Many babies are unable to tolerate lactose. Although this is often considered to be the same thing as a milk allergy, it’s really not. It is important for breastfeeding moms to understand that the dairy products that they use as part of a healthy diet and to encourage adequate milk supply, could also be making your baby uncomfortable. It is often one of the first things that are eliminated from your diet, if you are trying to find out what the cause of digestive issues or colic might be.
Lactose intolerance is very common and is frequently outgrown. By the time your baby reaches 12 months, he or she could be able to drink dairy products with no problem. In some cases, at a y
ear of age, your pediatrician will recommend switching a toddler formula that is soy-based or hypoallergenic and then milk products can be tried again at 15 or 18 months of age.
A milk allergy could include anything in the milk that a person could be sensitive or allergic to, and therefore is much more complex. It usually is related to an inability to process the milk protein. Lactose is the milk sugar present in dairy products and its symptoms can vary widely from one child to another. It is fairly common for the symptoms to worsen, following repeated exposure or when a baby is introduced to more than one type of food or beverage containing lactose. An example of that would be a baby who is introduced to yogurt, cheese or milk within the same time frame or a baby of any age who is breastfeeding and mom consumed those items.
What are the Symptoms to Watch For?
The most common symptoms of lactose intolerance are often digestive distress, gas and diarrhea. It’s necessary to understand that lactose intolerance may not always appear the first few times your baby is exposed to the food or beverage containing lactose. At times, it may take several occurrences over days or weeks for the symptoms to appear, so don’t rule out lactose because the symptoms didn’t occur right away.
In addition to digestive problem, a lactose intolerance can also cause a rash, eczema and sleep disturbances. However, many of the sleep disturbances are often related to pain or discomfort from digestive problems or the rash.
There are many different baby formulas available today, including some that re only available by prescription. If you believe your baby is lactose intolerant, it’s very important to speak with the pediatrician and get them started on the right formula as soon as possible. If you’re nursing, you may need to switch to alternative sources for calcium and protein in your diet, until you’re ready to wean your baby. Modern medicine and modern society has made it easy for a baby with food sensitivities or allergies to thrive, and this may be only a temporary situation. Soy and hypo-allergenic items can help your baby enjoy eating again.
