Breastfeeding A Baby With An Allergy To Cow's Milk Protein

Karen Lennox Author: Karen Lennox Time for reading: ~5 minutes Last Updated: August 08, 2022
Breastfeeding A Baby With An Allergy To Cow's Milk Protein

Breastfed babies do not react to breast milk, but to traces of protein that get into breast milk. This happens when the mother consumes dairy products and their poor breakdown in her body.

Most food allergies occur during early childhood, and allergy to cow's milk protein is a recognized problem in the first year of a baby's life. It is the most common type of allergy, but fortunately many children grow it up to 5 years of age. The diagnosis is made on the basis of family history, clinical symptoms, laboratory tests and is confirmed by removal and re-introduction of the allergen.

What exactly is a food allergy?

Food allergies occur when the immune system (which fights infections) gets confused and reacts to what is harmless to most people, such as protein (casein and whey protein) in cow's milk. Every time milk protein enters the body, the immune system reacts and begins to fight it as an "invader". This results in the release of a substance called histamine, which causes the typical symptoms of an allergic reaction - swelling, itching, hives, vomiting and wheezing.

Is it possible that breastfed babies are allergic to cow's milk protein?

The answer to this question may surprise you, but it is, "Yes." Breastfed babies do not react to breast milk, but to traces of protein that get into breast milk. This happens when the mother consumes dairy products and their poor breakdown in her body. Dairy-sensitive babies are also likely to respond to specific antibodies to cow's milk protein that pass through breast milk.

What are the symptoms of allergy?

The symptoms of the allergy can be immediate or delayed. This is because intolerance to cow's milk protein is divided into an IgE-mediated (immediate) reaction and a cell-mediated (delayed) reaction. In the IgE-mediated reaction, symptoms begin within 2 hours of the milk protein entering the baby's body, while the delayed type of reaction may begin 48 hours to a week later.

Symptoms of a rapid reaction include:

  • wheezing;
  • difficulty breathing;
  • cough;
  • tightness in the throat;
  • disorder;
  • vomiting;
  • diarrhea;
  • itching;
  • swelling and tearing of the eyes;
  • hives;
  • drop in blood pressure, leading to dizziness or loss of consciousness.

 

And those appearing hours to days later:

  • rare stools (possibly with blood);
  • vomiting;
  • refusal to eat;
  • irritability;
  • colic;
  • skin rashes.

It is difficult to determine whether these symptoms are caused by a milk protein allergy or are due to another cause.

 

What to do if you suspect that your baby may be allergic to cow's milk protein?

Symptoms can be immediate or delayed and appear after a baby has entered a baby's body. This can happen, in addition to breast milk, also if the baby is fed formula or if you are breastfeeding.

If you think that the child reacts to dairy products it is necessary to immediately consult your doctor. He will be able to assess whether the symptoms that the infant shows are likely to be caused by an allergy to milk protein or there is another reason for their appearance. .

In case of intolerance to dairy products, it is necessary to distinguish between lactose intolerance, which is an inability to break down milk sugar and allergy to cow's milk protein. The two conditions are different, but could occur at the same time, as food allergies can lead to secondary lactose intolerance.

Your doctor will probably refer you to a specialist. You will need to answer a few important questions that will make the diagnosis easier to some extent. That is why it is good to get acquainted with them. The doctor will probably ask:

  • What products do you think cause the symptoms?
  • How long after breastfeeding do they start?
  • When did they first appear?
  • How fast are they evolving?
  • How long do they last?
  • How often do they occur?
  • Are they the same every time?
  • Does the child or other family member have allergic conditions such as eczema or asthma?

Which foods to limit

If you have an allergy to cow's milk protein, restricting and stopping foods from your diet that contain lactose (milk sugar) will not help because the problem is protein.

In cases where the baby shows a slight degree of sensitivity to dairy products, you have the opportunity to alleviate its symptoms by eliminating certain foods from your diet such as milk, yogurt, cream, cheese, ice cream, cottage cheese. It is possible to eat small amounts of these foods without affecting the child. But if it is severely allergic, you will need to eliminate all sources of milk protein, which requires more careful reading of the labels of the foods you buy.

 

If the dairy products you consume undergo heat treatment they may reduce but will not eliminate the allergens.

When you eliminate these foods from your diet due to the baby's sensitivity to them, you can re-include them in your diet after a few months. Many babies grow in sensitivity between the ages of 6 and 18 months, and others after the age of three. However, if the baby's reaction has been severe, you need to wait at least another 6 months before trying to introduce a dairy product again.

What can you eat?

You could have a well-balanced diet, even without consuming any dairy products, getting protein from fish, beef, chicken, eggs, nuts and beans. You can use calcium-fortified soy milk, rice milk, almond milk, coconut milk, hemp milk or orange juice to supply you with 1000 mg of calcium each day (or take calcium supplements).

You can also take multivitamins, but be sure to read their labels, as some of them contain hidden allergens.

 

If your baby shows no signs of improvement or your symptoms worsen 2-3 weeks after you are on a dairy-free diet, you may need to eliminate other foods such as wheat, eggs, soy or nuts.

Sometimes babies are allergic to more than one food. In such cases, you are likely to stay on a restricted diet at all times while breastfeeding or until your baby is 1 year old. Many babies overcome their food allergies after their first birthday.

There is no reason to wean the baby. Breast milk provides important benefits for the baby's health - protection against infections, reduces the risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes and obesity and increases intelligence in the future.

Breastfeeding creates a special bond between mother and baby, and more and more babies enjoy it in the second year of life. Try to change your diet and you may be able to continue breastfeeding for as long as you both want.

When you start introducing solid foods and your baby is allergic or food intolerant ...

If you find that your baby is reacting to the food you eat through breast milk, you will need to be especially careful when introducing solid foods. Reactions after direct food intake may be more severe than when the baby responds with breast milk. If you think your child is allergic, it is extremely important to consult a doctor before introducing more risky foods.

More information related to the topic can be found in: "Breastfeeding a baby with food allergies".

 

More on the topic:
  • How to feed a breastfeeding woman
  • Diarrhea in breastfed babies
  • How to eliminate nighttime breastfeeding
  • Natural means of stopping breast milk
 

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