Managing your baby’s cows’ milk protein allergy
Whilst discovering that your baby does have an allergy can be worrying, it’s worth remembering that most will grow out of it by their third birthday. And now you know about your baby’s allergy, we can help you take steps to help them stay healthy.Breastfeeding babies with CMPA
Breastmilk is still the best option for your baby, even if they have been diagnosed with CMPA. Whilst cows’ milk protein can pass into breastmilk from the diet, most CMPA babies can tolerate it. Very occasionally a baby can react to it, in which case, your healthcare professional or doctor may advise that you change your diet – removing all dairy products to see if this improves your baby’s symptoms. Please do not make this decision without consulting with your doctor or healthcare professional. If you are advised to exclude dairy, please read on for further advice, as it is important to ensure you are eating enough key nutrients that you need for breastfeeding, like calcium.
Balancing a dairy free diet
Maintaining a healthy balanced diet is important while you are breastfeeding – just as it was during your pregnancy. Most of the calcium we get is from dairy products so if you need to follow a dairy-free diet, it’s important to find ways of keeping your calcium levels up. When breastfeeding under normal circumstances, you’d need to increase your daily calcium levels by 550mg – this is usually achieved by drinking plenty of milk, eating more cheese and yoghurts etc.
But the good news is that there are plenty of calcium-containing dairy-free foods, such as tinned sardines (with bones), calcium-fortified fruit juices and dairy-free milks, green leafy vegetables, bread and some nuts.
Bottlefed babies
If your doctor diagnoses your baby with CMPA, they may prescribe a special kind of formula known as extensively hydrolysed formula. These milks are made with proteins that have been broken down, so that your baby’s immune system doesn’t recognise them as an allergen, but they are formulated to retain their nutritional value. It is important that when you introduce these new formulas to your baby that you give them 1-2 weeks to get used to them. Bear in mind that your baby’s feeding patterns may change and their stools may change during this time too. Stools often become looser and greener in colour due to the composition of these special formulas.
Remember, if you’re concerned about CMPA, it’s very important to consult your doctor or healthcare professional. Please do not self-prescribe with over-the-counter milk alternatives like soya as they may not be suitable for your baby. The Chief Medical Officer for the government recommended that soya formulas should not used as a first choice for infants with CMPA, particularly under 6 months of age, due to the phytoestrogen content. Also, it's common for babies with CMPA to also react to soya protein.
For more information about diagnosis or the side effects of cows’ milk alternatives, always talk to your doctor or healthcare professional.
Aptamil Pepti
We’ve created Aptamil Pepti – an extensively hydrolysed whey formula suitable for babies with CMPA. We’ve designed Aptamil Pepti 1 for babies from birth and Aptamil Pepti 2, for babies and toddlers from 6 months onwards. As always please speak with your doctor or healthcare professional before changing your baby's milk.
If you suspect your baby has CMPA you should speak to your health visitor or doctor. But if getting a diagnosis is proving difficult, you may find the NICE guidelines on testing for food allergy in children helpful. They contain information on the symptoms of a food allergy and the steps a healthcare professional will follow when making a diagnosis.
Our experts are here to help if you have any questions about feeding or allergies in general, so please contact us on 0800 996 1000 anytime, or get in touch via Live Chat, our online messaging service, between 8am - 8pm, Monday to Friday.