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What To Do About a Milk Allergy in Your Infant |
 A milk allergy can begin to surface in the life of your infant even during those first few months while you are breastfeeding. It is not true that your breast milk will cause an allergy in your infant. But it is possible to for breastfeeding babies to develop a milk allergy while nursing if mom drinks a lot of milk as part of her diet.
The solution is obvious. By restricting or eliminating milk from your diet, you can keep your newborn from reacting to the milk in your system. But be sure that if you are going to make any significant changes to your diet that your doctor or dietician gives you the guidance you need to assure you are getting all of the nutrition both you and your baby need during this important time in the little one's infancy.
A milk allergy is not an illness. Even if you find out that your child is suffering with allergies to dairy products, this is simply a mistake that is being made by the child's immune system, which is reacting negatively to the presence of milk protein in the infant's system. In the majority of cases, the baby's immune system matures and the milk allergy will disappear by the time your child is two or three. A milk allergy should not be confused with lactose intolerance and you should not accept the myth that a milk allergy will necessarily become worse and last a lifetime in your child.
Any responsible food manufacturer will have listed on the package if the food being sold contains any potential allergy foods such a nuts or milk. This is not just good marketing because lawns governing such product labeling went into effect in 2006. So watch what you buy both for yourself if you are breastfeeding and for your infant. Baby food or foods sold for very young children will be marked prominently so you can avoid giving your child foods that could set off a milk allergy.
Things become a bit more complicated when it is time to switch to formula the primary source of nutrition for your baby. There are two kinds of formula that may work with your child to avoid setting off that milk allergy. The first is soy based. It is best to consult with your pediatrician who no doubt helped diagnose the milk allergy in the first place. If he or she feels that a soy formula may work, you can give it a try monitoring the results to see if it causes any symptoms of allergic reaction.
If that option is not working, there are hypoallergenic baby formula products that may do the job for you. Some use cow's milk but the proteins are broken down into particles that are designed not to trigger the milk allergy reaction. Of course, you will only know for certain if those work by giving them a try. It will be up to you to examine all formulas and eventually baby foods to assure that they do not contain any milk products. Your doctor can prescribe specific brands that he or she feels comfortable with. But finding the feeding solution that works best for your baby could be a matter of trial and error.
Beyond formula and baby food, the other option is to go with all natural foods that you prepare into digestible recipes yourself. There are numerous online resources for moms who need to make their own baby food. It is a good option because you know what you are including in the foods you prepare for your child so there is no mystery about potential contamination from milk products.
However, be mindful that you include sufficient protein to provide your baby with all of the nutritional needs he or she has. If you do that, you can find a way to provide safe foods that do not set off any allergic reactions in your baby. And in a few years when the allergy subsides, you can go back to routine methods of feeling your child knowing you took care to get past the infancy period in a responsible fashion.
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