My Account

  • Order History
  • Track Orders
  • Account
  • Blog
Share
Shop All Categories
  • Nursing
    • Bras
    • Pillows
    • Covers
    • Nipple Shields
    • Milk Bands
  • Pumping
    • Pumps
      • Free Breast Pumps
    • Bras
    • Pump Parts
    • Breast Shields
    • Milk Storage
      • Bottles
      • Bags
    • Baby Bottles
  • On The Go
    • Baby Carriers
      • Slings
      • Wraps
    • Diaper Bags
      • Breast Pump Bags
      • Backpacks
      • Cooler Bags
      • Clutches
  • Care & Comfort
    • Nursing Pads
    • Nipple Cream
    • Gel Pads
  • Milk Production
  • Fun & Gifts
    • Mugs
    • Water bottles
    • Jewelry
      • Bracelets
      • Earrings
      • Necklaces
      • Pins & Charms
      • Rings
Breastfeeding Bliss
  • Cart

Free shipping. 30-day returns.

Zero worries.

Categories

  • Nursing
    • Bras
    • Pillows
    • Covers
    • Nipple Shields
    • Milk Bands
  • Pumping
    • Pumps
      • Free Breast Pumps
    • Bras
    • Pump Parts
    • Breast Shields
    • Milk Storage
      • Bottles
      • Bags
    • Baby Bottles
  • On The Go
    • Baby Carriers
      • Slings
      • Wraps
    • Diaper Bags
      • Breast Pump Bags
      • Backpacks
      • Cooler Bags
      • Clutches
  • Care & Comfort
    • Nursing Pads
    • Nipple Cream
    • Gel Pads
  • Milk Production
  • Fun & Gifts
    • Mugs
    • Water bottles
    • Jewelry
      • Bracelets
      • Earrings
      • Necklaces
      • Pins & Charms
      • Rings

Brands

  • Medela
  • Lansinoh
  • Moby Wrap
  • Udder Covers
  • Ju-Ju-Be
  • Petunia Pickle Bottom
  • LilleBaby Carriers
  • Vilah Bloom
  • LeMystere
  • Spectra
  • Nuk
  • Contours Baby
  • Beachfront Baby
  • Snugabell Mom & Baby
  • Bravado Designs
  • Calypso
  • Ameda
  • Hygeia
  • Kiinde
Home > Blog > Milk Allergy in Babies: Signs Your Breastfed Baby Isn’t Tolerating Dairy

Milk Allergy in Babies: Signs Your Breastfed Baby Isn’t Tolerating Dairy

In last week’s blog post, I wrote about my daughter’s colic and constant fussiness and how it led me to look for a root cause related to my breastfeeding diet. After discussing it with a nurse at my pediatrician’s office, who thought my daughter might have a cow’s milk protein intolerance, I gave up all dairy and caffeine.

This was not at all easy for me. There were already so many things I had “given up” since becoming a mother: sleep, alcohol, working out, personal space, and long showers, to name a few. Now I was going to add COFFEE (the only thing keeping me awake) and dairy to that list?? It seemed impossible.

But like countless strong mothers before me, I put on my big-girl pants and did it. Why? Because my baby’s painful screams – and my helplessness and feelings of inadequacy – were more painful than the thought of a few months without my nightly treat of chocolate chip ice cream.

If you’re breastfeeding and your baby seems unusually fussy and uncomfortable, how will you know whether it’s caused from dairy in your breast milk? What is a cow’s milk protein intolerance anyway? And what are the long-term implications for your baby? Let’s start at the beginning.

What is a cow’s milk protein intolerance?

Biologically, humans aren’t supposed to consume milk from any animal except humans. We’re also the only species that consumes milk past infancy and childhood. Thousands of years ago, we didn’t. But as dairy became more prevalent during the agricultural revolution, in European countries in particular, people began to consume more dairy. Our bodies started to adjust to be able to tolerate the proteins found in cow’s milk. Over time, the genes of certain cultures of people have actually changed to accommodate dairy products in our diet – or at least, many of us have. For newborn babies, it can still take some time to become tolerant of the proteins found in cow’s milk.

