vegan formula? vegan breastmilk?

[stacy]

hey, my sister just adopted a baby. she is unable to give breastmilk yet and we can not find a single vegan formula. if anyone has any information or advice please let us know. if anyone can donate breastmilk for her baby (she can pay for shipping and renting of a pump) please contact me. thank you, stacy

[Paprika]

What country does she live in?

I would suggest her making her own formula if she is unable to find donors.

[Erin Pavlina]

What a tough situation. Finding human vegan milk is going to be like looking for a needle in a haystack.

If she has to use formula, get a soy formula. The only thing non-vegan in there is going to be the D3 instead of D2. But in very tiny amounts. I think making your own infant formula is really risky. Just my opinion, though.

[sgottlieb]

My husband and I are vegan. I use formula to supplement breastmilk for my baby. We have been using Similar Isomil - it is completely vegan, and they make a step 2 version with extra calcium for older babies (>6 mo.) Prosobee is also a vegan formula, but there is no older baby version.

Good luck,
Sara

[Erin Pavlina]

If I'm not mistaken, ProSobee gets its Vitamin D from Sheep. D3 is not vegan, but D2 is vegan.

Maybe they've changed the recipe since last I read the ingredients. It's such a minor amount, though, that if you had to use formula it's the best choice.

[hedylamarr58]

Stacy,
If your sister would like to breastfeed her new adopted baby, there is a great book that has a chapter devoted to breastfeeding an adopted baby. The book is "The Ultimate Breastfeeding Book of Answers" by Jack Newman, M.D. I had a low milk supply and there is a drug called Domperidone that I took to help with my supply. He also recommends it for adoptive mothers. It really helped me. A compounding pharmacy has to make it for you because you can't get it in the States, but it is available in Canada. Anyway, I just thought that might help your sister if she was trying to breastfeed!

[Maggie]

As far as I know, there is no vegan infant formula available. Additionally, cow formula is safer (though much grosser, IMO) than soy formula, though both are dangerous when compared with human milk. The book, "Concerns About Infant Formula" by Karin Cadwell and Cindy Turner-Maffei talks about this. It can be purchased it through La Leche League

It is possible for an adoptive mom to breastfeed, or to get donated milk from a friend or family member.

I think there is a vegan "toddler formula" available from some health food stores. This might be an option if the baby is over a year old. But then, if s/he is over a year old, s/he would be ready to go straight to a varied healthful diet, with or without modest amounts of plant-based milk.

Peace,
Maggie

[Erin Pavlina]

But why do you say cow is safer than soy? What do they think the problem with soy formula is?

[Maggie]

A couple of links:

http://www.mercola.com/2001/sep/22/soy_protein_formula_policy.htm

http://www.mercola.com/2001/jun/13/soy_formula.htm

Basically, any form of artificial milk is very dangerous when compared with human milk. But if you can't get breastmilk for whatever reason, cow milk formula, though "less vegan", is safer.

Peace,
Maggie

[Maggie]

On more:

http://webmd.lycos.com/content/article/1739.50974

[Erin Pavlina]

I think we can all agree here that breastmilk is by far the best choice for babies, and I hope that vegan moms will breastfeed for at least that first year.

But if faced with the need to supplement with formula, I would still choose soy. There are good health reasons not to give cow's milk formula and some valid concerns about soy formula too (though I still don't think the truth is known).

However, let's not forget the other reason we're vegan -- for the animals. Cow's milk formula causes immeasurable suffering on the mommy cow who is raped daily for her milk. If I couldn't breastfeed, and my vegan child needed something else, I would still choose soy formula.

Even if it turns out that soy formula is really bad for babies, turning to another poison is not the answer, in my opinion.

[Maggie]

I agree with you there.

However, the soy vs. cow issue would totally be a question of the lesser of two evils. In this case, cow is the lesser evil (and my baby's health would take priority over the cow here).

Peace,
Maggie

[Fiona]

First of all, I have registered as a forum user because I felt compelled to join in the cows milk formula versus soy formula debate.

