The mother of a partially-supplemented-from-birth (cow milk formula) 8
month old girl has been told that her baby has breast development "beyond a
normal breastfed baby's".  The doctor - a new one to her - has hinted at
high estrogen as a cause, and asked  if mom was on birth control pills (she
isn't).  He'd like to do a blood test... in 4 months.  Mom, of course, is
worried *now*.

Will a blood test be likely to prove anything one way or the other?  What's
a normal estrogen level for an 8 month-old girl??  What might cause chronic
"puffy breasts" in a baby?  (They've been puffy from birth - "not just fat
but like mammary tissue", according to mom - maybe more puffy as a newborn
than now.  She's an otherwise slender child.  I haven't seen them in many
months since they lives in another city.)

What action should mom be considering?  I've talked w/ her about the high
levels of estrogen in soy formula - which she did *not* use - and how I've
never heard about breast development in soy-fed infants.  And I've
encouraged her to go to a LLL meeting and ask moms to pull their babies
shirts up for comparison.

The good news is mom no longer needs to supplement - in fact, baby refuses
formula.  And now this!

Diane Wiessinger, MS, IBCLC, LLLL  Ithaca, NY
(This doctor also commented on her baby's tight hips - possible need for a
body cast or possible delayed walking, tho baby has since started crawling
and pulling up - and food allergies being responsible for the cheek/chin
rash - tho baby breaks out when she teethes before a new tooth, which she
just got.  Hmmmm...  Too many textbooks on his shelves??)