Soy milk should only be offered as food for the baby if the pediatrician recommends it, as is the case in cases where the baby cannot be breastfed, or when he or she develops an allergy to cow’s milk or in some cases lactose intolerance.
Soy milk in the form of infant formula is produced from soy protein and several essential nutrients for the growth of the baby. On the other hand, conventional soy milk, also known as soy drink, is low in calcium and contains less protein than cow’s milk, being recommended only for children older than 2 years and only according to the advice of the pediatrician.
Being in the growth and development phase, babies’ consumption of soy milk can lead to problems such as:
These problems can occur mainly because milk is the basis of babies’ diet up to the sixth month of life, making them exclusively from soy milk and its limits.
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, soy milk should only be used for infants in cases of congenital galactosemia, i.e. when the baby cannot digest a cow’s milk product or when the child’s parents are strictly vegan and unwilling to offer cow’s milk to the child.
In addition, soy milk can also be used for babies allergic to milk, but not soy, which can be identified by allergy tests.See how the allergy test is done.
When the baby has lactose intolerance, it is an easier problem to control and lactose-free infant formulas such as lactose-free Aptamil ProExpert, Enfamil O-Lac Premium or soy-based milks can be used, according to the pediatrician’s advice.
But in cases where the baby is allergic to cow’s milk, soy milk is usually avoided because soya can also cause allergies, so it is necessary to use milk made from free amino acids or widely hydrolyzed proteins, such as Pregomin pepti and Neocate.
For children over 2 years of age and allergic to cow’s milk, the pediatrician may recommend the use of soy milk or other plant drinks, but it is important to remember that it does not bring the same benefits as cow’s milk, therefore, the baby’s diet must be varied and balanced, preferably guided by a nutritionist, so that he obtains all the nutrients necessary for his development.Learn how to choose the best milk for newborns.