Cow’s milk contains two primary types of proteins: A1 and A2. They are genetic variants of one another that differ in structure by one amino acid. The A1 protein has been shown to cause gastrointestinal issues and inflammation in the gut. So, when we talk about a cow’s milk protein allergy or intolerance, we’re referring to an intolerance of the A1 protein.        


One more thing to discuss: the difference between cow’s milk protein intolerance and lactose intolerance. They are NOT the same thing. The former is intolerance to the A1 protein, and the latter is intolerance to lactose, which is a sugar found in milk. Lactose intolerance is usually not something you grow out of and continues into adulthood, whereas most children outgrow a cow’s milk protein intolerance. It’s also important to note that if you suspect your baby has a cow’s milk protein intolerance and you try switching to lactose-free milk, it won’t help your baby’s symptoms.

How will you know if your baby has a cow’s milk protein intolerance?

If you’re breastfeeding and you suspect dairy in your diet might be bothering your baby, the best test is to eliminate dairy from your diet for a week or two to see if there’s a difference in your baby’s demeanor. But, before we get that far, let’s talk about the signs that your baby might have a cow’s milk protein intolerance.


5 Signs Your Breastfed Baby Has a Cow’s Milk Protein Intolerance

1. She’s fussy…like, REALLY fussy. She screams bloody and murder and seems to be crying out in pain a good chunk of the day.

2. Her fussiness gets worse after you’ve fed her (within 2 hours).

3. She spits up frequently (after every time she eats) or vomits.

4. She has a nasal-y sound coming from her nose, kind of like she’s congested.

5. She doesn’t sleep well. We’re talking very short windows of sleep, day or night (like 15 minutes at a time).


If your baby exhibits all or most of these signs, the best next step is to eliminate dairy from your diet to test your assumption.

Ok, here’s the hard part. Make a list of all dairy items you typically consume; things like:

--Butter

--Milk

--Cheese

--Ice Cream

--Yogurt

--Chocolate

--Half ‘n half

It’s helpful to make a list because sometimes you don’t even think about the fact that something you’re eating has dairy in it. When you actually write it down, though, you’re more likely to catch everything.

One thing to note: Eggs are NOT dairy. This may seem obvious to some of you, since eggs come from a chicken and not a cow, but I got confused for a minute myself because eggs are in the dairy section at the grocery store. Anyway, eggs are ok to eat, as long as you don’t use milk or cheese for scrambled eggs.

Now, plan out what you’re going to eat instead of these items. For example, Coffeemate doesn’t have dairy in it (weird – and slightly alarming? – I know), so if you typically take milk or half ‘n half in your coffee, you could replace it with Coffeemate. If you have a sweet tooth like I do and need some sugary snacks around, you could eat sweet fruit (grapes are my favorite) or cookies that don’t have dairy in them (shortbread cookies, for example). Just check the label on the back of the boxes to make sure there isn’t any dairy ingredients listed.

Eliminate all dairy for one to two weeks and take note of your baby’s demeanor. Is she settling down? Spitting up less? Sleeping a little bit better? I saw a noticeable in both of my girls within a few days of eliminating diary, but it could take up to two weeks, depending on how much dairy you have in your system and how intolerant your baby is.

If you’ve eliminated all dairy and your baby is doing better, but you’re really having a hard time going without a certain thing in your diet, you COULD try to incorporate just that one thing back into your diet to see if she’ll tolerate it. Not all babies need all dairy eliminated, so if you’re willing to experiment a bit, you might find that you can eat butter, but not milk or cheese. I used to experiment just a little bit by eating buttered toast or something small, and my girls would instantly start spitting up. Although it was disappointing to be reminded that I had to follow such a strict diet, I at least felt validated that it was, in fact, dairy that was causing my baby’s discomfort.


