What dairy free alternatives do you use for your baby?

[Jahan]

Ds2 is 8 months and, I suspect, has a dairy allergy. He has finally really got into his food.
He's been having 4 good meals a day and is bf.
I've been making porridge for his breakfasts with water which he seems fine with but I'd like to try some milk alternatives.

Has anyone tried Oatley?

He's been trying toast but I'm not sure if there is any spread I can use that is dairy free and not a margarine (I'm a bit anti marg)
The health visitor was very unhelpful and told me I should just 'go with your instincts'

[trixymalixy]

My 16 month old DS is dairy allergic.

We tend to use a lot of soy substitutes, but you need to be careful as a lot of dairy allergic children can also be allergic to soy. We use soy yoghurts, ice cream, cream, cheese substitute and soy milk for cooking.

Oatly isn't too bad on cereal, it doesn't contain any added calcium though so we use rice milk with added calcium instead. I tend to avoid soy milk for drinking or use on cereals as we use so many other soy substitutes.

We use pure sunflower spread. I can't think how you would get a butter type spread that isn't a marge. I'm a bit anti marge as well, but needs must.

You could try one of the pure fruit spreads you get in health food shops on toast as it will have less sugar than jam.

HTH

[PanT]

My DS 7.5 months - is allergic to dairy (plus many other food groups!!) and I have used Oatley for porridge and cereal and DS loves it! The one we use has added calcium & vitamin B12 which is important on a vegan diet - he isn't vegan as such but due to his allergies he will be following a vegan based diet. The organic Oatley doesn't have anything added. We use Pure organic dairy free spread for DS. I am staying away from any soy based products for the moment as this may be another allergy trigger for him.

[rebelmum1]

Before jumping the gun and cutting out all dairy try goats milk, my dd can't cope with cows but is ok with goats milk and you can get goats butter/yoghurts too.

[Snozcumber]

I have 2 very intolerant dd's, to dairy and other things I wouldn't have thought possible!! The key to substituting on a dairy free diet is making sure calcium levels are kept high and not giving too much of something that could also cause a reaction. When we started we swapped everything for the soya substitute but you need to be careful with this, with him being a boy!!

Soya products have a lot of oestrogen in them, which is obviously not ideal for little boys. I'm not saying don't use any soya but use it for the stuff that can really make life easier. Yoghurts, puddings, ice cream etc. Both my girls like rice dream which is a bit less disgusting that other rice milks and is calcium and vitamin fortified! Pure do different spreads, and are a very ethical company with no added nasties to their products!! Tofutti soya cheese is quite nice too - but goat's cheese is better imo.

Do you know that if ds is bf then you need to be dairy free as well? Just checking as you seem to have just been left to it!!
Sympathies, I remember being daunted by dairy free, but its quite easy once you learn the safe products and the pitfalls like sausages, biscuits, sandwich meat etc.. lots of which contain milk!!
HTH x

[Jahan]

Thanks everyone.
Snozcumber - Ds2 has mild eczema on his face and I realised he was dairy allergic/intolerant when I fed him porridge with milk and fromage frais. Both times he suddenly looked very ill and vomited. I think the health visitor isn't too bothered because his eczema is mild and she said he'd probably grow out of it. I hope so!

[Mummymoo178]

Great ormond street do some really good leaflets about dairy free siets for dc. My dd 2 has a dairy and egg allergy and we use vitalite spread. I have not found any which is not marg unfortunatly. The pluses for vitalite imo is that it is fab for cooking i have just made a chocolate birthday cake for a friends birthday and no body noticed it was dairy free.

I always found the health visitors were unhelpful but if you have childrens centre near you they will have a dietcian who you can see.