Soy milk

Soy milk can be given as a drink after 12 months. Before the first birthday it is only an ingredient in solid foods such as porridge and mash. It contains soy, a common allergen.

Where it comes from

Soy milk is a drink native to East Asia. Soybeans are soaked, ground, and boiled to make it. Today it is common among families who eat plant-based.

Nutrition

Soy milk offers plant protein and iron, along with a bit of healthy fat. Fortified versions add B12, vitamin D and calcium, all of which matter for growth and bones. It does not offer the complete nutrition of breast milk and formula.

From six to eleven months, use soy milk only as an ingredient in food. Do not give it as a drink. During the first year the main drinks stay breast milk and formula. Soy milk should not take their place.

Between eleven and twelve months, small sips from an open cup are fine to practice feeding skills and get the palate used to the taste. Skipping any milk drink and staying with breast milk or formula is also perfectly acceptable.

After the first birthday you can serve it as a drink. Giving milk is not required, because the nutrients in soy milk are found in many foods.

Soy milk is a liquid, so the choking risk is low. In theory, any food can cause choking.

Serve it in an open cup with baby seated. Set up a safe eating space and stay close.

Soy milk is made from soybeans. Soy is a common food allergen in infants. Ready-made products may carry other allergens, so read the label carefully.

Soy allergy affects fewer than one percent of children. Reactions are mostly mild, though severe ones have been reported. About 70 percent of allergic children outgrow it by age 10.

When introducing

Begin soy with a plain food that carries no other allergens. Unsweetened soy yogurt, plain tofu sticks, or a splash of soy milk in a vegetable mash would do. Give a small amount for the first few meals. If there is no reaction, raise it slowly. After a successful start, keep it in the diet twice a week when possible.

Related conditions

Among toddlers who have a cow's milk allergy, ten to 14 percent react to soy as well. In non-IgE milk allergy, the figure can rise to 30 to 50 percent. If milk allergy is known, ask your doctor about soy.

A child with soy allergy may also test sensitive to peanut. If peanut is already eaten without trouble, no need to stop it. People with birch pollen allergy may get short-lived mouth itching. Soy can also cause a delayed allergy called FPIES. Its sign is repeated vomiting and diarrhea starting hours after eating.