Breastfeeding Baby and a Possible Milk Allergy, What Sould I Avoid?

Updated on October 04, 2010
M.B. asks from Woodstock, GA
11 answers

I am breastfeeding my 6 month old. She has excema on her elbows and knees. sometimes it's barely there, sometimes it's very red and itchy. My first little girl had the same thing and she ended up with food allergies, milk, peanut and egg. I am wondering if my 6 month old may be allergic to milk as well and that's why she is breaking out. I want to stop eating milk products and see it that has any affect. Has anyone else tried this? How long did you stop eating milk products? And what exactly should i avoid? I mean obviously whole milk or any milk, yogurt and cheese. But what about products with milk in them like mac n cheese or cheez it crackers? Does anyone know?

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P.

answers from Spartanburg on

It takes a week or two to clear out. If it is a true milk allergy, there will be hidden blood in the poop that they can test for at the doctors office.
Avoid casein and whey, in addition to milk. They are in the ingredient list of almost all packaged foods.
You still need calcium to BF, so take a suppliment and drink rice milk with cacium added or OJ with calcium. Many babies with milk allergy are also allergic to soy.
My baby was so allergic to milk protein that she got sick when I ate MIL's food made with butter. I had to avoid everything for the entire 6 months I BFed. I was tired of it and eventually switched to special formula.

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P.M.

answers from Tampa on

Great question and I'm glad you asked how to go about committing to such a small change rather than throwing up your hands, saying "oh well" and formula feeding your baby!!

I see lots of great advice and info - - hope you are able to use it and succeed in your nursing relationship.

C.W.

answers from Las Vegas on

http://www.godairyfree.org/Food-to-Eat/Food-Label-Info/Da...

They have a pretty good list. It's from a go dairy free book you could buy if you notice her getting better without milk. If you get lactose free millk you got to try Silk, it's sooo good lol

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M.H.

answers from Detroit on

I went through the same issues and had to cut out dairy as well as the gassy foods from my diet completely. Prior to that my daughter was so gassy, fussy etc and would go through constant crying spells around the same time each night. I had never breastfed before so wasn't sure what was wrong until I wrote into this site and everyone suggested the same thing. What a world of difference it made. I had a completely different baby. Granted it took a couple of weeks for everything to leave my system and boy did I miss my dairy(milk, yogurt, cheese, ice cream) but they do make lactose free cheese, soy ice cream, rice & almond milk. They aren't the greatest but you get used to them after awhile. The almond milk is good though.
Best of luck!

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E.E.

answers from New York on

If you really think it's dairy, you need to cut out EVERYTHING.

No milk, cheese, cheese products, etc.

Cassian and whey are "hidden" milk ingredients (most breads even).

My son had a dairy allergy and I was off dairy for 6 months. Gradually I was able to add back things with cooked diary (though still not cheese).

Most common diary allergies are to the milk proteins and things with highest fat contents generally have the lowest protein content.

It can take as long as 2 weeks for the proteins to get out of your system so I'd say if you're going to do it, commit to doing it for at least a month to really see if there's a change.

Good luck.

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E.B.

answers from Macon on

My friend just went through this with her son, also 6months. She cut out all dairy from her diet and within a week or so the baby was so much better. Also, he tested positive for allergies through a blood test (milk, eggs, peanuts, gluten...). Doesn't hurt to get the test done since your other child had similar issues.

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S.S.

answers from Washington DC on

Hi M.,

I had the same issue with my son while breastfeeding. I cut out all dairy, including mac and cheese, and anything else with cheese/dairy in it, i.e., cheez-it crackers. I nursed my son for 18 months and stopped eating all dairy when he was about 2 months old. It was a challenge initially, but I got used to it. I also realized about the same time that he was having an allergic reaction to the laundry detergent I used on his clothes. I switched to Tide "free" and along with cutting out dairy, his skin cleared up. If you think your daughter's issue is a milk/dairy reaction, I would cut out the dairy. But if you're using a laundry detergent with fragrance and dyes, you could try switching to a fragrance and dye-free brand to see if that helps, too.

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C.C.

answers from Dallas on

Dairy!! I know sounds simple, NOT!! Most of the time there is a toleration limit like you can eat normally but then is you have a glass of milk it pushes the protiens in your milk to high and your little one reacts. Same with all other sensitivities. It may take 3 weeks, maybe longer, of eliminating one in your diet before you see a difference. Then you can add one back at a time. I takes time and hard work to figure it out. I would eliminate all major allergens or those that you know you and your family have been sensitive to (dairy/milk #1, wheat gluten, peanuts, egg and corn). For anyone who cares, it is easier to bless your child with no allergies by eliminating the common allergens at 28 weeks and not having them in your diet until the baby is born. 3 months is a long time but it is much harder and a longer process doing it after the fact and then your child will typically always be sensitive. If eliminated in the final trimester they don't develope the allergy.
Hope this helps!!

B.B.

answers from Dallas on

http://www.refluxrebels.com/

I learned a ton about my LO's reflux, but they also have tons of info about MSPI (Milk Soy Protein Intolerance). There's a list of hidden dairy, and also recipes.

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B.

answers from Augusta on

Also I'd like to put an idea to ya, , heat rash ( I had this ) or possible reaction to laundry detergent.

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J.K.

answers from Atlanta on

Great advice on what to cut for Dairy! I would add just 3 things:

1) perhaps skin allergy or both, so while you're "leaching" dairy, try switch to Arm & Hammer Free or others without any sulfates or sulfites, and if breakouts on tush, you can use water-moistened Viva papertowels in your wipe warmer (cut each in half and fold) just as easy as regular wipes

2) up your water intake to a gallon or more daily -- I put a 10 oz glass by the nursing chair and guzzled as babies did. Made my milk come in easier and would not be as "saturated" as without added water.

3) now that she's 6 mos, are you in baby foods or juices yet? if so, might look over their ingredients as well and take slowly

Nursing was such a wonderful memory -- good luck with your memory making:)

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