My son just turned 1. Which is more healthy for him in the long run: Soy Milk or Whole Milk? (read details)?

Question

My son is 13 months old, weighs 24.5 LBS, and is 32.5 IN tall. His primary source of nutrition is Nutramigen formula.

When he was an infant my wife speculated that he may have a slight intolerance to a dairy-based formula so we switched to a soy-based formula. He developed a rash from that. We placed him on Nutramigen after that and he has been doing just fine on that. He also eats yogurt and cheeses without any complications.

My wife is afraid that dairy may cause him to be more susceptable to illness and wants to place him on a soy-based diet instead.

I am afraid that if he is placed on soy milk instead of cow's milk, then he may develop an intolerance to dairy products. I am also afraid that it will be harder to insure that he is getting the calcium that he needs if he is placed on soy milk.

WHOLE MILK SEEMS A BETTER CHOICE TO ME. SUGGESTIONS?

Answer 1

Your pediatrician will more than likely recommend whole milk. You cannot develop lactose intolerance. It's genetic. It doesn't mean you cannot be sensitive to them, but true inability to digest milk proteins is from birth to death. Start with the whole milk in small doses and watch for side affects. Keep in mind that anytime you change a babies diet if may take a few times to settle properly. If you want true advice ask your son's doctor, he will be able to make the most informed decision in this matter.

Answer 2

My daughter was irritated by regular formula also as a baby. I switched her to soy... She stayed there for a while, but I didnt notice a big difference in spitting up, rashes, so I switched her back to regular since she was a twin, and having 2 cans of formula in a diaper bag was hard....

She now is 17 months and eats dairy just fine, no irritations. Milk allergys can be grown out of, as cows milk is not really made for humans to enjoy. Its hard for babies to break down... When they get older there digestive systems get stronger, and then can digest it...

Just to let you know, soy milk has hormones in it that cause older women to go into menopause easier. Its not good for your boys, and even a little girl should not be getting those hormones.

I would say go for the cows. I have 17 month old twins on cows milk and they do just fine, and the one couldnt handle it at first. Whole milk of course, but I think that if defintly the best choice! Good luck!

Answer 3

Your wife is right on the nose about the whole dairy thing. However, you need to be on top of nutritional information. Soy is a great choice, BUT, since soy contains natural progesterone (great for females) too much for a young boy is not good. It can result in breast tissue growth, small penis growth....This does not mean he can't have soy milk or products, I just would not recommend it to be used in place of his primary milk source. Using other soy products (ice cream, yogurt, cheese, chocolate soy milk) and go with Rice milk or almond milk is a great way to keep him healthy. This is what my son uses (he is now 12, 5'4", 145 lbs. with muscles and hasn't had so much as a cold in the last four years!) We cook and bake with soy milk and use rice milk for drinking and in cereal et.
This will not allow him to become intolerant to dairy. I you are truely worried, buy cottage cheese and other cheese, yogurt, ice cream. (FYI: humans are the only species on earth who drink the milk from other animals once they reach maturity. Cows milk is designed to turn a calf into a 300lb cow in the first year of life, think ablout that)
Also, milk is not a great place to get calcium. It is an easy place, but not the best. Calcium comes from many things. Broccolli contains more calcium than milk! Your son will get a lot of calcium from other dairy products. Better yet, start him eating vegetables in a natural form, cut them up in little peices on his tray and let him experiment with all the new textures and tastes.

Answer 4

In my opinion, cows milk is not good. Even a mother cow knows when to stop giving it to her baby. Some people can eat cheese and other dairy products but can't drink milk. I would go the soy route but allow him to still have the cheese and yogurt as long as there are no complications. But I would ask the child's doctor first. If nutrition is a concern, there are other ways to get it. I don't think Milk has all that much nutrition. Try fruits, veggies and baby vitamins for his age. I use rice milk and soy milk. Then again, that's just my opinion.

