The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and other major health organizations agree that breastfeeding provides the best source of nutrition for your baby during her first year of life. Commercial infant formulas provide a solid source of nutrition for babies with mothers unwilling or unable to breastfeed. Infants with special medical conditions or those unable to digest the lactose, or sugars, found in traditional cow's milk-based formulas may need special lactose-free formulations.
Significance
To create lactose-free formula, manufacturers replace the lactose sugars that naturally occur in cow's milk with other types of sweeteners, such as sucrose or corn syrup. Doctors commonly prescribe these formulas for babies with specific medical conditions, including congenital lactase deficiency, galactosemia and primary lactase deficiency. The AAP offers reassurance that these formulas provide everything your baby needs to grow and develop properly.
Identification
Babies diagnosed with lactose intolerance fail to produce enough lactase--the enzyme necessary to help them digest lactose in dairy products. The undigested lactose stays in their digestive system and can cause diarrhea, abdominal cramping and bloating. Although the condition occurs commonly in grade-school children and teenagers, the baby and parenting advice site BabyCenter.com stresses that it is very rare in infants. A baby born with lactose intolerance may experience severe diarrhea starting at birth and may show signs of digestive distress after drinking cow's milk formulas or breast milk.
Considerations
Although several different lactose-free formulas are available, Dr. William Sears, pediatrician and author of "The Baby Book: Everything You Need to Know About Your Baby From Birth Until Age 2," suggests sticking to regular formulas unless your doctor specifically recommends a lactose-free version. According to Dr. Sears, lactose-free formulas usually cost more than regular ones and may not taste as good.
Misconceptions
Lactose intolerance and milk allergies are not the same thing. They can both cause digestive symptoms and fussiness after eating, but lactose intolerance is a digestive condition while an allergy involves an immune response to the proteins found in cow's milk. If your baby develops a rash or slight swelling in the lips after eating dairy products or shows "classic" allergy signs, such as wheezing, hives or runny eyes, talk to your doctor about the possibility of milk allergies.
Potential
Infants can become lactose intolerant for brief periods following a bout with diarrhea or another digestive illness. Some doctors might prescribe a lactose-free formula for infants while they recover from the illness although the AAP maintains that this is usually not a necessary precaution. Infants usually regain their ability to make the lactase enzyme shortly after the diarrhea ends.
