Soymilk?

Updated on December 11, 2008
J.B. asks from Redondo Beach, CA
15 answers

Hi all!! I have been breastfeeding my daughter now for almost seven months and I have been drinking/eating soy products throughout the time due to the fact that I am lactose intolerant. I read a post saying soy isnt good while breastfeeding! Is this true? Thank you:)

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E.K.

answers from Los Angeles on

I have been also using soy because my 5 1/2 month old gets very gassy and stomach pains with dairy. I have not heard to not have it at all. There are soy based formula so I wonder why you could not have soy while breastfeeding. Keep me posted I would be very interested in more input. I guess anything in excess would be bad.
E.
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T.M.

answers from Los Angeles on

J.,
Soy is a hormone disruptor if it is consumed in large amounts. I don't know enough about it to give you any advice other than to do research and keep in mind that while soy is staple in the diets of many asian countries (especially japan, where they are considered very healthy,) it is consumed in very moderate quantities and NOT as a replacement for dairy products. I would consider adding some non soy dairy products to your diet, such as goat's milk products.
I have had a hormone imbalance as an adult that has affected my fertility and I truly believe it is related to the high levels of estrogen disrupters we consume and/or use.
Good luck!
T.

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M.M.

answers from Los Angeles on

Hi J.,

I think like anything, we have to dig a little deeper & be educated about what were putting in & on our bodies. I had wanted to get off of cow milk so I switched to soy for a while but then found out that breast cancer survivors can't have any soy! I'm still learning & trying to make the best choices for my family. There are several books by Dr. John Lee that are helpful such as "What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Breast Cancer". The article below is also a good starting point.

http://www.johnleemd.com/store/soy.html

Here's an excerpt:

All Soy is Not the Same

In the U.S., the soybean industry is filling our shelves with soy derivatives such as soy flour, textured soy protein, partially hydrogenated soybean oil, and soy protein isolate — none of which were part of the traditional Japanese diet. They are found in soy cheese, milk, margarine, vegetable oils, burgers and hot dogs, baby formula, and flour, to name just a few. These soy derivatives have become a major (often-unrecognized) ingredient in fast foods and prepackaged frozen meals. They should not be confused with the natural and fermented soy components of the traditional Japanese diet.

Many people with wheat allergies will use soy products as a substitute. Unfortunately, when soy is a major component of the diet, soy allergy can develop.

I hope that it is obvious at this point that soy milk is not a good staple food for children. The last thing a small but rapidly growing body needs is a hefty dose of phytoestrogens and enzymes that block protein and mineral absorption.

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T.A.

answers from Visalia on

Hi J.,

There are many conflicting stories about soy...is it good...is it bad? There is definitely a difference in fermented and unfermented soys. I believe unfermented is best.

I've read alot recently about soy from www.mercola.com Soy formula's are definitely bad for baby. Here's a link from Dr. Mercola's site about that... http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2001/0...

You may need to sign up for the free newsletter to view, but it's worth it, he is very diligent at getting the most up to date info for everything. He has many articles on soy and you can do a search for that.

Another source I like is www.naturalnews.com by Mike Adams. He is also very diligent in getting the most breaking health news to his readers. His newsletter is also free.

I hope this helps you some,

T.
www.sharethecause.com/T.

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C.C.

answers from Austin on

Hi J.,
Soy can be an excellent substitute for milk. However, the concerns people have regarding soy is that it contains phytoestrogens which is basically a form of estrogen. Most women are estrogen dominant, which is a result of our bodies being barraged with various forms of estrogen from plastics, meats with added hormones, etc. Too much estrogen in a young body can cause early onset puberty and can later on encourage certain forms of cancer including breast and cervical cancer. I also am lactose intolerant, but instead of soy I use almond milk. My doctor told me that almonds are an excellent source of protein and very few people have allergies to them.
An excellent resource to learn about soy is www.mercola.com

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S.S.

answers from Los Angeles on

I am not a big fan of any soy products. Have you tried goats milk. It is the closest to human milk and I use it in a formual I make up to fed to my motherless kittens.

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D.V.

answers from Las Vegas on

A lot of people are wary of soy because it has phytoestrogens, which are essentially plant hormones. They don't work in the body the same way real hormones do, so they are not as dangerous as taking real hormones. That is why a lot of menopausal women choose to take soy for their symptoms instead of hormone replacement therapy. So in that respect, soy is safer than cow's milk, which is full of real hormones naturally, plus most dairy farmers inject even more growth hormones into their cows so that they will produce more milk. If you have to choose between the 2, pick the soy. If you are still worried about phytoestrogens, keep this in mind. These are not unique to soy. They are in a lot of plant foods that you eat every day, like wheat, corn, and bananas, and in higher concentration than you will find in soy. You haven't stopped eating all of those foods, right? The key is in eating a well BALANCED diet, so that you don't get too little or too much of everything. Eat a lot of different foods. If you are still worried about soy and can't do lactose, try almond milk. It is delicious and nutritious. Almonds are a great source of calcium, protein, fiber, and essential fatty acids, all of which you need while pregnant. Goat's milk does have lactose, by the way.

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D.G.

answers from Los Angeles on

Ye sit is true! My daughter formed boob knots like she was going through puberty. This lasted until she was 2 and finally went away. There is no soy in the house any longer.

Good Luck!

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S.F.

answers from Reno on

Hi!

If you need an alternative to soy and cow's milk, try goat's milk. I'm also lactose intolerant and it's wonderful!

S.R.

answers from Los Angeles on

it seems to me that it really depends on yours and your babys body. if your baby cant handle the soy then its probably good to switch to rice or almond milk or something like that. ive heard that people who cant handle cows milk can still drink goats milk, but i dont know if you would want to!

my daughter couldnt handle my eating soy when she was nursing, she would projectile vomit all over me when i did. my friends baby would have blood in her stool if she ate any soy. but i knew lots of women in santa barbara that would live off of soy and breastfed their babies for several years.

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D.M.

answers from Los Angeles on

Since my son's pedi just changed his opinion on Soy Milk, so have I. We now drink Horizon Organic Lactose Free Milk and products...my son is lactose intolerant.

As for BF, I would talk to your OBGYN and do some research.

I totally agree with Susan, it's tricky but whenever there is no clear evidence I have to ere on the side of caution.

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J.P.

answers from San Diego on

Soymilk is not a traditional Asian food. I is a processed food. Go to drmercola.com and watch his clips about it. I do not recomend it. I feel that is why my daughter was 11lb and 12 ounces. I was a vegan. I could only be the soy milk mimicking hormones.

Please don't give up looking for an answer. God bless you for trying to make good choices. If you looking for a better alternative, let me know.

God Bless!
J.

C.L.

answers from Las Vegas on

I've read thru some of the replies... I'm in agreement with the side effects of soy on a baby female (or male for that matter) and have stayed away from soy. Here is a link to the whole raw milk formula I used for my son until he was old enough to transition http://www.westonaprice.org/children/recipes.html

Now we've all switched our diets to Almond Milk (Almond Breeze brand). Almonds are great antioxidants and have all the necessary vitamins and minerals our bodies need, including calcium which we normally look to milk for.

Best wishes,
C.~

www.HelpUStayHome.com

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J.L.

answers from San Diego on

hi J., Samantha is my daughter's first name, About the soy, everything I have read and researched says soy is not good period, you may in the responses get a lot of contraversy on soy products, but the things I have learned are not good where soy is concerned, go on the internet and type in the dangers of soy products and read what it has to say, and then come to your own conclusion. J. L.

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