please help Dr McDougall: baby formula question

[lindsey]

Hi Everyone,

I've read all the topics here about babies and formula and still don't have an answer...I cannot get breast milk from a bank for several reasons, so that is not an option.

I have an 11 month old baby. I nursed him until 10 months of age when I had a health issue that required stopping -- and baby weaned himself and will not nurse anymore. I have been giving him Earth's Best organic soy formula since (pediatrician says formula until age 1). I chose soy because after recently reading the China Study (and a long history of McDougalling) I wanted to continue to avoid milk products.

Now in the Fat Vegan chapter Dr Mc Dougall spends a paragraph on how babies should not have soy formula and I am worried I made the wrong decision. I don't know what to do. He has one month left...should I switch to cow formula? Breast milk is OUT...please please advise. And what then after 1 year of age?

I am so worried he has been on Earth's Best Organic soy formula for 6 weeks. I thought I was doing the next best thing.

Thank you so much and keep up the good work.

[jamietwo]

So sorry you had to stop breastfeeding.

I found this in the hot topics under breastfeeding. You have to scroll down to find the info on formula as Dr. M recommends a wet nurse and a milk bank as the second and third alternatives to mother's milk.

http://www.drmcdougall.com/misc/2011nl/mar/fav5.htm

Good luck!

[LadyDi]

Linsey, Why don't you email Dr McDougall directly. This is important and he was great about getting back to me quickly when I had a important question!

[lindsey]

Thank you so much. The links provided have been helpful; I will email Dr McDougall, too. His personal attention is what drew my family to him in the first place.

[ct214]

I was just curious to see if you got a reply on the soy formula. We had a very difficult time finding information on what type of formula to use when we needed to supplement. Fortunately, our son got breastmilk almost exclusively for 6 months and at least partially for 8 months, but then the well ran dry, and we had to do something. By the time I found the hot topics article, we had already used organic soy formula as our means of supplementation for several months, so I am curious to see what Dr. M had to say about it. Thanks!

[drew]

I'm no doctor, but if you baby is 11 months (same age as mine) and needs forumla until 1 year, couldn't you just stop a month early? It doesn't seem huge, but then again I'm no doctor.

My 11 month old gets the bulk of her calories from plant based whole foods at the moment.

[ct214]

I'm with you, Drew. Our kiddo is a year old now, and he is on the whole-foods, plant-based diet. I was just curious what Dr. M thought about such a short, part-time stint on the Soy.

[tturner224]

After recently having a vegan conversion I too have been researching on this topic. I found a recent lecture by Dr. McDougall where he states that he recommends the hypoallergenic formulas, like Similac Alimentum with a 1/4 teaspoon of sugar added per 2 fluid ounces of formula for taste. The lecture is below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jh0IECU1 ... Qg&index=4