baby lactose intollerant/milk allergy.

[yeahuloveme]

Does any one else have a baby who is lactose intollerant and BF? annnnyyy one?

 

[DaisyAnne]

My toddler has a dairy allergy, and we're still BFing at 19 months. We found out about the allergy when he was around 9 months old, though. A milk allergy and a lactose intolerance are very different. A lactose intolerance can mess up their system and bowels, but an allergy (like my son) can potentially send them into anaphylaxis and cause them to stop breathing (happened once to my son a couple months ago when he accidentally got the wrong milk!). I can actually still have dairy in my diet as the protein is broken down enough in my milk that it doesn't react with him. I cut it out for a few weeks to see per my allergist's recommendation, and it had no affect either way.

My sis-in-law's youngest had a milk sensitivity, like lactose intolerance, when he was an infant and she breastfed until he was 1. She had to give up all kinds of foods for them to figure out what was causing it, and they pinpointed the milk. She was able to reintroduce it into her diet when he was a bit older and he outgrew it by his 1st birthday! He's happily a milk drinker now! Most kids will outgrow it whether it's an intolerance or an allergy, thankfully! I pray mine will, too, because dairy is in everything and so hard to keep him away from!

What's your situation?

 

[JenX]

My LO has Cow's Milk Protein Intolerance (CMPI). I had to give up all dairy and soy as well until she was about 10 months old because it caused her awful silent reflux. I was able to add dairy back in to my diet when she was 10 months, but she still can't have it because it causes her to have eczema if she has dairy directly. CMPI is pretty common. Most babies (not all) that have issues with milk have that and not lactose intolerance or a true allergy. In my breastfeeding group probably about 20% of the babies have some degree of CMPI.

 

[yeahuloveme]

okay , glad I am not alone on here... my daughter is 7 weeks and exclusively BF, she has always had reflux, she was put on gaviscon which helped keep that feed down but she would really cry later/for the next feed. We were then put on renetadine?SP? but she threw up the first few and only few doses, she had been in hospital for a bacterial UTI and is having her kidneys looked at for refluxing kidneys and was on anti-biotics for a week (her 5th course since birth!!!) while there I mentioned to them that she is sick all the time and has an upset tummy, was told it was down to the UTI and anti-biotics... okay said she screams in pain was told again down to the uti.... uti cleared up off the antibiotics and still happening... took her back to hospital to be told nothing wrong with her.. I HAVE PND and can not bond with my baby! explained that due that she ONLY smiles when she has had calpol and told " she won't smile for you because there needs to be a bond for her to want to smile at you".
any way she then started screaming and going red/purple and writhing around in pain, dr got her out the car seat and asked to see the rash I told her about and said more blood tests needed to be done bla bla bla.... turns out they are now saying they think she is either Lactose intollerant or allergic to the protien in milk, I have gone on the lactose free diet and this is where my issue arrises.... what do you guys do for eating, it seems we can not do any thing... now I know I could throw in the towel and put her on formula but I don't want to do that for a few weeks down the line to say we got it wrong and my milk has gone, I enjoy feeding my daughter and i love the bond WE DO HAVE when i feed her and she looks in my eyes and holds my hand.
I really need to get this right so we can have a true idea of what is wrong with her but need help with dinner idea's what do you guys do to grab some thing to eat when out? sorry about the rambeling.... not sure if it is relevant that she was born at 36+4 and is still jaundaced?

 

[JenX]

If it is CMPI, going on a lactose free diet won't help. It needs to be totally dairy free. It is the milk protein that come through breastmilk. Breastmilk itself has lactose in it normally.

Going dairy free is not that hard. I did it and I was already gluten-free due to my own health. As far as restaurants and eating out, that is a little harder. I actually haven't eaten at a restaurant since before my LO was born. But that's not a big deal to me. if I need to be away at a meal time, I just bring my own food. If it is CMPI, going to formula is not going to be the easy option. It will probably have to be a prescription formula, as many babies with CMPI can't tolerate soy either, and will likely be very expensive. Staying with breastfeeding is the best thing you can do.

The crying and unsettledness between feeds could be due to the pain of reflux. My LO was like this and she fed nearly every hour for a long time because the milk soothes the acid burn. You may want to try to persevere with the ranitidine too, as it can help if the reflux is bad. Mine was on that up until 7 months. Try keeping her upright after feeds for at least 20 minutes if you can, letting her comfort suck when she wants to, and consider giving her some probiotic drops. These helped us too.

