Few Babies Need Soy Formula

Soy-based formula has few advantages for babies, new medical guidelines say. The guidelines come from the American Academy of Pediatrics. Its members are doctors who specialize in caring for children. Breast milk is best, the report notes. But for those who use formula, the guidelines advise soy milk for only three groups of babies. These are babies who cannot tolerate the lactose in milk, come from strict vegan families, or have a rare condition called galactosemia. There’s no proof that soy soothes fussy or colicky babies, the report says. And babies with a milk allergy should get hydrolyzed protein formula. That’s because many of them also may be allergic to soy. The guidelines were released May 5. They were published in the journal Pediatrics.