If you keep CY, would you give Pediasure to kids if they...

are underweight??? not emaciated, but surely not getting enough food in to grow.

3 year old used to give me a hard time with eating, and I gave him for a couple of months because he really was practically anorexic. but BH now he is eating again. still skinny but better.

and now my 10 month old 16 lbs girl wont eat any solids and her main source of nutrition is my milk which is not enough anymore since she wakes up every hour at night and is so active on the floor all day. she is already loosing weight (was born very small to start with, 4.15 lbs at 37 weeks) so pediatrician suggested pediasure.

I am very careful with my children when it comes to cy, and when I gave my 3 yo I thought it only had milk powder which my rabbi allows. but this time around I read the package again and it says it contains milk protein concentrate.

I know this is a question for the rabbi, but while I reach him, am I being paranoid with cy? (although I keep yashan with my kids im lenient )

Gold Member Joined: Aug 24 2010 Posts: 1546

Yes. Vachai Bahem means you don't sacrifice your children's health - especially for something that isn't black and white halacha.

But if you call the ou, they may be able to tell you which flavors and stuff are less non-cholov yisroel than others. (Pedialyte is ou-d but they said it's really only de - maybe they have some sort of info about pediasure too)

Gold Member Joined: May 27 2010 Posts: 2142

Ten years ago, when I was in the country in the summer the Kashover Rov's ztz"l daughter told me he drinks ensure upon his Dr's advice ... Nuff said

Posted: Tue, Nov 15 2011, 7:48 pm Post subject:

I definitely would, without a second thought.

Gold Member Joined: Jul 02 2010 Posts: 1854

I gave my son pediasure when he needed it. pediasure is not something that most parents give by choice- there is a medical, health reason to give it. your job as a mother is to make sure your child stays healthy, and if giving him or her pediasure can help to ensure that, than I dont see another option. (by the way, I didnt ask my rav, because I knew it would be a no brainer)

Executive Member Joined: Aug 12 2010 Posts: 365

my husban di spretty machpid - no chalav stam for the kids - but if you ask a doctor and there's no alternative, ain mah laasot really, ask your rav, it's a shaila
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Your daughter is still a baby. Would formula supplementation work? Formula is made of powdered milk, which you say you're not makpid on.

Your daughter is still a baby. Would formula supplementation work? Formula is made of powdered milk, which you say you're not makpid on.

Gold Member Joined: Jun 16 2009 Posts: 2088

If this is what your kid needs for health, then that is what you do. Period.

There are some babies that need to take formulas such as Nutramigen which are 100% not kosher and may even be considered treif. But if thats what these babies need to grow, thats what they should take.

Cholov Yisroel is a chumra.

A childs life comes first.

Anything else is the equivalent of a Chossid Shoteh, IMO.

Active Poster Joined: Nov 06 2011 Posts: 34

I know my sister is makpid on CY, even giving only Materna formula. But her daughter has chronic constipation so she uses the ex lax chocolates which are dairy. It helps her a lot so its a no brainer.
But have you tried CY formula or even soy? That might help too.
Primarily, nursed babies tend to be small. 3 out of 4 of my girls were under 20 lb at age 1. Now those 3 are all tall, thin and beautiful. The chubby one on the other hand is still chubby.

I have charedi friends who had to give treif formula, forget CY!
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"It's all cultural, disagree respectfully", me

Silver Member Joined: Dec 06 2005 Posts: 927

I would give the cholov stam for sure, but just so you are aware there is a cholov yisroel option available now. its made by j and j and comes in a box drink.

Posted: Thu, Nov 17 2011, 2:45 pm Post subject:

I would ask to see a gastroenterologist and speak with a specialist before giving pediasure to a 10 month old. It isn't nutritionally made for children under a year old.

On the CY issue, it is a hard one. We did a lot to avoid chalav stam for my oldest, including working with a nutritionist to find way to increase calories without cholov stam products. We used heavy cream, CY milk powder, butter, etc for her and it was B"H enough.

My son's issues were more severe and he is mostly tube fed formula. It is whey based, which is less of an issue, but it still isn't cholov yisroel. What he takes by mouth we celebrate.
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Liba, mommy to Zlata Tova 5/6/98, Tziporah Faiga 1/12/01, Esther Rivka 7/13/04 and Avraham Chaim 7/2/2006