Advice on breastfeeding a dairy and soya allergic baby

[ErinJanesmum]

My son is eight weeks old and exclusively breastfed. He has eczema, developed silent reflux and had weels on his skin shortly after feeding. His eyelids would also swell and go red. I've been dairy free for a few days now and the silent reflux has gone , and his skin is improving but I have noticed he seems to be in pain after I've eaten things containing soya. I think he may have an allergy to soya too.

My DD had a milk protein allergy so I'm fairly familiar with that but I don't know much about what to avoid with soya allergy. Does bread contain soya? How about tortillas? I'm drinking rice milk and using pure sunflower spread. Any suggestions as to what I can eat on a milk/soya free diet? Thanks in advance.

[CastsSpellsWitchySpells]

Hiya ErinJanesMum - got your email so thought I'd have a look for your thread. I wouldn't definitely say that he's soy intolerant yet - a few days after I gave up dairy DD had a really bad day, and I'd eaten chilli the day before, so blamed that, but actually it was just the milk still clearing from her system.

However, if you do have to avoid soy, then you really are going to have to read the labels on EVERYTHING.

A lot of bread does contain soya flour, but there are some that have neither soy nor dairy. I can't remember which now, but I hunted through the shelves when I was doing my initial elimination, and think I always managed to find one. Buying ready made sandwiches is likely to become a thing of the past though!

I don't know about tortillas, but have a read of the label - they do have to state if it's got soya in in the allergen section.

The trouble with soya is that 'lecithins' are made from it, and seem to be in almost every packaged food - have no idea what they actually do!

Get to know the 'free from' sections in all of your local supermarkets, but in the main you will probably find it easier to stick to a 'meat and 3 veg' style diet, or pasta with tomato based sauces.

[ErinJanesmum]

Hi CastsSpellsWitchySpells,
Thanks, it's reassuring to know he may yet be O.K with soya. I'm off to Tesco's to inspect the food in a bit. I checked with Hovis and they said Hovis country granary and Hovis sunflower granary contain no soya or milk. My health visitor came today, she said another girl on the team who is a paediatric nurse had a baby who she breastfed on a dairy free diet due to milk allergy. She's coming to give me some help and advice tomorrow. Will let you know how things progress.

[catesmum]

I ahd to do this for a few months. Tesco's Finest multigrain batch bread was fine (but please check that they haven't changed it). My GP prescribed me calcichew tablets as it's almost impossible to get enough calcium on this diet.

[Catilla]

Hi EJM
What bad luck for you that your ds is showing such a strong reaction so early. You sound very well aware of how to start coping though, well done.

The one thing you didn't mention that is very important is to look after yourself. Dairy is the biggest source of calcium and as a lactating mum you need lots of that - as does your ds. I was prescribed a large dose of calcium supplement when I went dairy-free and strongly advised to take it, I think even for some time after I finished bf.

My background in this: I went dairy-free when ds was 5 months having had an anaphylactic reaction to his first formula - when the consultant diagnosed him as allergic to milk & eggs, I cut out dairy and his skin improved in about 2 weeks - but he had never had the weals you describe (which we have since seen if he gets milk on his skin) nor reflux.

Regarding what foods to eat - I don't have experience of soya allergy (ds has soya milk now) but have just checked my packed of Tesco tortillas and they contain no soya. Unfortunately as CSWS said, it is used in lots of packaged food. Also I find the majority of "free-from" food is aimed at gluten-free, as that's a more common adult need. BTW I was told that 80% of children with milk allergy outgrow it by the age of 5.

I would advise trying to see a consultant or get a hospital test as soon as they will do it (when I went at 5m they did say they don't usually test quite that young...). But the consultant I saw referred me straight to a dietician too, for me and for ds as I weaned him. That could be really useful for you. She had great leaflets listing what I could & couldn't eat.

Good luck with it. If I can offer any more support please let me know.

[Amaretto]

You can contact Tesco or any supermarket an ask then to give you a list of product free from... milk or soya etc.. They should be able to provide you with that. My dietician gave me the number but I can put my hand on it . Customer services should be able to help you or or their website perhaps.