Maggie, please say exactly what it is that you feel is dangerous about soy formula. I don't understand what your objections are!

I have found a Policy Statement from the American Academy of Pediatrics on the use of Soy Formulas at;

www.aap.org/policy/re9806.html

It's a long document with a lot of medical jargon so you might like to check out the Conclusions and Recommendations sections first. Apart from saying that soy formulas are neither designed nor recommended for preterm infants weighing <1800g, I could find nothing to suggest that soy presents any greater dangers than cows milk formulas. The overall picture suggests that babies are less likely to be allergic to soy than cows milk formula.

I hope this is helpful.


Fiona

[Maggie]

Some info on the problems with soy formula:

"Soy formula has the highest incidence of of related wheezing, rhinitis and otitis". Often, mothers do not relate these symptoms to the AIM (artificial infant milk), but they are quick to relate gastric disturbances to cow milk AIM. They falsely assume that the soy is less allergenic.

"Soy formula is at least as allergenic as cow milk formula". In all listed studies soy is at least as allergenic, but in some it is more so.

"Adverse reactions follow after a few weeks." Reactions tend to take a few weeks to show up, so parents agin do not realte the symptoms to the AIM.

"Soy is associated with poorer response to vaccines."

"Soy fed infants have higher rates of illness." In one study, babies fed cow milk AIM had .5 episodes illness per infant vs 2.9 episodes for babies fed soy.

"Zinc deficiency and low selenium concentrations."The phytate in the soy AIM causes poor absorption of both nutrients. Selenium deficiency may be a factor in SIDS.

"High levels of manganese." It is unknown what these high levels can do to the baby, either in the long or short-term. In adults, high manganese levels cause symptoms similar to Parkinson's Disease.

"High levels of aluminum." The levels are so high, premature babies and those with kidney problems cannot consume it at all.

"Increased risk of autoimmune thyroid disease." Thyroid alterations are the most commonly seen autoimmune condition in children. Those children are 2-3 more likly to have been fed soy than cow milk AIM.

"Increased risk of diabetes." In families with a history, the AAP says that soy AIM is not an advisable choice due to studies linking ingestion of soy protein to diabetes.

"Long term effect on cholesterol metabolism". The complete lack of cholesterol in soy may be a disadvantage for adults in their ability to metabolize cholesterol.

"Effects of plant steroids in their effects on human infants." There are numerous studies (despite arguments to the contrary from misguided individuals who want to defend soy as a food and do not understand that soy AIM is very different!!!) suggesting that soy has various negative effects on sexual development. Researchers in New Zealand called for a ban based upon their data.

Soy is a perfectly fine food - as *part* of the diet. It was never intended to be an entire diet for any creature. Both soy and cow formula are dangerous for babies. Soy is just more dangerous. The only exception would be if the baby is allergic to cow's milk and for whatever reason the mother can't breastfeed and there is no donor milk available.

Peace,
Maggie

[Fiona]

Maggie

What do you think of the AAP policy document on soy formula? My feeling is that it presents a balanced view on the safety of soy formula, given the limitations of research available to date. It also puts into perspective some of your quotes.

I'd be interested to know who you are quoting, who carried out and funded the studies your quotes refer to, and which studies used animals (rats) rather than humans as their subjects.

Thanks.


Fiona

[Teejay]

The UK Vegan Society lists Farley's as a vegan formula.

I don't know whether you can get this brought across from the UK if you are in the US or elsewhere. But at least it shows there are options.

I also don't know much about the said dangers of soy formula -- I had heard there could be allergy problems. But I thought that might be equally the case with cows' milk-based formulae.

[inkiepoo]

I fed both my babies a soy formula that I think was called "Soyalac." I can't remember exactly but I think that is what it was called. It was made I believe by Worthington. Both my children not only loved it, they thrived on it. I couldn't breastfeed my daughter past a couple of months and my son only got 8 months of breastmilk. Then they went to the soy milk.

They have grown up with less illness than most, so much so that we still don't have a "family" doctor. They had no trouble with their immunization shots and are as healthy as can be. Both are 17 and 18 years of age now.