The transition back to cow’s milk

One of my biggest fears about my daughters having a cow’s milk protein intolerance was what it meant for the long term. Would they never be able to tolerate dairy? Would we forever have to live a life without cheese and ice cream?

The good news is that for the vast majority of babies, the answer is no. Your baby simply needs some more time for her gut to develop a tolerance to cow’s milk protein. There are two transitions to discuss: your transition to incorporate dairy back into your breastfeeding diet, and your baby’s transition to cow’s milk.

Mother’s transition

I was able to start incorporating dairy back into diet around 6 months with my first daughter, and closer to 8 or 9 months with my second daughter. I can recall trying to eat ice cream when my second daughter was 7 months old, and like clockwork, she would start spitting up two hours after I ate it (she never spit up otherwise). That’s how I knew she wasn’t ready. But, she did come around eventually.

Baby’s transition

Obviously, you can’t test out your baby’s tolerance to cow’s milk until 12 months old. My oldest daughter started on cow’s milk at 12 months with no problems. My youngest daughter needed a bit more time, though. She was very fussy when we started her on cow’s milk, so we switched her to soy milk. That worked for a bit, but then she started getting really fussy again and had a lot of gas. My sister called me one day and said she had just seen a commercial for something called A2 milk, which removed the A1 protein (the one that causes tummy issues) from cow’s milk. SCORE! We ran out and got some that day, and it was a lifesaver for us. It tastes exactly like regular milk, so my daughter loved it, and her tummy problems were solved. Our bank accounts suffered a bit, though. It’s expensive stuff! But, it was worth it, and she transitioned to regular whole milk by 21 months old.

Although a cow’s milk protein intolerance is not something you want your baby to have, it’s not as scary as it might seem. Determining what the problem is and understanding what’s involved to get your baby to a healthy place is half the battle. Take heart that it’s a temporary problem and one that your little one will likely outgrow by two years old. In the meantime, you’ll have a healthier, happier baby.



About Katie Stansberry

Katie Stansberry is a work-from-home mom of two sweet girls and the creator of Breastfeeding Bliss. After struggling at the beginning of her breastfeeding journey, she wanted to create a happy place where breastfeeding moms could find practical tips, positive inspiration, and the newest and best breastfeeding products. On her "Back to Bliss" breastfeeding blog, she shares her personal stories and tips for making breastfeeding an easier and more enjoyable experience.

Share
Read More Posts

Mom-approved favorites to check out...

Sail Away Satchel Diaper Bag by Vilah Bloom, Award-Winning - Zip Top (Color: Navy)
Sail Away Satchel Diaper Bag by Vilah Bloom, Award-Winning - Zip Top (Color: Navy)
$182.95
Summer Fun Mustard Yellow Adjustable Nursing Cover in 100% Cotton (Size: Regular)
Summer Fun Mustard Yellow Adjustable Nursing Cover in 100% Cotton (Size: Regular)
$29.95
Spectra 9Plus Breast Pump, Electric, Portable & Rechargeable - Mini
Spectra 9Plus Breast Pump, Electric, Portable & Rechargeable - Mini
$179.95
Blush Sprigs & Blooms Small Diaper Clutch Bag by Golden Finch Co
Blush Sprigs & Blooms Small Diaper Clutch Bag by Golden Finch Co
$49.95
Breastfeed & Chill White Ceramic Coffee Mug for Breastfeeding Moms (Size: 11 oz.)
Breastfeed & Chill White Ceramic Coffee Mug for Breastfeeding Moms (Size: 11 oz.)
$19.95
Boxy Backpack Diaper Bag w/ 2-Way Straps by Petunia Pickle Bottom (Color: Minnie Factor Blush)
Boxy Backpack Diaper Bag w/ 2-Way Straps by Petunia Pickle Bottom (Color: Minnie Factor Blush)
$220.95
Milk Drunk Hard Enamel Pin w/ Gold Detail for Breastfeeding Moms
Milk Drunk Hard Enamel Pin w/ Gold Detail for Breastfeeding Moms
$14.95
Gray Days/Pink Flowers Adjustable Nursing Cover in Regular or Large (Size: Regular)
Gray Days/Pink Flowers Adjustable Nursing Cover in Regular or Large (Size: Regular)
$32.95
Be Quick Wristlet Diaper Bag by Ju-Ju-Be, Classic Collection – Small (Fabric: Queen of the Nile)
Be Quick Wristlet Diaper Bag by Ju-Ju-Be, Classic Collection – Small (Fabric: Queen of the Nile)
$23.95
Moby Ring Sling for Baby & Toddler – Adjustable, One Size Fits All (Color: Silver Streak)
Moby Ring Sling for Baby & Toddler – Adjustable, One Size Fits All (Color: Silver Streak)
$52.95
Mama Shark Needs Water 34 oz Water Bottle for Breastfeeding Moms
Mama Shark Needs Water 34 oz Water Bottle for Breastfeeding Moms
$24.95
Bebitza 4-in-1 Nursing Cover in Soft Textured Knit by Primo Baby (Color: Pink)
Bebitza 4-in-1 Nursing Cover in Soft Textured Knit by Primo Baby (Color: Pink)
$49.95

