cows milk allergy - breastfeeding advice please!!

[bigbaby18]

I have an 8 month old baby, breastfeeding going really well and baby is thriving. Found out he has a cows milk allergy and the NHS want me to introduce formula!!?? They think I shouldn't be breastfeeding at night/should have him on a bottle of formula (for cows milk allergy) a day. I think I can just keep breastfeeding him and introduce non dairy food into his diet but this seems to worry the dietician... Please any help with breeding a baby with cows milk allergy and NHS experience would be really appreciated.

What was the reason for NHS to suggest formula??

Unfortunately some corners of the NHS are still woefully mis- or underinformed about breastfeeding, especially beyond the neonatal period.

Continuing to breastfeed and providing non-dairy solids would definitely be preferential to non-dairy-based formula unless the dietician was actually able to state a specific concern. Dairy free formula is often pretty nasty (hydrolysed kinds) or nutritionally not great (soya based) anyway.

You may want to give a vitamin supplement to cover all the bases - you're supposed to supplement vitamin D for breastfed babies anyway.

That's ridiculous. We realised my first had it after one week old. I cut out all diary and breasted her till 10 months with no issues. I gave up due to other reasons.

Your dietician should be helping you learn what foods are good to introduce not making you introduce formula. For example mine told me things like broccoli and salmon were good sources of calcium.

Also the special formula is foul!!!

Thanks so much for replies! Yes agree that it is foul.. smells terrible and seems cruel inflicting it on him.

She was concerned he was still feeding in the night mainly, even though I'm ok feeding him a couple of times during the night.. she said "she would not expect a baby his age to wake for feedings"

ChipsAreLife - what did you do after 10 months? Did you ever introduce formula?

Thanks again!!

I bf my DD for 2 years and she had a dairy allergy, she also had a night feed at 10 months too. We had support for weaning from a dietitian (one appointment) but nobody told me at any point to give formula. In fact, I had to battle for one tin of puramino (in case of an emergency) Do what you think is right x

By the way, I drank oatly milk (they now do a great "whole" milk and a barista version) which DD also had after 1 in food etc x

It's perfectly normal for a breastfed baby that age to feed at night. Mine still does at 10mo and I night weaned my eldest at 18mo. (Obviously it's your call as to whether you'd want to stop before that...) I think that HCPs often apply concerns that actually only relate to bottle-feeding to breastfeeding because sadly bottle-feeding is their norm. Bottle-feeding at night can be a concern because of tooth damage.

Tbh my experience and rule of thumb on NHS staff is that unless they are a breastfeeding specialist of some sort, they are likely to know almost nothing about breastfeeding in practice apart from the general health benefits and maybe the very rudiments of feeding a newborn. I took my 8mo to see the GP with bad nappy rash caused by a virus a few months ago, and was thoroughly gratified when he commented that breastfeeding (which I hadn't mentioned) alongside solids would be the best way to get him better, not because I didn't know that, but because he did!

Whether or not he feeds at night is a parenting issue and not a dietary one - you should tell her that and say that you respect her views but really if we could keep this meeting based on nutritional concerns that would be great. All she needs to know is he breastfeeds on average X times a day, it doesn't matter what time the feeds are happening, in terms of nutrition.

Obviously you need to be dairy free if you are feeding him, as cow's milk protein goes into milk. (I'm sure you realise, but as you didn't mention this). Perhaps she is concerned you might struggle to avoid dairy yourself?

My DS has CMPA and I'm still breastfeeding him.
We are both dairy-free.
I suggest you print out the nice guidelines about suspected CMPA and show them to your doctor!
You need a dietician referral. You don't need to stop breastfeeding.
The info and advice on this website is very helpful:
dilanandme.com/2018/01/15/cmpa-faqs-1/
You might also want to check out the Facebook group "Breastfeeding with CMPA".

Night waking and feeding has bugger all to do with allergy or nutrition.
Really normal baby mammal behaviour to still be doing both!

Stick with breastfeeding if that's want you want to do.

Obvs you need to be dairy free though!

This Fb groups really good
Breastfeeding - CMPA support

My twins were CMP and soya intolerant, diagnosed at 10 weeks (one is now CMPA and soya allergic, other has outgrown it at age 3). I fed them until 18months, and followed the dietician's advise regarding reintroducing any dairy or soya products into my diet, and therefore my milk, and then into their diets via food.

We never tried the special formula as there was only one brand that didn't include soya. Have you been referred to a dietician? I would cut all dairy products out of your diet and if symptoms continue after 3/4 weeks (can take 2 weeks to leave your system then a bit longer to leave your baby's, this is what I was told but advice may just be 2 weeks now) try cutting out the soya too, as the protein is very similar to the cows milk protein. Just while you wait to see the dietician.

Btw my twins fed in the night til over a year, mostly habit but I could tell they were hungry for at least one feed.

