Whole Milk Or Soy Milk For Babies

Soy milk can be a sufficient substitution for whole cow s milk after your baby s first year.

Whole milk or soy milk for babies.

According to the mayo clinic allergic reactions to cow s milk can range from mild to severe and can include wheezing vomiting hives and digestive problems. Feeding only soy milk to your baby can result in serious nutritional deficiencies in your baby. When you transition baby to milk. Almond milk is a healthy milk substitute but it isn t a good source of calcium unless it s fortified.

Now cow s milk comes in all sorts of varieties. It s especially important for children and teens to get enough calcium since bones. Cow s milk contains too many proteins and minerals for babies stomachs to handle and most plant based milks aren t adequate sources of the many nutrients. As per the studies soy milk consists of phytoestrogens that can trigger oestrogen like effects in infants further causing an increased risk of certain health conditions like breast cancer or prostate.

If your child drank soy formula because your doctor recommended it though check with your doctor before introducing cow s milk. Consumption of soy milk can result in goitre abnormal enlargement of thyroid gland by causing an imbalance in thyroid levels. Once a baby is developmentally able to eat finger foods other dairy such as pieces of cheese can be added. Some babies can be allergic to a protein found in soy milk.

Avoid the added sugar commonly found in yogurt marketed to babies and toddlers. If you still wish to offer soy milk to your baby do supplement his nutrition from other dietary sources for his healthy development. Plain whole fat or whole greek yogurt is a good first form of cow s milk protein for babies to try. Although you should fortify their diet with the proper nutrients for healthy growth and development.

If your baby has a milk allergy you follow a dairy free diet or he does not like the taste of cow s milk you can offer a milk alternative such as almond milk soy milk nut milk hemp milk oat milk etc. Because your baby s body is not used to consuming cow s milk the switch to whole milk should be done gradually and you should watch for adverse reactions to the whole milk. Remember to always talk with your pediatrician before making any changes to your child s diet. Whole milk 2 percent 1 percent skim fat free and even lactose free milk.

You may like to use soy milk more as a supplement rather than a replacement for breast milk or whole cow s milk.