Moms of + 12 mo old allergic to dairy - what to you offer your LO to drink?

[eskimomama]

Hello,

I'm looking for advice on what to give my dairy allergic DD to drink when I transition from breastmilk. She is just 12 months, still BF, and drinking water/juice from a sippy cup quite ok now (thanks MN for all the advice on sippy cups btw!).

I'm not too happy about transitioning fully to soy formula, because of the controversy on soy, but I know that oat milk isn't fat enough, and needs to be calcium fortified. Rice milk not adapted until 4 and too poor in nutrients anyway.
So far I think soy formula is the best of all alternatives... but not very happy with the idea... so I'd like to know what you moms have done/are doing in that situation?

thanks in advance!

Can she tolerate elemental formula at all? i.e. things like Neocate or Nutramigen? We used Nutramigen, then switched to Pepti, as I didn't want to use a soya formula either.

Others might argue that as long as they are eating a good, varied diet then the need for milk as a source of nutrition is much lower anyway. After all, other species don't consume other species milk. I would not have been confident enough to take this approach though, as DS had such a crap appetite!

DD went on to soya milk and then I introduced rice milk too as soon as possible - I didn't want her developing intolrances to soya by over replacing IYSWIM - I wanted to be able to rotate foods.

I never changed to a formula though.... I just kept breast feeding. It is one of the primary reasons I extended bfing

I carried on BF - none of the other options seemed anything like as good. My DS had a crap appetite and BF helped me to feel confident that he was getting at least some perfectly balanced food.

As AllNightMilkBar has just said, there is case for saying that we don't need cow's milk in our diets. When DS's dairy allergy was first diagnosed, I was quite taken aback by the number of people (including the hospital dietitian) who assumed that I would be looking for a dairy 'subsitute'.

I kept BF too for as long as I could, but by the time I was back at work 4 days with a long commute and nights away, and always havign to ask for dairy free meals when I was travelling etc, I just found it easier to switch for my own stress levels

allnight

I wasn't suggesting what anyone else should do - just what I did
You shouldn't be about your choices. I am at home. Bfing was easier for me than making up bottles

I'm still BF, DS is 18 months and I'm planning to go on until he's 2 or so. We saw the hospital dietician this week and she's given me some samples of Neocate Active, which DS can get on prescription if he likes them. There is a plain one and a blackcurrant flavour, and they contain calcium etc.

yes, allnight, please don't feel criticised - I don't work outside of home and I never eat out, so bf is much, much easier for me. I should think that BF in your situation would be nigh on impossible and there's no way you should be feeling ashamed of ypour choices.

Thanks all for the quick replies!
I wouldn't mind BFing longer but I'll have to go back to work in the next few months, and not too sure how to start the transition. Never really tried Neocate, but i'm moving out of the UK soon so not sure what are the equivalents over there (France).

Totally agree with Pagwatch about over avoiding.

Greenbananas thanks so much for reminding me that cows milk isn't an absolute necessity... I tend to forget after hearing again and again from HCPs and family that babies should have yoghurts and full fat milk - and that DD needs substitutes.

Question for all - what do you give your LO for breakfast?

I am still giving her mashed fruits with cereals (oat, rice, millet, sometimes a wheat based biscuit with it)... wondering if there should be more "fat and calcium" in her dairy-free breakfast?
She's eating solids quite ok, and I use rapeseed oil in her lunches/dinners.

Have you tried goat's milk? I know it's still dairy but my son can tolerate goat's, but not cow's milk.

Shockers - unfortunately I can't. The allergist told me to stay away from any animal milk for at least a year as her allergy is too strong.

eskimomama, your breakfasts sound healthier than mine! - I always have good intentions about the stewed fruit but rarely get it organised. DS usually has toast or crumpets with vitalite margarine. Just recently I've started giving him oats cooked in rice milk with jam - I know rice milk isn't recommended as a main drink but it's thin and sweet and makes lovely porridge.

I've never had to face the going-out-to-work issue and I do feel for you... I know that some mums do manage to BF after returning to work (although it would be very difficult if you had lots of overnight stays away!) Some mums express milk for during the daytime and some settle down into a routine of just feeding at night and in the mornings. I know a few mums who take their babies into bed with them so they can feed all night.

My DD was anaphylactic to milk too, and I BF until 18 months, then gave her rice milk as her drink, and used peptid jnr in her foods (such as breakfast) and in cooking.

As she was intollerant to soya, the dietician was happy with the rice milk, but we had to fry nearly all her food to increase the fat in her diet. She even advised using nesquick with peptid jnr, or rice milk to boost the calcium.

In the end it was so stressful ebnsuring her calcium was adequate, she was prescribed calcium supplements (as a medicine) which she took until she grew out of it.

With breakfast, she had normal cereal just with the different milk.

It is hard with a child with allergies, and my heart does go out to you.

fyi - cow and gate do a strawberry and banana porridge that is dairy free - fortified. i have a dairy free 3.3 who cannot swallow, so is on purees - so very close to a weaning diet.

I went back to work when DS was 1 and bf him until he was 2 because of his dairy allergy. After that he had oat milk, but until they're 2 they need bf or formula as Oat milk isn't nutritionally adequate enought to replace cow's milk for dairy allergic children.

I just bf DS morning and before bed and he had oat milk in the middle of the day.

Soya formula is not recommended because dairy allergic children are likely to develop an allergy to it as the proteins are similar to dairy, plus it may cause fertility prblems.

If you really want to give up bfing then you'll need a prescription for neocate, nutramigen or one of the other hypoallergenic formulas.

5alive juice (citrus one) and tesco calcium fortified orange juice.

Eskimomama - we moved to France when DS1 was 18 months old (from NZ). If you are covered by French social security, you need to apply (through your allergy specialist) for 100% cover for a serious illness (can't remember the term they use).

We were then able to get Neocate Advance for free - had to get it from the hospital pharmacy though. In fact the hospital specialist was happy for him to keep having it 'right through childhood' (!) but we moved to Luxembourg when he was 6 and the cost would be exorbitant for us here so have changed to rice milk.

In France they do also have Pepti Junior and Nutramigen (though DS1 reacted to them), but you have to pay a certain percentage. I think they will only give Neocate if the child reacts to the other ones.

Your breakfasts sound great.