Milk based formula question

[jamijdesign]

Has anyone avoided milk based formulas with their newborn baby? Or avoided eating dairy because of the environmental studies that cows milk can trigger type one diabetes? I have been very active in all research studies and the Trigger study.
I have been giving my newborn breast milk and soy milk formula. I have been trying to not eat dairy....it's very challenging.
Have many of u had your newborn tested for the type 1 genes?

[AngelKitty]

Hi there,
I have given my three boys Lactose Free formula as babies as they had an intolerence to dairy based formulas - they now no longer have this intolerence as they were luck to grow out of it.
I would recommend lactose free formula as a dairy free alternative as opposed to soy milk formula.

[Steal]

I am in a study that does a yearly test on my girls, starting at age 1. If you are more interested in this, I am happy to send you information.

I have not avoided dairy based formulas or milk for my girls. I am better with soy milk and we use it in our cereal, but my daughter (22 months) loves drinking milk in the morning. If she is sick or phlegmy, we give her soy milk instead. My other daughter (almost 10 months) has milk based formula. I avoided dairy pre-pregnancy because it didn't agree with me, but while pregnant, I couldn't get enough.

[Jan74br]

I thought a study had just come out debunking the cow milk hypothesis? It was from Sweden or Denmark, and came out a couple of months ago.

[e||ement]

I supplemented breastfeeding both my boys with nutramigen formula (A hypoallergenic, extensively hydrolyzed infant formula for the dietary management of babies with cow’s milk protein allergy symptoms, including colic, rash, eczema, wheezing and vomiting.) They both had severe reflux. My second son had his reflux due to a dairy/soy sensitivity...so I went off anything with dairy or soy for about 6 months (you quickly learn that soy is in EVERYTHING when you start to really read labels). It was hard— REALLY hard— not gonna lie!

They both outgrew the reflux and sensitivities, and are fine now.

I would be skeptical about giving soy milk formula, there is an ongoing debate over studies that suggest that eating large amounts of soy might trigger early puberty and disrupt development of fetuses and children.

I really, personally, don't give much stock to the dairy/T1 connection. But that's just me.

But you have to do what you feel is best for you and your baby

I didn't test either of my kids (now 5 and 2) and don't think I will. It's a personal choice, and mine is based on the fact that it will cause me more stress and anxiety "waiting" for T1 to develop if they have the genes. What will happen, will happen, and sometimes we just don't have control despite our best efforts There's no proven way to prevent the onset of T1...if there was, I probably would do the test. (That's my personal feeling, but I understand why others choose to have their children tested...)

[Kathryn10]

I avoided formula with lactose with my daughter, but it was because her father is lactose intolerant and the regular formula seemed to bother her. I am glad I did that, because I want to avoid any possible triggers of type 1. My mom formula-fed both myself and my sister, and we were diagnosed with t1 when we were toddlers. I obviously can't say that the formula/milk caused it, but hey. It makes me feel better.

[Lizzie G]

No; after enduring the ridiculously over the top pregnancy and horrifically over-medicalised delivery suitable for the most horribly controlled of diabetics, I want to raise my son like a normal kid without any faddy ridiculousness. He started out on breast milk and regular formula and weaned onto an extremely healthy and well balanced diet. If his genetic blueprint results in type 1, then we will cope, just like i did, with no detriment to my health, in the meantime, we live in a normal world where we dont fuss over anything.

[AngelKitty]

Ashleigh (Ellement), I totall agree with you re testing of children for T1.
We were also invited to participate in a research study "Screening Phase of the Type 1 Diabetes Prevention Study, which is being conducted by the Royal Childrens Hopsital and The Royal Melbourne Hospital together.
After much discussion with the researchers my husband and I decided that we wouldn't test our three boys, mainly for the same reasons as you.
Basically, if the boys tested positive for the "diabetic gene" they may or may not go on to develop diabetes.
If they do have the gene they may not develop T1, but if we found out they had the gene my worry/stress would be unbearable, and there would be the chance that they may not become T1s even if they do carry the gene.
So basically we worry every day that our children may become T1, you find out they have the gene, worry yourself sick and they may not become diabetic.
For me personally, I can't do anything constructive with the information of finding out they have the gene, at this stage drs are unable to vaccinate against the prevention of T1 in children with the diabetic gene, so I saw no benefit in putting my kids through the testing process.

[Steal]

I am not one that worries when I have information. So, for me, I am a bit different when it comes to screening. We are doing a study at Stanford and they have found that there are some ways to prolong the onset of Type I. I was diagnosed at 6 and my sister at 3. I am cognizant of warning signs and will always pay attention, but I guess, for me, being armed with more information is not a bad thing. I take great care of myself and I know if my girls were to become Type I, they would be just fine. Everyone feels differently. I felt worried about doing the screenings while I was pregnant. I didn't want to do them, because I said that we want our little one, no matter what and I didn't want to worry about the what ifs. So, I get it. Now that my girls are here, I would do anything for them and the study that we are in is just one little blood test per year. I was never planning on it, until another friend on the forum told me about it. Everyone handles this differently and for some information is a blessing and for others it just brings more questions and worry. I am a planner, I can't help it, so if I can know, I want to know. I never treated myself differently as a kid and neither did my family. I was that kid that never let anyone else give me a shot or test my blood, I did them from day 1. So, I guess, what I am trying to say is that I just handle it and I think that is true for many of us. I want to raise my girls with that same attitude and strength and I know, no matter what, my husband and I will. The test puts me at ease, and doesn't make me more worried, but it might not be the path for everyone.

[jamijdesign]

Thank you everyone for the posts. I agree that information is power when it comes to type 1. I will be testing my son for the T1 genes and in a year testing for the antibodies through the Trial net study here in Seattle. I was enrolled in this study for 4 years when is was diagnosed. I would like to know to be more prepared and to watch for early signs of T1. I was diagnosed at age 26.....while my Sister was at age 8. I had no idea I was at risk and ended up very sick with a blood sugar of 900. If I knew the signs and that I was at risk...I could avoided holding off on realizing that there was a problem. I had to go through getting contacts and glasses because my eyesight went bad, trying to stay awake when driving into work ( slapping myself because I was so tired), losing 30 lbs, and getting infections. This could have been avoided.

As for formula.....not sure about the soy but my Son likes it and it does make me feel better. That's what it is all about. Doing what you feel that you need to do as a mother. I will check into the lactose free formula. I am new at this and my son is now 10 days old! This has all been a wild ride being T1 diabetic and pregnant. I feel very luck to have worked so hard with a 4.0 to 4.8 A1C through my entire pregnancy. My son was born through an emergency c section due to a routine NST that showed he had a dip in heart rate.
He was born at almost 37 weeks, was 6.8 lbs and spent 5 days in the NICU to get his lungs to fully function. He is doing great and I love being a Mom.

[AngelKitty]

Congratulations on the birth of your precious little boy
You're doing great!