Cows Milk Intolerance - will it go?

[Sade49]

Hey,

My son is 5 weeks old, always had frequent poops and wet - normal for him. He always had bad nappy rash sores too unfortunately, but we've been told it's from the amount of poops and it actually being abnormal!

He was on Kendamil and breast milk. We've been in a&e this morning as symptoms point towards a cows milk protein intolerance - colic, straining, rumbling tummy, grunting during and after feed, watery poop, sores on bum which won't go away despite creams etc. etc.

My issue now is my son HATES the taste of the Aptimal Peptide! He cries, spits out etc.

We are now going to get reviewed in a few weeks to see how he gets on.

Anyone else experience this?

Does it go?

Will he get worse?

There is only cow milk protein allergy which you can ‘out grow’ (sounds like your baby has none IGE allergy) and lactose intolerance which is permeant. The advice is to be completely dairy free for at least 6 months before reintroduction. DD1 was 5 when she completed the milk ladder (although we are unsure if she needs to go dairy free again) and DD2 was 3 yrs old.

Sorry but I agree. It's an allergy. He's definitely displaying non-IGE Skyrim's to Cow's Milk Protein.

*symptoms

Hi OP

Is the rash around the anus? If so, sounds exactly like my 15 week old DD (EBF).

She started to get a rash when she was 3 weeks old. No other symptoms except going to the toilet 12-15 times a day. Always very loose. Never just wee. Back and forth to the GP for various creams/steroids/antibiotics and nothing helped. We were the same in that as soon as the creams were applied she would go toilet and wedybe back to square one. The only thing that seems to have helped is cutting out dairy. I've been dairy free for 4 weeks and the rash is much better. I use bepanthen on each nappy change, and only cotton wool with water to clean. She still goes to the toilet 8 times per day but they are much smaller than they were!

Yes @hanc66 we've been using Timodine cream, allowing nappy free time and Vaseline as a barrier in between.

Rash is around anus and isn't as angry! (Yay)

@SiouxsieSiouxStiletto how do I tell the difference between allergy and intolerance if what the hospital and GP have said is wrong? He doesn't have a rash/eczema etc.

Colic symptoms, rumbling tummy and straining. Frequent poops (not as bad as they were) and squirming - again not as bad as it was.

He's been lactose free for one week now and I am diary free.

Thanks for replying everyone, it's been really helpful to read! 🫶🏼

@Lookingforasilverlining thank you.

If hospital and GP are wrong, should we be trying something else?

They said the intolerance is because his digestive system cannot break down lactose until fully developed which is why so common in babies?

@SiouxsieSiouxStiletto to add, extremely gassy and cries when passes wind or poops!

Sorry to jump in here but genuinely just trying to help. It was me that initially said allergy. You are now using Aptimal peptide correct? This is a milk where the protein has been extensively hydrolysed (broken down) to make it easier for babies to digest. Aptimal peptide is full of lactose. It hasn't been removed. If you are seeing improvement it's the milk protein your child was reacting to not the lactose. This milk is used for the treatment of cows milk protein allergy. Whether the drs call it cmp allergy or cmp intolerance is moot. (Cmpi is old language and an allergy consultant and a dietician would now use cmpa). In any case They might be saying milk intolerance but that is completely different to lactose intolerance. Lactose intolerance is a reaction to milk sugar (lactose) and is extremely rare in babies and if experienced is normally short term following an illness.

It is great that the milk is working and you are seeing progress! And the positive news is the majority of babies grow out of cmpa/cmpi this. You just need to make sure they give you guidance on how and when to introduce milk safely to maximise babies chances of outgrowing it.

Don't apologise! @Whentwobecomesthree it's great to get the advice.

We've gone into this blind so only going on what the hospital and paediatrician have said.

Yes, he is on Aptimal Peptide ☺️

So basically you have the right treatment and it's great it's working it's just that something has been communicated badly about what it is. It's an intolerance/allergy to milk protein not to the lactose.

@Whentwobecomesthree Pepti* sorry.

I see where you're coming from! Sounds like it is communication 😕

Yes sorry aptamil pepti. I should have noticed my typo!

This is a very very common communication mistake. GPs and lots of paediatricians are not the best with up to date allergy info and how to communicate it. The main thing is that they have diagnosed it and prescribed something that's working. Push for a referral to the community dieticians in your area who can help you with the reintroduction. Or failing that there are a number of excellent allergy drs and dieticians on Instagram who provide excellent general advice.

I should add that Aptimal pepti is a first choice milk (the protein is broken down) it works for some cmpa babies and not for others. If you do still have symptoms then they can try an amino acid formula (these have no milk protein at all).

@Whentwobecomesthree thank you!

We have a month on prescription so hopefully we see even more improvement then before we look to try something new.

We also leave 30 mins between a creams as suggested (dr told us to apply together!).

He still has colicky symptoms and cries with wind and poops so hoping they go asap.

If you’re breast feeding him then he isn't lactose free as all mammal milk contains lactose.

As PPs have said a lot of doctors are not well-informed about allergies and/or really poor at communicating it.

You do need to be completely dairy free for breastfeeding (so it's great that you are), and symptoms should go within three weeks. If you're still getting symptoms, change the formula to the one with no milk protein at all.

CMPA is a pain, both my boys have it. My eldest is 3 and is now most of the way up the milk ladder, my youngest is only 4 months so a way to go on the journey yet...

Hope your little one settles down soon! Sending hugs, it can be relentless

@RainbowUtensils thank you ❤️

I feel I've had better advice/things to look into on here than the dr and midwives!

Let's pray these next few weeks continue

My LB has a dairy allergy. He’s just turned 1 and i’m hoping to try the ‘milk ladder’ soon but i don’t think he will grow out of his anytime soon as he accidently had milk a few weeks ago and showed signs of reaction.
He is on Neocate LCP milk but has been pepti too. We tried the vanilla essence at first which helped a lot to transition him then cut down the drops of it till we didn’t need it as he was just used to the taste, so don’t worry about that. I know lots of babies who have grown out of it though, but it’s just a process.

Hello!
My little one was diagnosed with cows milk intolerance. We were breast feeding but only learnt when we switched to formula so I went back to breast feeding!
she’s now 19 months and can eat dairy no problem but can’t drink cows milk - we give her oat milk which she loves (soya milk does has studies of sex hormones being in it so wanted to avoid) oat milk is very similar to breast.
She can eat yoghurts cheese and has no issues but just can’t drink large volumes and now she just prefers oat!
we got referred to dietician who gave lots of advice about introducing slowly on a Cows milk ladder? But this was only at weaning age!

we did get given formula from dieticians as the one the go prescribed (nutramigen) she would not touch. The one we got was called aptimel pepti 2 but had to make a fuss for this - she loved it though!

Just jumping back into this to update.

Baby is now 11 weeks and like a new baby. Shortly after my last comments he changed, practically overnight! Dirty nappies regulated and no diarrhoea, now goes every day or so, no straining or grunting and sleeps much better.

I went completely diary free BF and he ended up loving the formula.

I stopped BF this week and the day before I stopped ate dairy... He's now straining and whingey and generally fussy again. I've read at 11 weeks, it could be development leap/growth spurt which has these effects but could it by minor dairy intake the day before my final feed? He only fed a small amount on the final feed.

Would it enter his system that quick or am I being an over worrying mum?!

It could be the dairy.

Yes I would say it's definitely probably the dairy. Remarkable coincidence if not. It'll be out of his system quite quickly though