Answer 5

hi, was reading somewhere in a parents magazine about lactose overdose as opposed to lactose intolerance, may be worth checking it out. my younger sister used to not be allowed to eat or drink anything dairy when she was a baby/toddler/small child, she is now 13 and is able to eat anything, it was mostly for her excema and asthma. my son had really bad excema and we let him drink whole cows milk, straight from the cow.. and his excema has been really good since then. also it might be worth your time to do some research on soy milk as i have done a fair bit over the net because i had the same dilemna of whether to leave him on formula, give him cows milk or give him soy milk. and there is some scary stuff out there about soy! granted a fair bit may be prpaganda but i asked the same basic question as you on a parents site and found some scary firsthand info! goats milk is supposed to be good, it also contains lactose just point 4 percent less than cows lol, but alot of parents swear by it. i think in the end you just have to go by what is best for your child after you have done all the research and wighed the benefits with the negatives. maybe you could do a pro's and cons list for cows milk and soy, and then do research and write them all down and then see which ones pro's outweight the cons. good luck with whatever you decide to do!

Answer 6

Whole milk even organic milk will be the best choice for your little one. Pediatricians recommend whole milk since it provides all the nutrients and yes even fat that your little one needs. If your baby is lactose intolerant which is genetic because he was wasn't born with the enzyme lactase to break it down in his digestive system you might be able to try lactose intolerant milk. Start with small dosages of milk and work your way up. Do this so you can see if the milk is working on him. You can also try calling your doctor and ask what milk you should give him, just to make sure. Your doctor will have a better idea according to your baby's history. I would stay away of that soy milk. Good luck!

Answer 7

At 13 months of age, your son should no longer be using formula as his primary source of nutrition. He should be eating balanced meals and formula can be used as a supplement. Try whole milk and if he tolerates it, use whole milk. Children who primarily use soy are more prone to developing allergies. Soy also does not have the calcium that a 13 months old needs! If your son is lactose intolerant, Lactaid is a great choice.

Answer 8

There are children in this world that drink both milks and are perfectly healthy.

That said, I would suggest you and your wife talk to your pediatrician. They know the health history of your child and can give you facts about the pros and cons of both types of milk. Then you and your wife can make an educated decision together.

I was a lactose intolerant baby and had to be on the soy formulas. But when I was one and went off formulae, I had no problems with regular milk. Ever.

Both of my children went straight to whole milk (one from breast milk and one from regular formula) and have never had a problem.

A suggestion. What do you and your wife drink? If you both drink regular milk, you will have less spoilage if your child drinks the same as you.

Answer 9

My youngest has a dairy allergy which manifests itself as diarrhea, diaper rash, vomiting, congestion and gas. He drinks soymilk and will continue to drink it until he is at least 3 and no longer in diapers - when we will try reintroducing dairy in to his system.

Cow based dairy is not inherently unhealthy, nor is a soy based diet but they both do have their drawbacks and concerns. A soy dairy based diet is expensive (vegan cheese, soymilk, soy yogurt, diary free snacks - are sometimes difficult to find and pricey), many cow's milk products are full of hormones and pesticides that are questionable substances to put in to our little children's bodies, in the US we have little long term data on how a soy based diet will affect our children - male or female (I have not found sound scientific evidence that boys drinking a lot of soymilk will suffer with their penis size or grow breasts). The keys to remember regardless of cow or soy based dairy products is to make sure that your young child's diet is rich in both calcium and fat. Fat is crucial for developing brains. "Fats make up sixty percent of the brain and the nerves that run every system in the body. So, it stands to reason that the better the fat in the diet, the better the brain." - Dr. Sears

Answer 10

My son is 1 as well. We just found out he is lactose intolerent too. He did not like the soy milk. I buy him lactaid whole milk. usually they stay on whole milk till 2. they have lactaid 2% too. Hes been fine ever since. I can only find the milk at grocery stores not walgreens or a white hen. its red and white box.