Milk protein allergy & choice of formula

April 29, 2009

Hello,

I am new to this group and I was hoping someone might be able to help me. I am

having great difficulty deciding what to give my 16-month old to drink. I

nursed exclusively until she was 10-months when we found out she had milk

protein allergy (and egg allergy). At that time, the allergist recommended that

I switch to a " next-step " soy formula until 24 months. However, I have learned

through this forum and other sources that there is concern about use of soy

formula: phytoestogens issue, genetically modified soybean issue, and recent

news of formula contamination and BPA chemicals in the containers, etc. I know

that rice milk and soy milk do not have enough fat, and I cannot use nut milks

yet because we were told to avoid nuts until age 3 due to potential allergy

issues. The pediatrician said soy milk was OK, but I am worried it doesn't have

enough fat. I have been giving her Earth's Best soy formula because it is

non-GMO, but I am still not sure if I am doing the right thing. Does anyone

have any advice? I would greatly appreciate any help. Thank you!

April 29, 2009

Personally, I think " next step " formulas are a scam to keep people

contributing to the formula industry by scaring them into thinking that

regular food isn't sufficient for a child over 1. It is. After donor

breastmilk ran out after a year, my children switched entirely to regular

food. They never consumed animal products of any kind and they also never

drank any milk of any kind; they've always had water or tea, not juice, and

so their nutrition comes from their food. It's indicative of our culture

that parents are encouraged to ensure that a huge bulk of their children's

nutrition - fat, protein and calcium - comes from a fluid. It's really not

necessary.

Plant milks are not a particularly good source of fat, except coconut milk.

So your daughter should be eating avocados and seeds, which are pretty

hypoallergenic. Be liberal with your use of olive oil or coconut oil in

cooking her food. Add some flaxseed or hempseed oil to her yogurt or

smoothies. Make sure she has a wide variety of foods in her diet, and she

won't need any of the " white stuff " at all.

Chandelle

On Tue, Apr 28, 2009 at 8:06 PM, jamiefrana <jamiefrana wrote:

>

> Hello,

>

> I am new to this group and I was hoping someone might be able to help me. I

> am having great difficulty deciding what to give my 16-month old to drink. I

> nursed exclusively until she was 10-months when we found out she had milk

> protein allergy (and egg allergy). At that time, the allergist recommended

> that I switch to a " next-step " soy formula until 24 months. However, I have

> learned through this forum and other sources that there is concern about use

> of soy formula: phytoestogens issue, genetically modified soybean issue, and

> recent news of formula contamination and BPA chemicals in the containers,

> etc. I know that rice milk and soy milk do not have enough fat, and I cannot

> use nut milks yet because we were told to avoid nuts until age 3 due to

> potential allergy issues. The pediatrician said soy milk was OK, but I am

> worried it doesn't have enough fat. I have been giving her Earth's Best soy

> formula because it is non-GMO, but I am still not sure if I am doing the

> right thing. Does anyone have any advice? I would greatly appreciate any

> help. Thank you!

>

--

" The demand for equal rights in every vocation of life is just and fair;

but, after all, the most vital right is the right to love and be loved. "

~Emma Goldman

April 29, 2009

My son has a milk protein allergy. I nursed him till he was 23mo's, we

did supplement with soy formula in his cereal when he was under a year

old, but then just switched to regular foods at 1. He was about 10

mo's old as well when we found out about his milk protein allergy,

too.

Just add healthy fats to other foods - avacados, olive oil, canola

oil. Drizzle a little on steamed veggies, add a teaspoon extra to

soups (my son ate alone from around 11mo's on, and was very vehement

about anyone trying to help him so we found a lot of things he would

and could eat) - bite sized sandwiches w/soy nut butter/jam and

Tofutti cream cheese. He also liked hummus (to dip pita and veggies

in, sometimes a wrap we cut into little strips for him). Oil on pasta

or rice, I know I also used to add flax seed oil to his soy yogurt

(they also now have a coconut milk yogurt, I don't know if that's off

limits with the nut avoidance for you) for a while (and toasted wheat

germ) but he decided it tasted funny and wouldn't let me do the oil

for him anymore, but he was maybe 3 then. We also used Earth Balance

(melted) on some stuff, where it would taste better, or for a change

(it's good oils as well). He didn't like it on his veggies (still

prefers them plain, so I just make sure to put oils on his other

foods) Oh, we also used tahini in things sometimes -the toasted one

with a little salt is good with jam (has a lot of calcium, too). We

now also have a hemp shake (from Nutivia, sweetened with stevia) that

we add frozen fruit to, and make frosty shakes with - my son adores

those, but it's more of a 'treat'

There is a book called Super Baby Foods which also has recipes you can

add extra healthy fats to make sure your daughter gets them.. You can

also try hemp milk, has good fats and Omega 3's and 6's and protein. I

like Living harvest (I even enjoy their plain one, but I think the

chocolate one is the best LOL)

I'm trying to remember what else we used to do - my son turns 6 in 2

months so I will probably forget something. I'll see what else I can

remember. Oh, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, wheat germ, flax seeds

(grind before using, we kept them in the fridge/freezer already ground

since we used them so much - add to pasta, yogurt, soup, sauces like a

'sprinkle topping' (you can also make a vegan parm. sprinkle -

sunflower seeds, salt, nutritional yeast, sesame seeds). I think now,

I am just used to adding stuff to his I don't think about it. It

will get easier, trust me.

Good luck, it's tricky at first - we were overwhelmed at first (and

tried the 'wait and re-introduce again in 2 months' and after he was

1.5 I think (maybe not even that old) we just stopped with the milk

all together as a whole family (I hate having to be a short order

cook, and we didnt' think it was fair to have stuff we could have, and

he couldn't. With the sensitivity level our son has, it's been for the

best, because we can't buy Silk soymilk, or the Aldi Organic soymilk

because they process on the same equipment as milk, and he has always

reacted to it. Not so for other brands, like the 365 brand soymilks,

and not with So Delicious products. I also didn't read carefully and

there was a soy yogurt (I think the stonyfield farms O'soy) but the

cultures are grown on milk - said so on the package, and I missed it,

so we had some severe issues there, too.

For us if it says it's processed on the same equipment or shared

equipment as milk, it's hit or miss for wether or not he will react to

it. Some things are ok, but some we pay the price in short amount of

time.

Missie

On Tue, Apr 28, 2009 at 9:06 PM, jamiefrana <jamiefrana wrote: