If you notice extreme fussiness and gassiness in your breastfed baby right after a feeding or if your baby exhibits signs of colic--uncontrollable crying that lasts at least three hours at a time and occurs at least three times a week--your baby might suffer from dairy allergies. While the Mayo Clinic recommends breastfeeding during the first four to six months of your baby's life to help protect him from life-long milk allergies, many nursing moms need to stop consuming dairy to alleviate their baby's digestive woes.
Significance
Research as of 2010 supports the old wive's tale linking fussiness and gassiness among young infants to the consumption of cow's milk by breastfeeding moms, according to pediatrician and child development expert Dr. William Sears. While these allergies might cause colicky fussiness, as well as hives, vomiting, diarrhea and a runny nose, Sears asserts that the 2 percent of babies with a diagnosed milk allergy usually outgrow it by age 2 to 3 years.
Considerations
By eliminating milk and milk-containing products from your diet, you can often help alleviate fussiness and other signs of allergy in your breastfed baby. While it is easy to stop drinking milk or eating ice cream, yogurt and other obvious dairy-containing products, you also need to search for hidden sources of dairy. According to the Mayo Clinic, many processed foods that contain whey, casein, protein powders and artificial butter and cheese flavors also lead to allergic reactions in breastfed babies.
Misconceptions
For the most effective treatment options for your child, make sure your doctor screens your child to differentiate between a true milk allergy involving his immune system and lactose intolerance, which often results in primarily digestive signs like loose stools or gassiness. Sears cautions that lactose intolerance rarely occurs in infants. If you notice signs of dairy sensitivity in your infant, switching to lactose-free dairy products usually does not solve the problem since allergies occur in response to the milk proteins---not the lactose itself.
Prevention/Solution
If your baby exhibits mild digestive signs of the intolerance or allergy, gastroenterologist Dr. Maryelle Vonlanthen recommends looking carefully at your baby's feeding pattern before following an elimination diet. Instead of nursing baby from both breasts, potentially leading to lactose overload caused by over-consumption of the fore-milk, try nursing your baby on one breast and only offering the other if she continues to act hungry.
Warning
Always talk to your doctor before self-diagnosing a milk allergy and eliminating milk from your diet while breastfeeding. Your doctor can help you plan nutritionally balanced meals and identify milk substitutes to make sure your diet contains many of the critical nutrients like vitamin D and riboflavin found in milk and milk products.
