Soy vs. Cow's Milk-Based Formula

[daisybaby]

Our lactation consultant disseminated an article that pretty much stated that soy formula was the absolute worst, most unsafe thing you could give a baby. I can't recall where the article came from, except to say that it was not from a journal. Basically the article stated that soy formulas were linked to infertility, early puberty, allergies, and a whole lot of other ominous-sounding things. The text of the article sounded quite inflamatory, really. (Said article was 'required reading' for all staff on the unit).

I turned to the American Association of Pediatricians web site, and according to their policy statement, while breast milk is recognized as the best form of nutrition for infants, soy-based formulas are safe and appropriate for infants >1800g when formula feeding is indicated.

Are soy-based formulas as dangerous as our LC's article says? I'm having a hard time understanding this concept. If it were true, why would the AAP policy statement say that soy is ok? I really want to understand the whole soy vs cow's milk based formula debate. Can anyone point me to where I can research this more diligently?

[Deirdre]

We're all going to die from SOMETHING eventually. Just living in certain cities is toxic to our bodies. We eat and drink lots of things with lots of different chemicals in them. I'm sure that someday we'll be reduced to eating raw organic vegetables, and nothing else, because eventually there will be research linking EVERYTHING to SOME disease.

What I do know for darn sure is that when I was a baby, projectile vomiting and stooling blood, soy formula saved my life. So I'm not willing to just completely write it off just yet.

I think she was responding to when you said soy formula wouldn't be on the market if it were unsafe. I had also responded to that statement, as we all know how many unsafe products are on the market, cigarettes etc....

[spidermonkey]

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[live4today, RN]

Breastfeeding has been going on since human and animal life was formed. It is not, nor has it ever been, limited to any one period of time. That said...I was born in 1951. My mother breastfed all six of her children. I was the fourth child.

Breastfeeding is not the topic here, but the safety of soymilk is the topic. I just wanted to address the breastfeeding issue since I read a few posts that wondered if breastfeeding was done in the 1950's....

[GooeyRN, ADN, BSN, CNA, LPN, RN]

Sorry to get off topic....:chair:

[live4today, RN]

sorry to get off topic....:chair:

gooey - we all get off topic on occasion, so don't apologize. you asked very valid questions that needed addressing, so i hope your questions were addressed to your satisfaction.

[Emery]

of all my sisters (4), I was the only one who "started" at the early age of 9...I was the only one who was ever on soy milk.

[SmilingBluEyes]

*please keep things focused on the original topic and refrain from getting too heated. there are no supremely "right" or "wrong" answers here. thanks for understanding.*

[nickola]

Breastfeeding has been going on since human and animal life was formed. It is not, nor has it ever been, limited to any one period of time. That said...I was born in 1951. My mother breastfed all six of her children. I was the fourth child.

Breastfeeding is not the topic here, but the safety of soymilk is the topic. I just wanted to address the breastfeeding issue since I read a few posts that wondered if breastfeeding was done in the 1950's....

Interesting website re: the trends of breastfeeding in US history

-- http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/99/4/e12?terms=Resurgence&searchqstr

[GooeyRN, ADN, BSN, CNA, LPN, RN]

Interesting website re: the trends of breastfeeding in US history

-- http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/99/4/e12?terms=Resurgence&searchqstr[

Thanks, sneaks!