[Amaretto]

Sorry I meant I can't put my hand on it.

[LP1973]

Hi, My baby is 4.5 months old, and I have been on a cows milk free diet for 6 weeks, to see if his 'twisting' behaviour improved. It has done, but having tried to back onto to cows milk this week, slowy!, and he has started being really uncomfortable again. So the GPs (and me I guess) now assume he is cows milk protein intolerant....! The hospital says the next step is to do a few different biopsy's up his backside to check for the allergy once and for all, but as this involves a GA, I am not at all keen. Has anyone had any other tests that are not as intrusive?
Thanks !

[CastsSpellsWitchySpells]

Blimey LP - that doesn't sound very nice! Paed that we saw was quite happy with just my description of the change in pained behaviour once I gave up dairy. He said that there aren't any conclusive tests anyway! (That may only be true of an intolerance rather than an allergy).

One test he did get me to do at home, though not all babies will react, was to put some actual cows milk onto DD's lips, to see if she got a rash from it - should come up in seconds if it's going to. Perhaps you could try that. DD didn't react.

[LP1973]

Thanks for the advice about the lack of tests. I had hoped there would be a blood test or something simple. I will try that milk test on his lips in the next few days, as I still haven't heard back from the doctors about their idea of what to do next!![. I started eating cooked dairy last week, but he didn't like that very much. Still, a few days of being off it again means he is much happier. Thanks again.

[DettaJnr]

There is a blood test to check for dairy intolerance. DD2 had this done a couple of weeks ago and we are awaiting results (6-8 wks).

[ErinJanesmum]

Thanks for your advice. DS is much happier with me off dairy. He's also on Colief.

[LP1973]

Hi Dettajnr, Thanks for info. Did you get blood test on NHS or did you organise yourself privately. Also, how old was DD2 when they had test? Wondering if 4.5 months is too young. Thanks

[DettaJnr]

LP1973, I live in Dublin so system different over here. Had test done on our NHS system as there was a query over her having coeliac as well as dairy problem (I have two siblings with it). She is 13mths. I am still bf and went dairy free when she was 6mths and found a huge improvement in her. 4.5mths may be a little too early to have tested but you could replace dairy with a substitute and see what happens.

[alison222]

Soya is in the most unlikely of things. - Even soya lechithin in most plain chocolate.

As someone said earlier you just have to read the labels on everything- or cook it yourself.

We had this with DS when he was 18mths - he outgrew the soya allergy and the milk intolerance though, but with DD they advised me not to eat any of the things he is/was allergic to while BF her. She is fine - but my diet was v limited for a while. I also had calcium supplements re the dairy free thing.

Good luck

[catesmum]

LP1973, my dd2 has had colonoscopies and endoscopies (camera and biopsies)...it wasn't too bad...she wasn't given a GA, just heavily sedated...we were only in hospital for 36 hours. She had RAST tests and mountains of other blood tests, but they're all incolnclusive. Our paed said that they're reliable if positive, but not if negative

[LP1973]

Hi, thanks for that. Still waiting for people to get back to me. Baby now 5 months, and starving, so have the joy of weaning now....quite worried how his little system will cope!

[weimaranerlover]

I am interested in allergies and children as mine suffered badly when they were younger. Have spent the last 4 years studying nutritional medicine and believe I now quite a bit about the problem. I would advise you if you are still breastfeeding to go on a bland diet, cutting out wheat, gluten, egg, soya, diary and corn. Best would be to start off with the least allergenic foods lamb, brown rice and pear and slowly add maybe carrots. That's for yourself. It sounds boring to have this for breakfst, lunch and dinner, but a good way to find out what does him no good. You add different veg slowly after 3-4 days of all clear. To wean the baby, start of with brown rice and steamed carrots and a bit of olive oil, after 2 weeks you could add a little lamb and after another 2 weeks some steamed pear.

To help improve his bowel flora you could give him a probiotic from an independent health food shop containing the good bacteria bifidum infantis. You can buy a powdered form and can add a tiny amount on your breast or onto food. Ask for advice in the shop. The improved bowel flora will help to cope with different foods and help digestion. Contact me if you are interested and needed to hear more.