I for one do not believe every study that is presented. But I do believe in reading ingredient lists and knowing what is in what we consume. Both my children were raised vegan. They had a high fiber, vegetable, fruit and nut diet. They had NO sugar at all in any form until after age 3 and that was because a family member gave it to them. As a result, they are very healthy today.

There may be instances when cows milk must be given to a baby but if at all possible, I would prefer a good soy milk to cows milk. And if I had to give cows milk or goats milk, I would have my own cow or goat at home and take care of the animal myself so I would know the milk is of good quality.

[Elin]

A recent long-term study on formula-fed infants in Sweden (I think it was at the University of Uppsala) showed that there was no difference in growth, illness, allergies or anything else between children fed with soy formula and children fed with cow milk formula. Soy formula was just as good and safe as cow milk formula. If you're intrested I could try to find the report.

[EricP]

Hello Maggie,

I think your articles on Soy Vs. Cow's milk on the Mercola site seem to be "anti-veg", please see the article below:

http://www.mercola.com/article/Diet/former_vegan.htm

Any "medical" source that doesn't agree with a Vegan diet will always make cruelty-free foods seem inadequate. I have run by many... many sources of information, even at my local pharmacy has brochures insisting that dairy is the healthiest form of food available...

I am questioning your source in this case... I would rather stick to pro-vegan medial articles.

FYI, my daughter has been vegan for 9 months now, and my wife maintained a vegan diet through her entire pregnancy. My little girl weighed more than any other baby born to our hospital that week and has not been sick, had an allergy, food related rash, ear infection, eye infection or any other food related illness/reaction... I doubt many non-vegan families and their baby's maintain that kind of track record. This type of health is very common among vegans (babies and adults alike).

My 2 cents,

Eric Polsinelli

[Mama2Jacob]

Like everyone else, I agree that BM is the best for baby. Secondly, I think that RAW goats milk is best. It's a better match to BM than cows milk and it's very important to have it raw, as it keeps all the active enzymes and such alive in it.

BUT, I have been looking into trying to donate (or sell, we really need the money) my BM. I am completely vegan and have been for quite some time. I also don't eat grains as my son is allergic and got excema because of it. Stacy, if you're interested let me know :)

[Torsen2000]

Hi, My baby son was born 2 months Prem just over a year ago. We fed him on Farleys Soya Formula which is available here in England, He thrived on it and is now just over the average height and weight for his age. Hope this helps. Rob ;)

[Heather]

I was unable to breastfeed so I had to decide on a formula. Being vegan I never looked at the formulas that included cows milk. I feed my daughter soy formula and she is very healthy. She is now six months old and had never been ill. She just went to the doctor today and is very healthy. I would never be able to give her the cows milk formula because I would be in tears each time I had to feed her.

[Christa]

Did you ever get this issue resolved for you sister? I hope that she was able to work something out. I do have a good friend who bf an adopted daughter, but she had to supplement w/ formula. I understand that she used a supplemental nursing system -basically a tube that you tape to the side of your breast which delivers formula in addition to the breast milk. The stimulation of having the baby suckle even the formula from your breasts helps you produce some breast milk sometimes.

Anyway, I am glad that I never had to deal with this issue as both of my girls were bf for about 2 yrs give or take few months. Re the soy vs. cow's milk formula, I can't say that I have researched it much since I didn't need to use it, but I do remember a study coming across my desk in approx. December 2002 that found that children who were fed soy formula exclusively as infants had a higher instance of eczema and inflammatory bowel disease as young adults. I honestly do not remember who did the study, and I probably would still go with soy or goat's milk if I had to make the decision b/c I just can't see feeding cow's milk to a human baby.

I can't rely too heavily on any positions of the AAP since they have a history of misreading data. If you look at their position on co-sleeping they based their recommendation that it is dangerous on data that looked only at the # of children who had died while co-sleeping and didn't even look at the children in the same set of data who had died in cribs (which, incidentally, was a larger %).