Coincidence? No.

Transitioning Jack from breast milk to formula was nothing short of a nightmare.  We started with the inexpensive milk-based formula we could buy in bulk at Costco.  Though we tried to move slowly, before long Jack was a gassy mess.  No amount of gas drops or gripe water could make a dent in his discomfort.  Some family members had had success with a hypoallergenic (milk-based) formula.  It breaks down the milk proteins to make them easier for young tummies to digest.  Within a few days on this formula, his mood had improved greatly but within a week he had terrible diarrhea and a sore bottom to boot.  Off to the doctor for some answers.  She recommended soy.  I cringed.  I'd heard horror stories about soy and its effect on hormones.  Still, we weren't left with many alternatives so we gave it a shot.  Miracle cure-no gas, no diarrhea, no reflux, colic significantly reduced...it was like magic.

But still, all my reading got into my head and I tried to talk myself into thinking that maybe he needed a bit more time to adjust to the other formulas; perhaps the gas could be mitigated. 

Nope.  His body did not want anything to do with milk-based formulas, even when the proteins are broken down.  Soy it would have to be.  I trusted that because I was praying and seeking to do what was best for Jack, I would not be led astray.

The other day I started doing a little digging, wondering if I was poisoning my son.  I contemplated the possibility that perhaps soy is exactly what Jack's body needs, otherwise why would it have so vehemently rejected other "sensitive" formulas.

As it turns out, a decent number of studies have shown that soy, in fact increases bone density and reduces fractures in post-menopausal women.  If bisphosphonates(the drugs Jack will take) have been reported to do the exact same thing, it appears that soy IS what he needs.  Pretty awesome.  And not a bit coincidental, methinks.

See, look how happy he is!