Non-dairy baby formula recommendations, please!!
Hi...I have a rather urgent request for information! :) My hubby and I have been trying to adopt for the past year and just found out yesterday that we have been chosen for a 2-month-old boy! We're going to start having visits next week, so we have little time to prepare :o We actually thought we'd be getting an older child so we literally have a week to prepare a nursery, get baby gear, etc. I haven't done any research yet on baby formulas, but since I'm vegan, I'd really like to have him use a non-dairy formula. **Please, I know that breastmilk is best but I'm not sure if I'm going to take meds to stimulate lactation, so for right now, I'd just appreciate comments about formula and not a debate about breastmilk vs. formula!! ;)**
I'd love to hear from other vegan parents who have used formulas (soy and non-soy) and any comments (pro or con) about these formulas.
Thanks so much in advance! ;)b
I know there are soy formulas availible. Just be carefull of formulas claiming to be geared to babies who cannot have milk protein, my mom bought one to supplement my daughter, (who has a bad milk allergy,) if she ran out of breast milk when watching her, and luckily I read the ingredients because it contained CASEIN!!!!!!!!! (that just reminds me of how mad I got, sorry.) I have seen soy-based formulas at the health food store though. And you probably already know this, but just too be safe, make sure not to give baby actual soy milk or rice milk, (when they get older, (my doc said 1 yr old rice milk was okay for my daughter,) because those milks do not contain enough fat and have lots of things added to them....(again, I'm sure you probably know this already:) )
How exciting though!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Congratulations to you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)>>>
Congratulations! You are probably going to have to use a soy formula, although I don't know of any that are 100% vegan, the soy based formulas don't contain any dairy. All of my three have been on soy as babies, my daughter still is. I can say, don't bother with the formula at a health food store, its the same as those sold in larger chain stores, and not any better or worse for your baby. There are also a lot of generic soy and milk formulas out there, they are made by the same maker as Similac and Enfamil, so its way cheaper without the brand name. My kids have all had the Target, Wallmart and Walgreens generic soy, and are healthy and happy.
If the baby is on milk formula right now, it can take a while to switch, and soy can sometimes make them constipated, which our doc suggested we add a tablespoon or two of prune juice to one bottle a day to keep it all moving. My daughter was on soy from day one, since I can't make any milk for some unknown reason, and she never had a poop problem, so after their system gets used to it, it isn't a big deal.
Congratulations--Isomil is the most common soy based forumula out there. I'm not sure where you are adopting your baby from but if he or she is on formula now probably the best thing for the baby is to switch over slowly--you add a little bit of the new formula to the bottle and over time gradually increase the amount of the new formula while decreasing the old.
Good luck. You must be excited!
You could also relactate with a pump and breastfeed-- lots of benefits to nursing. Good luck.
I second that! ;)b
Thanks to all, I appreciate your advice and well-wishes :)
I would imagine he's on a dairy-based formula now (I'll find out more info on Friday) but I'll definitely follow your advice of gradually switching him over, as well as adding some prune juice.
We're both deliriously excited and deliriously shocked :D We can't believe it's happening so fast, especially because we've been waiting so long...if that makes any sense!
We couldn't find a soy formula that my daughter could digest. She would throw them up in big chunks. In fact, we could only find one formula at all that she didn't have a problem with, but maybe it was because she was used to breastmilk? I just had to supplement because I had a hard time pumping when she went to daycare. Good luck!
Hi
Currently there are no vegan formulas. Nature's One makes an organic soy formula that has vitamin D (sheep's wool source). Last I saw they were also adding DHA and I'm not sure of the source, and if all of them have it or not. If possible, I would get the one without DHA (if its not vegan) and then supplement it with flax oil or other EFA.
When it comes to growing babies, you can't play around and you will have to use a non-vegan one-there's just no other choice. I used it when I had to. I would just make sure to use an organic formula and not a soy based one off of the grocery store shelf because it will be full of GMOs.
Good luck and congrats! that is so very exciting!!!!
ETA:
http://www.naturesone.com/index.php
ETA so the Soy formula contains DHA from egg yolks, and taurine. Not great, but I wouldn't sweat it. Earth's Best makes an Organic one that has vitamin D but no taurine or Egg stuff.
Certainly there has to be a market for vegan formula! Even if its a small one.
we used the Nature's one for L. She was on a cow's milk formula and when we got home we gradually switched her over. We say used 6 scoops of cow formula then we would use five scoops of cow to one scoop of soy then increased the scoop after a couple of days or so when it seemed like she adjusted. She was 13 mths old and only taking a bottle in the morning and at night so it was probably easier for her to change. Like L2A said you should probably adjust the formula very slowly for such a little one.
Congratulations by the way! :)>>>
Thanks to all, I appreciate your advice and well-wishes :)
I would imagine he's on a dairy-based formula now (I'll find out more info on Friday) but I'll definitely follow your advice of gradually switching him over, as well as adding some prune juice.
We're both deliriously excited and deliriously shocked :D We can't believe it's happening so fast, especially because we've been waiting so long...if that makes any sense!
Good luck to you. Honestly, the formula part doesn't go on very long, so . . . I'm trying to say you should enjoy your baby
Also, don't add any prune juice unless you check with your doctor. Just because they're not pooping doesn't mean they're constipated.