As far as dairy-free eating, meat and vegetables were our dinner staples. There is coconut milk or almond milk ice cream out there if you want a treat. You can use coconut oil in place of butter in lots of recipes. There are plenty of things to eat. It will just be an adjustment. Make sure to check out the KellyMom page on hidden dairy so that you know how to tell if what you're eating is dairy free.

This page is very informative: https://kellymom.com/health/baby-health/food-sensitivity/

 

[yeahuloveme]

thank you I will check out the link, at the moment I can have lactofree products to see if it is the lactose, and I have been told to stop her reflux medication as they are trying to pin point what is causing the issues. we have had two upset tummies in the night that have gone every where! how can a baby get poo up on their shoulders! and been sick a few times bless her, she is not a happy little girl any more

 

[JenX]

If it is lactose intolerance, eating lactose-free won't help either. It won't change the amount of lactose in your breastmilk. You are just depriving yourself for no reason, really.

"Lactose is the sugar in all mammalian milks. It is produced in the breast. The amount of lactose in breastmilk is independent of the mother's consumption of lactose and hardly varies. The milk the baby gets when he first starts to feed contains much the same amount of lactose as does the milk at the end of a breastfeed. However, the milk at the end does contain more fat."

More here: https://www.breastfeeding.asn.au/node/284

 

[yeahuloveme]

so why are her dr's making me go lactose/milk free.

 

[JenX]

Not sure. It doesn't seem to make any sense, if they suspect actual lactose intolerance.

It seems more likely that it is cows milk protein intolerance, and that would be helped by you going completely dairy free. If it were me, I'd read up on these conditions to get a better idea of questions to ask the doctors.

 

[yeahuloveme]

her discharge notes state "suspected Lactose itollerance" they have given me a food matters milk free diet sheet, practical advice for a milk and lactose free diet and I am awaiting an appointment with a dietitian. I had lacto-free milk at the hospital and said to the dr can I drink this as it says its made from milk and he said yes because the lactose has already been broken down , they said if this did not help they would be looking at her being allergic to milk (the protiens in it).

 

[JenX]

I don't know why they would tell you that. It doesn't seem right.

From the Kellymom site:

Is my baby lactose intolerant?

If your baby is sensitive to dairy products it is highly unlikely that the problem is lactose intolerance, although many people may tell you so.

See Is my baby lactose intolerant? for more information.

Although cow’s milk protein sensitivity and lactose intolerance are not the same thing, they can sometimes occur at the same time, since food allergy can cause secondary lactose intolerance.

Sensitivity to cow’s milk proteins

Breastfed babies who are sensitive to dairy in mom’s diet are sensitive to specific cow’s milk antibodies, in the form of proteins (not lactose), which pass into the mother’s milk. Cow’s milk (either in the mother’s diet or engineered into formula) is a common source of food sensitivity in babies. Cow’s milk sensitivity or allergy can cause colic-like symptoms, eczema, wheezing, vomiting, diarrhea (including bloody diarrhea), constipation, hives, and/or a stuffy, itchy nose.

If your baby is sensitive to dairy in your diet, it will not help to switch to lactose-free dairy products. The problem is the cow’s milk proteins, not the lactose. Cooking dairy products may reduce but will not eliminate the allergens.

From the Australian Breastfeeding site:

Lactose intolerance is poorly understood in the Australian community. There are lots of myths and misunderstandings about it, especially when it comes to babies. Contrary to what you may hear:

There will not be less lactose in the breastmilk if the mother stops eating dairy products.
There is no relationship between lactose intolerance in adult family members, including in the mother, and in babies. They are different types of lactose intolerance.
A baby with symptoms of lactose intolerance should not be taken off the breast and fed on soy-based or special lactose-free infant formula.
Lactose intolerance is very different to intolerance or allergy to cows' milk protein.

 

[DaisyAnne]

It sounds like you need to clarify this with your doctor.

I know it's frustrating to find things to eat with no dairy! Eating out and eating processed foods are hard, because dairy is used in everything. The best thing I've done is find a butter replacement I like (Earth Balance- vegan butter, tastes like butter) and a milk replacement (I use almond milk for my son) and cook most of the same recipes I did before, just with those replacements. I usually can't tell a difference!

Fresh stuff is generally the safest bet... and also just start reading labels and soon you'll find things that will surprise you that are dairy-free! You can search online for lists of surprising dairy-free store-made foods and snacks, but always read labels before buying anything. The initial transition was the hardest, but we've gotten into a good routine.