Information

  • About
  • Contact Us
  • Returns
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Baby Feeding Calculator
  • FAQs

My Account

  • My Account
  • Order History
  • Track Orders
  • Address Book

Let's get social.

440-606-6585
1657 Mentor Ave,
Painesville, OH 44077

Breastfeeding Bliss
© Breastfeeding Bliss. All Rights Reserved. Designed by KREATIVE
Our website uses cookies to make your browsing experience better. By using our site you agree to our use of cookies. Learn More I Agree
× What Are Cookies As is common practice with almost all professional websites this site uses cookies, which are tiny files that are downloaded to your computer, to improve your experience. This page describes what information they gather, how we use it and why we sometimes need to store these cookies. We will also share how you can prevent these cookies from being stored however this may downgrade or 'break' certain elements of the sites functionality. For more general information on cookies see the Wikipedia article on HTTP Cookies. How We Use Cookies We use cookies for a variety of reasons detailed below. Unfortunately in most cases there are no industry standard options for disabling cookies without completely disabling the functionality and features they add to this site. It is recommended that you leave on all cookies if you are not sure whether you need them or not in case they are used to provide a service that you use. Disabling Cookies You can prevent the setting of cookies by adjusting the settings on your browser (see your browser Help for how to do this). Be aware that disabling cookies will affect the functionality of this and many other websites that you visit. Disabling cookies will usually result in also disabling certain functionality and features of the this site. Therefore it is recommended that you do not disable cookies. The Cookies We Set
Account related cookies If you create an account with us then we will use cookies for the management of the signup process and general administration. These cookies will usually be deleted when you log out however in some cases they may remain afterwards to remember your site preferences when logged out. Login related cookies We use cookies when you are logged in so that we can remember this fact. This prevents you from having to log in every single time you visit a new page. These cookies are typically removed or cleared when you log out to ensure that you can only access restricted features and areas when logged in. Form related cookies When you submit data to through a form such as those found on contact pages or comment forms cookies may be set to remember your user details for future correspondence. Site preference cookies In order to provide you with a great experience on this site we provide the functionality to set your preferences for how this site runs when you use it. In order to remember your preferences we need to set cookies so that this information can be called whenever you interact with a page is affected by your preferences.
Third Party Cookies In some special cases we also use cookies provided by trusted third parties. The following section details which third party cookies you might encounter through this site.
This site uses Google Analytics which is one of the most widespread and trusted analytics solution on the web for helping us to understand how you use the site and ways that we can improve your experience. These cookies may track things such as how long you spend on the site and the pages that you visit so we can continue to produce engaging content. For more information on Google Analytics cookies, see the official Google Analytics page. We also use social media buttons and/or plugins on this site that allow you to connect with social network in various ways. For these to work, the social networks may set cookies through our site which may be used to enhance your profile on their site, or contribute to other purposes outlined in their respective privacy policies.