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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

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Original poster

Possible allergy to formula.

24 replies

jrsqueak · 25/01/2009 18:36

Wasn't sure where to post this. I have a 15 wk old ds who has been diagnosed with baby eczema but acqueous cream is sorting that. Anyway up to now he has been exclusively breastfed, tried him on a bottle of formula tonight and his little face has gone bright red. He didn't have a lot either as he was fighting a little. Any ideas what formula I can try etc or is he going to be allergic to all. Any help much appreciated. x

OP posts:

PuzzleRocks · 25/01/2009 20:08

Bumping for you. I think there is an allergies thread. You might want to try that too.

madmouse · 25/01/2009 20:12

Not an expert, but my feeling goes towards bottle rather than formula, ie latex?

Maybe ask your doc

thisisyesterday · 25/01/2009 20:14

if it is a reaction to milk then the absolute best thing you can do is keep breastfeeding and stay clear of formula. there is nothing you can buy off the shelf that will be suitable, because all baby milks are made from cow's milk.

off the shelf soya milks are not recommended, altyhough I cannot remember off the top of my head why... think it's cos they are not nutritionally brilliant for them. if a child has a genuine milk allergy then a GP can prescribe a suitable formula.
but tbh you're best off just breastfeeding him!

bubbleymummy · 25/01/2009 20:29

Would stick to the bf tbh. Was there a reason you were offering the formula?

Academicmum · 26/01/2009 17:02

Does sound like a possible dairy allergy, in which case you absolutely mustn't offer more formula until you have had this ruled out (if it is and you offer more it can send the immune system into a "hyper-allert" status which can make the allergy much, much worse. Unfortunately I know this from experience.) Soya formula is not good as 45% of babies with dairy allergy also have soya allergy (similar proteins). Soya is also rich in compounds called "phytoestrogens" or plant-oestrogens. These are compounds which mimic oestrogen in the body and therefore soya is not recommended for boys before 1 year old. Whether or not you want to move to formula you should go to your GP and get a referal to a pediatric allergist who will be able to test your ds and help you with managing the allergy (if he has one). Don't accept prescriptions/advice from your GP without a referal because the referal is really worth it if he has a real allergy. If you are dealing with a dairy allergy you will need to either switch to a hypoallergenic formula (available on prescription only - they all taste pretty foul) or if you continue to BF you may need to adopt a dairy-free diet (depending on the severity of the allergy). I hope this helps!

Original poster

jrsqueak · 27/01/2009 09:29

Thank you all.

The main reason for putting him on the formula was that I am getting married in 9 weeks and wanted him to be established on just the odd bottle and I was struggling to find the time to express.
Went to see doc yesterday who said it won't be the milk as babies don't get allergies so young and probably bottle teat was the cause but managed to express some milk late yesterday and used same bottles/teats and he was fine - drank the full 3 oz I had managed to express.
He has been referred to a paedetrician (hv organised this) and for now I am just going to have to express (Oh joy).

OP posts:

bubbleymummy · 27/01/2009 10:12

Ummm - please don't take offence at this but I think you should maybe get a second opinion. Babies CAN and DO get allergies at an early age and dairy is often the culprit. THe fact that he was able to take your ebm from the bottle without a reaction shows that it wasn't the bottle that caused the rash. I know expressing can feel like a bit of a hassle at the start but once you get used to it - it really is much easier. You'll find certain times of the day are easier than others e.g. morning when you're very full.

bubbleymummy · 27/01/2009 10:13

Sorry - just realised that you are going to a paed - so obviously that is a second opinion - baby brain mush today!

Bubbaluv · 27/01/2009 10:37

"there is nothing you can buy off the shelf that will be suitable, because all baby milks are made from cow's milk."

I use goats milk formula becuase I suspect DS has a dairy allergy. His reaction is much less dramatic though, so I would certainly have your baby allergy tested before proceeding with a trial and error aproach.

Bubbaluv · 27/01/2009 10:38

BTW, absolute tosh about babies not getting allergies that young.

NotQuiteCockney · 27/01/2009 10:52

Babies can get allergies that young.

That being said, they tend to react the second time they get exposed.

You said his face got red - any signs of nettle rash?

Original poster

jrsqueak · 27/01/2009 11:03

NCQ - yes it was exactly like a nettle rash - started on face and progresed down body.
bubbley - I was less than impressed with his theories so rang hv who got another gp to refer. bubbaluv - I totally agree - I have had eczema all my life so do recognise some of the symptoms.

OP posts:

Bubbaluv · 27/01/2009 11:16

NQC, Could the initial exposure have come through the breastmilk do you think?

itsnotatoy · 27/01/2009 11:17

DS2 had reactions to all the cows milk formula options - rash like you described and even if I just put it on his arm he got hives there (like your DS he also had a bit of excema too). Health visitor told me that it was because formula is an 'unnatural' product bulked up with lots of plant substances etc to get the protein levels etc right and that he was reacting to the fact it was a formula not dairy. She said she was pretty sure he would not be allergic to cows' milk and to try a little on his porridge in a few weeks once he was 6 months.