When I was cutting it out of my diet and at first when my son was able to eat restaurant food a little, I just got really comfortable speaking up and asking to read ingredient lists of foods when I was ordering. Don't trust the servers- it's happened several times where they didn't know what they were talking about, just ask to read it or ask a manager. Once I'd figured out some safe stuff at restaurants, I'd just return to those restaurants to avoid more questions.
That being said, now with the allergy as severe as he has, he can't eat any restaurant food as we also have to look out for cross contamination... we also have to avoid any foods processed in the same plant as dairy. It's a bit ridiculous for us, and I've just gotten accustomed to preparing 100% of his food, even always bringing food with us when we leave around a meal time.

 

[yeahuloveme]

I will speak to them when I see them next week but I will have to carry on as I am at the moment, they obviously have a reason why they are doing this, maybe it is due to her being a premie and think the anti-biotics are behind it?
I am hoping its not the protien and that she gets better in a few weeks/months

 

[JenX]

If it is lactose intolerance due to her being premature (which can happen) it sounds like it is something she will grow out of relatively soon, per those links I posted for you. Hopefully that's it. But keeping lactose out of your diet really makes no difference in that case, as lactose is inherent to your milk as well. Perhaps they want you to go dairy free now in case that it not what it is because it takes 2-3 weeks for dairy to get out of your system. If you cut out dairy now and it turns out not to be lactose intolerance but rather milk protein intolerance, you would have a head start on getting the dairy out of your system. Maybe that's what they are thinking. At least you can go in armed with some good questions. Best of luck!

 

[yeahuloveme]

thank you, I will be P*ssed if that is what it is thouhg, as I am eating the lacto-free range which the dr said I could... which will be doing no good. She doesn't seem to be any better still having to give calpol to help ease her pain. She screams and her little face is heart breaking

 

[Maxy1]

As PP have said, if she is lactose intolerant she cannot have breast milk. This is also the advice I got from the Ped when we took DS in for diagnosis of CMPI and gluten sensitivity.

You really need to nut it out with a ped that you trust. Were you unwell during prego??

My friend was unwell during pregnancy and her LO was fine for a few days after birth and then became very sick and failed to thrive. At about 8 months old the drs finally diagnosed celiacs (gluten allergy) and the mum eliminated gluten from her diet and she has been great since then and has caught up on the growth charts.

I was not unwell during pregnancy (but am GF and low dairy ordinarily) and DS was fine on Breastmilk but when we introduced formula and food, he became very sick, rash, red ring on anus, diarrhea, unsettled, reflux, colicky. We went on pepti junior and removed all dairy and gluten and all symptoms went away in about 3 weeks.

Dairy free is pretty easy to do I have found (easier than GF) especially if you cook at home. You will become a pro at reading labels!!

 

[yeahuloveme]

just out of curiosity what country are you guys in... I only ask as my friend was also put on a lactose free diet first then they said milk protien, and I got an email from some one else who had the same thing. I spoke to my GP about it yesterday and she said that I could feed her if I cut out lactose
I don't want to stop feeding her, I did not hold on to her long enough which has resulted in her being ill and a human pin cushion, I can't stop her being ill and in pain, this is the only thing i can do for her,

 

[yeahuloveme]

OKAY I have had it explained to me...... while humans make lactose it is a small amount if on a lactose free diet. and should be easier to break down..
"Lactose is a sugar found in milk. Different species have different amounts of lactose in their milk, depending on what the needs of their infants are. You too will produce sugars in your breast milk but not the same quantities as the ones found in cows milk. Breast milk is designed to be easily digested by humans so the sugars are easily broken down by the body. If you don't have any lactose in your diet the only lactose your baby will be getting through your milk is human, which the theory is she'll be able to tolerate. Dairy intolerant is one step on from lactose intolerant as the child is intolerant to the protein found in cows milk," I have put it how it was put to me, as I am rubbish at saying what I am trying to.

 

[yeahuloveme]

ok after my daughter screaming in pain for 1.5 hours n having a rash we went bk to the hospital, saw a different consultant who said.... no lactose ...no dairy. so have been changed to a dairy free diet, but still not given any vitiamins etc,what should I be taking?

 

[JenX]

That's more like it. The amount of lactose in your milk is not affected by the amount of lactose you consume. They are totally independent from one another. Sounds like you finally consulted with someone who knows what they are talking about now. I would just take a good multivitamin, but make sure it has no dairy ingredients, including hidden dairy, and to be on the safe side it should not have soy either. Many babies that have problems with dairy have problems with soy as well, because the proteins are so similar. Good luck!

To answer your question, I am in the US.