CMPA at one year old

[missg00se]

My DD has CMPA and as a result I'm still breastfeeding her (I'm on a dairy free diet) as we haven't been able to find a formula that she will take that doesn't cause a reaction. She is approaching her first birthday, shortly after which she has a dietician appointment at which point I hope to discuss what we should move her onto as I'd like to stop breastfeeding. I'm hoping they will have some suggestions!

The problem is that I'm due to return to work around the same time, at which point she'll be going to nursery three days a week. I physically cannot express enough for her to have two bottles a day, three days a week, but at the moment I have no alternative for her and she still seems to really need those feeds. I have no idea what to do. I'm hoping there is a viable alternative she could have in a bottle/cup instead of breast milk but until I see the dietician I have no idea what and there's no time to try and get her used to it before I have to leave her in the nursery three days a week. I've already delayed my return to work as much as possible due to this issue so I do need to go back on the date agreed, which is four days after her dietician appointment.

Does anyone have any experience of this/any insight into what they are likely to recommend so I can try and get a head start? She'll have enough upheaval with going to nursery without throwing a change of food into the mix in the same week, poor thing.

[Natsku]

My DD had cmpa diagnosed at 13 months and the paediatrician said to put her on oat milk rather than a non-dairy formula (as I wanted to stop breastfeeding as the limited diet was causing insane weight loss!) even though the oat milk cartons said for over threes only.

[missg00se]

@Natsku I know it can't have been fun for you by the sounds of things but I wish I was managing some insane weight loss!

I might try introducing some oat milk - just a little- to see how she goes. How did you transition? Did you mix with breast milk at first? Or just change over?

[dementedpixie]

Is she ok with soya products? There is an alpro soya milk for age 1+ as most other milk substitutes aren't for children under age 2

[anotherdayanothersquabble]

I had a milk refuser and some milk intolerances in my family. When DD was 9 months old I went back to work and she had a nanny. I used Lucy Burney's book on optimal infant and toddler nutrition as well as the book on GAPS diet suggestions to ensure she was getting sufficient nutrients from other sources (lots of greens, bone broth, seeds, eggs). We use some oat milk, coconut and some rice milk but look at her over all weekly nutrition and daily hydration rather than needing to give her three bottle of milk every day.

[dementedpixie]

Rice milk not suitable for under 5s due to arsenic levels so i would avoid it

[anotherdayanothersquabble]

I agree that I would avoid rice milk as a main milk substitute. . . and look at overall intake of rice for arsenic levels.

[EveryoneTalkAboutPopMusic]

There shouldn't be any need to express if that's what you are worried about. A one year old will be fine with being fed before and after nursery, I know as I did it with mine from about 9 months.

[Natsku]

I started giving her oat milk during the day while bfing just at night and morning for about a week or so and then just switched entirely.

[Natsku]

Children with cmpa often react to soya too (DD did) so be careful trying soy milk

[EveryoneTalkAboutPopMusic]

Oh and if she doesn't like the taste of the new milk, try adding a small amount of vanilla extract. Some people mix it with Nesquik instead.

[JoWithABow]

You mean she will have a feed before work, 2 feeds at nursery, then a feed before bed? That's a lot of milk, I can't see her taking two feeds at nursery even if they offer it to her, so I wouldn't worry and just feed her morning and evening. She'll just up her solid food intake to compensate if needed.
If you mean you can't feed her at all the days she is in nursery then Oat Milk should be fine.

[ScarletBegonia1234]

There is a junior alpro soya milk ( if they can tolerate soy) which can be used from 12+months but it is so full of sugar! I couldn't believe it. Oat milk is fine for 12 months plus though it isn't as fatty so you can add oat cream to it though we didn't bother as lo was eating plenty of food. Rice milk is a definite no before age 5

[missg00se]

Thanks everyone, some food for thought here. I hadn't thought about oat milk, I use koko coconut milk in cooking mostly. I've steered clear of soy for the most part because I'd read the two often go hand in hand. Having said that though, the milk allergy runs in the family (neither me or her dad have it but both of our siblings do - weird!) but nobody else is allergic to soy. Might try the oat first though.

In terms of her daytime feeds I'd love her to drop them. But she gets really angsty, whether I'm with her or not, until she gets them. She eats a lot of solid food too - three good meals a day and often two snacks. Plus routinely there's still a night feed. I'm more than ready to stop feeding her but it seems she has other ideas...

[EveryoneTalkAboutPopMusic]

I'd give one of the Bfing Helplines a call. One of the Bfing Counsellors should be able to help you come up with a plan to stop Bfing if that's what you want to do.

If you do wish to continue, your milk supply will be established enough to give her a couple of cups of oat milk while she's at nursery and continue Bfing.

Have you got any settling in days booked?

[missg00se]

@EveryoneTalkAboutPopMusic I didn't even consider that - tbh I've wanted to stop breastfeeding since she was three months because I don't think it's very good for my mental health and I'd quite like to resume some medication I was on long term before I became pregnant. However, all I've had from health visitors, GP, breastfeeding support group folk has been 'breastfeeding? Excellent! Carry on!' Nobody has taken me seriously when I've expressed a wish to stop so I've just carried on because I've had no alternative. I get the feeling that choosing to stop breastfeeding when you've successfully managed to establish it is very much frowned upon, regardless of the toll it's taking on the mother. Maybe it'll be different now she's older.

[GretaGarbled]

I wouldn't be so scared of trying soya. Dd1 was severely allergic to cmp and eggs, but fine with soya (which is handy as so easy to get hold of). You can only try!

Did you have no luck with nutramagin or similar allergenic formulas?

[missg00se]

And yes we will have some settling in days, but they will be before we see the dietician again, unfortunately.

[GretaGarbled]

Also, to move onto new milks, we always very gradually mixed more of the new into the existing milk over a couple of weeks. Never had a problem with refusal doing that (even nutramigen which was disgusting!).

[missg00se]

@GretaGarbled she refused a bottle completely until 8 months and then had a reaction to aptamil pepti, we were then prescribed something else, I can't remember the name of it but she wouldn't touch it. I really struggle to express - can only manage about 2oz a day, so between the bottle refusal and the difficulty expressing, it was difficult to introduce a new milk in the way you describe. Hopefully there is light at the end of the tunnel though. I gave her a small cup of oat milk this afternoon and she seemed to like it.

[GretaGarbled]

That's great, fingers crossed for you!