolerances although I’m sure vegans may use it if not breastfeeding. It’s fine for babies, it’s not harming them.

It’s interesting. I use to have a Chinese doctor and he said to bear in mind that he and a large amount of the world population had never eaten dairy.

I guess most ethnic Europeans are descendants of those who could tolerate dairy and many who couldn’t just died of starvation.

We can actually service without dairy funnily enough. I wouldn’t consider it a major food, there’s other ways to receive the same vitamins and minerals.

Looks like dairy farming is relatively recent

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.independent.co.uk/news/science/our-european-ancestors-brought-farming-languages-and-a-love-of-dairy-study-shows-10311317.html%3famp

www.firststepsnutrition.org/

Unbiased, evidence based info on all formula milks available in UK.

I think it makes perfect sense to have started giving cows milk to babies

Not to me it does!

Baby formula milk was most likely the result of mother’s having to work long hours while babies were young and therefore couldn’t feed their babies.

There were plenty of failed attempts at feeding babies animal milks.

I find it odd that we rail against the idea of giving babies what nature intended and twist ourselves into knots at trying to find artificial alternatives.

If a vegan wanted to feed their child vegan milk, they’d struggle I suspect because a lot of formula has animal derivatives in it (that’s my understanding anyway).

As for dairy - I think we are over reliant on it as a population.

Well that first steps nutrition page doesn’t recommend soy formula under 6m unless under medical supervision. So I think yes it would be wrong to use it unless it’s for medical reasons.

So yanbu the first choice should be breast milk, second choice formula and soy formula only if both options are not suitable/available.

OT but which alternative milk is best in tea?

Mine had soy formula due to intolerance from 4th month on. And whether you meant allergic babies is irrelevant- you said it is "not enough" to feed growing babies. So I disagree, mine was always v active and physically strong for his age. So, yes, it was definitely enough.

Siameasy

Oat Milk!!
Makes a beautiful cuppa 😊

Thanks I will have a look at oat milk. I like a strong builder’s tea. I do have reservations about the dairy industry and thanks to people who have linked things on this thread I think it would be wise to try to consume less of it.

This may be an unpopular thing to say but how does society reconcile the “right to choose not to BF” with “the evils of the dairy industry”. If it’s wrong to consume cows milk for pleasure surely it’s wrong to consume infant formula through choice?

The formula industry must create a significant environmental impact and that’s without thinking of the plastic bottles and packaging. But we are not allowed to say this are we? In the threads on here about the planet I have never heard this mentioned, even tho the environment is a really hot topic atm.

Oh we love oatlly oat milk in this house. It makes a fabulous cup of tea or coffee. We use the whole one as it's creamy tasting but you can get semi and skinny and then a baristas foam one.

Oh we love oatlly oat milk in this house. It makes a fabulous cup of tea or coffee. We use the whole one as it's creamy tasting but you can get semi and skinny and then a baristas foam one.