I have two with CMPI and breastfed both! I cut dairy from my diet and weaned on dairy free solids. I used calcium enriched oat milk for cooking and that's what they moved onto as a drink after 1 year. Absolutely no need to give baby formula if you don't want to. You may find he stops waking at night once the dairy is completely out of his system anyway as he could be unsettled and feeding for comfort. It's not really a problem if he doesn't though! Remember professionals can only offer advice that fits the guidelines they must stick to do I would take some of it with a pinch of salt and continue doing what's best for you in terms of feeding as long as your little one is thriving.

What a load of nonsense! Do what you think is best for you and your baby.

My DD is 9.5 months and still wakes for a feed. Sometimes 10 times if she’s teething 😴

Yes we did give her the formula then. Basically
she kept having reactions and we couldn't figure out of it was something she was eating or I was! So switched her to formula... managed to get her take it with a few drops of vanilla essence that I then weaned her off.

She was a bit of a nightmare and was allergic to everything for two years, so we couldn't do soya or oatly.

Pleased to say she grew out of the dairy allergy by 3.5!

really appreciate all the responses!

I knew it wasn't crazy to keep feeding him at night! It was actually the NHS referred dietician who seemed to think I was bizarre for still giving him breastfeeds in the night. But he just needs a bit of comfort/bit of a snack and it would seem cruel to deny him!

Interesting though that I haven't cut out milk from my diet and that doesn't seem to bother him. Only when it goes to his lips he gets a rash around his mouth. I could try and cut it out from my diet and see what difference it makes to him I guess but I just love a bit of dairy myself!

Feeding third cmpa baby here. First 2 are now 8 and 6 and breastfed for 2 and 2.5 yrs. Also had oatly. Grew out of cmpa by about 3. We were given neocate by a concerned dietician before eldest was one. I was a bit annoyed but in the end it was reassuring to have it in the cupboard just in case. Eldest had a couple of bottles when I first returned to work (around 10 months) but we soon found he didn’t need it and made up for it by feeding all night instead. I often find you have to be bold and hold your ground around breastfeeding issues with nhs staff- not all, but some. I’ve put both paediatricians and gps onto kellymom in appointments before now. Stay strong and trust your motherly instinct! Good luck with the rest of your breastfeeding!

You might be pleasantly surprised by how many things are accidentally dairy free, plus there's lots of alternatives now which helps. I loved milk and drank tons of it before so I never thought I'd manage, but it was fine. In fact, I prefer oat milk in my tea / cereal now. There's a website called the vegan womble which I found really helpful, I think the only thing that's hard to replace is chocolate. Fry's choc creams are vegan though so 😀

woolster - yes I am really seeing this now, the dietician actually compared breastmilk to giving the child macdonalds..... it really made me feel quite awful!!

the dietician actually compared breastmilk to giving the child macdonalds

What the actual fucking FUCK?

That is so wrong, in both a moral and a plain old factual sense. I'm not one for putting in complaints about every little thing, but I would suggest you feed that comment back via PALS and make it clear that the dietician is worryingly ignorant about breastfeeding and needs training urgently.

I had two DC who were both allergic to cow's milk. I bf for over a year and didn't ever use any formula. After a year they were old enough to have Alpro junior (soya milk) which was suggested by the dietician and which they loved as it doesn't smell or taste unpleasant like formula.

I also cut dairy out of my own diet while bf as it was giving them eczema.

Oh and by the way dd1 dropped night feeds at 3 months and dd2 continued them until 18 months, both breastfed. Babies just vary even if you treat them the same!

That's ridiculous. Get yourself onto cmpa breastfeeding on Facebook (I think that's the name, I've left it now I'm afraid but it's a big group!) it was very helpful for me when we found out about dds allergies.

Our dietician was big on feeding on demand until at least 2 (if it still suited us that is) and said it was the best thing we could do! Dd is now over 2 and dietician is still brilliant and fully supports me continuing to feed DD despite now being pregnant with number 2.

Another thing was that our dietician was annoyed that we had been told that I should cut out dairy (and eggs and peanuts, dds other allergies) by the gp. Apparently if baby is tolerating dairy via you, you are best to keep it in your diet. DD was refluxy and had horrid nappies, but had no other symptoms. After a few weeks or so she ended up projectile vomiting when I accidentally had dairy so we knew I couldn't go back to eating it until we started the milk ladder, which were starting soon as she's now not ige allergic anymore (though still reacts with a rash!)

I'd actually complain about that dietician, obviously has no clue about bfing! Comparing it to macdonalds was this dietician with an allergy team at all? I'm utterly shocked if so!

I know countess von boobs (great name!!) it was really strange hearing that from a professional.. that I was filling him up on a 'macdonalds milkshake' so no wonder he didn't want to have the formula he'd been prescribed!!!

I'm just lucky i have enough belief in breastfeeding to ignore her and stick to my guns.. plus consult mumsnet :)