Any thoughts on Soy Formula?

[Onewoman]

I am breastfeeding and want to introduce one bottle of formula a day, mainly so that DH can feel included. I am not very good at expressing and have only ever been able to get 2/3 ounces out in a day max which is not enough for a feed. I would save it up so DH could do a feed every few days, but I am just fed up with expressing and have been doing it less and less!

As Ruby is intolerant to cows milk protein I have bought some soy formula. (I drink lots of soya milk and she is fine with it in my diet). Being me I thought I would have a little look on the internet about soy formula and saw some scary stuff about it having too much manganese in it which can cause brain damage! There was also info about it having too much oestrogen.  :?

What to do? Obviously I don't want to do her any harm. Can anyone give any reassurance or info?

Thanks 

[Isom'smom]

My son is on Isomil advance w/ iron (soy formula).  There are times when I wonder whether or not he's drain bamaged like his daddy, but he's super smart and happy.  As to your research on the net, consider the source.  Is there a bias involved? towards breast feeding, antigovernment or anti capitalist?  Surely the doctors wouldn't recommend it and stores wouldn't sell it if were going to damage your precious one.  Can you imagine the amount of lawsuits they would get?  Wow, that would be one heck of a mess.  But I digress....LO will be fine if you want to give her a bottle of formula.  Enjoy your time off.

[LindseysMom]

I agree, one bottle of soy formula a day should be fine.  Heck, I was fed soy formula all the time as a a baby too for milk intolerance and I am not brain damaged(at least not that I know of) :wink:

[GraceKellysmom]

If it is one bottle every few days, you will be fine. Some women can even do one bottle a day and their supply is ok. But some women can't - they need to pump for that bottle feed to keep their supply up. If you skip the feed, your body *could* think it doesn't need to make as much for the next feeds.

If you do end up pumping, you could always use that first and top of with formula. It takes a while for your body to get used to pumping, so give it a few days. I have used an electric Medela and a hand Isis pump and the electric definately pulls more milk and much faster.