I walked away thinking she was bonkers but she was absolutely right. He's never reacted in any way to dairy. I did however still BF him til 12 months but used regular cows' milk in cooking which was a relief not to have to express milk for that as I never ever got more than 2 oz regardless of when I tried.

(Not trying to give any kind of health advice here as of course it could be first signs of a dairy allergy so you need to proceed as if it is until you get proper advice, just want to reassure you that it might not necessarily lead to lots of hassle for you or him.)

Original poster

jrsqueak · 27/01/2009 12:11

The hv has advised me to try a touch on his arm to see how he reacts
He has never reacted to my breast milk - not that has been so obvious anyway

OP posts:

CantSleepWontSleep · 27/01/2009 14:51

jrsqueak - his eczema could well be his reaction to the dairy in your bm. Would you be prepared to go milk free yourself for 2-3 weeks to see if it improves? It's not that hard once you get used to it (ds is intolerant, as was dd).

Academicmum · 27/01/2009 16:47

I second, third and fourth what the others have said - your GP is talking out of his arse. Babies can get allergies that young (that is why they make hypoallergenic infant formula such as Cow and Gate Pepti, Nutramigen and Neocate to name a few). My ds2 has a severe and confirmed dairy allergy which we realised when he was first given formula at 23 weeks and a little later with yoghurt. He was (and still is at 8 months) breastfed because of this but the consultant allergist we are seeing said that first sensitisation would have come from breastmilk. In our case our boys weight started plateuing at 16 weeks and he started refusing feeds which we now know can be typical of dairy allergic babies because milk proteins are some of the main ones to pass into BM.

Academicmum · 27/01/2009 16:56

BTW, I don't mean this to be scare-mongering or anything, but if you want proof that babies this young do get allergies (and sometimes with traic consequences), please read this newspaper story www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1419842/Cereal-killed-dairy-allergy-baby.html

It made me cry because it is probably every parent's worst fear. The docs should always take potential allergies seriously! (Sorry, but it does annoy me that they don't).

Pinkbump3 · 27/01/2009 22:56

I havent read all the posts but my dd was and is dairy intollerant and she sufferd badly because of it (still does) she used to go bright red her eczema would get really bad and weep horribly, she was constipated and threw most of it back up.if you have to use formula then i would go with soya milk we switched to soya and she was fine with it. Needless to say this baby im having will be BF hell or high water i wont make the mistake of formula again!

fuckitgoblin · 27/01/2009 22:59

consult your gp asap.

fwiw, i was advised by my gp not to use aqueous cream because studies have shown it can aggravate eczma.

Pinkbump3 · 27/01/2009 23:03

i know there is a lot of queries regarding soya but look into it, i was with a group of women whos babies where dairy intollerant or allergic (some severe reactions) and most where on soya some mothers where pumping breast milk,i never came accross any with reactions to soya, so it may be worth a thought.

Something else to think about if your baby is allergic to dairy and bf do you avoid dairy? as it can be passed to baby though bm and could be contributing to eczema. I know some mothers with this experience.

Pinkbump3 · 27/01/2009 23:06

Ps, could him going bright red and fighting the milk maybe just he didnt like it? or maybe the flow was too fast and he was struggling with it? sorry i'll shut up now x

trixymalixy · 27/01/2009 23:16

My Ds is allergic to dairy and he first started reacting to the dairy proteins in my breast milk. Your GP is clueless if he is saying that 15 weeks old is too young to have an allergy.

I would avoid soya as well. My DS developed an allergy to soya, and knowing what I know now I would never have given him any.

Get your GP to prescribe one of the hypoallergenic formulas if you want to give formula.

silenceischocolate · 27/01/2009 23:49

My dd had terrible eczema from 3 months - I was breast feeding - At about 4 months I tried her on a small amount of formula as she was such a hungry baby - after the tiniest sip, her face and mouth area turned bright red with a nettle type rash and she refused any more. The eczema worsened. GP and MW only offered standard advice - In desperation I went to see a Homeopath.....She said that my bowel flora was unbalanced (!!) and this was having a direct effect on my milk. I was given some remedies and list of food to avoid.....Within 2 weeks dd was clear from exzema. (only wished I could have found out sooner as dd had months of suffering and I thought I was doing the best thing for her by bFing) Finally got appt with dietician at hospital when dd was 1 - I was still breast feeding..... DD 2.5 tests say she is now just diary intolerant. She has fortified rice milk from 1yr and I have breast fed her....My GP looked at me blankly when I asked for the hypoallergenic formula! re creams for exzema - all GP creams worsened dd condition (used hydorcortizone once when it got really bad) but barefoot botanicals SOS cream is amazing (expensive but totally natural) and Allergenics cream and bathwash. Agree with other posts about Soya too.

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