Does dairy intolerance = bonkers sleep?!

[alex344]

When my little boy was 2/3weeks he was very colicky, reflux and then bloodin nappies. He was breastfed and Doctor suggested I give up dairy and things improved. But I was never fully sure if it really was dairy or his system just matured.

I stayed off dairy until he was 5months then tried reintroducing to my diet, no blood or excessive crying so thought all was ok.

However sleep is not ok. He started getting worse, he's gone from 1 wake for a feed per night to 4-5wakes for no apparent reason.

He's now 6.5 months and weening. He's had wheatabix with a little cows milk, a breakfast with whey powder in and I'm fully on dairy and his first ever bottle of formula yesterday. And sleep is INSANE! Tonight he has woken 12 times between 8 and 12:30! I am awake practically all night every 20mins to hour max and it's been like this for about 4 weeks.

The last 4 weeks it's also seemed like he has a bunged up nose and difficultly breathing at night, but does not seem unwell, no temp or other symptoms. Could this be dairy issues too?

Anyone know about dairy, blocked airways and bonkers sleep having a link?

He has no rash or skin problems.

Doctor said ask the hv about weening issues and then hv said best to ask doctor about trying non dairy formula!! Confused.

Help gratefully received xx

Yes try going dairy free for a month and see if it helps. It made the world of difference to my friend's son's sleep.

DS only began to sleep through the night aged 5 years when consultant put him on dairy free diet.

My dd is 6 months and has cow's milk protein allergy. Did you do the milk ladder? It sounds like your son can tolerate some milk through you but maybe just have only a little. I agree ask for a prescription for milk free formula - tastes rank though so if he refuses it you could add a tiny bit of vanilla essence. We're very early on in our weaning journey but windy or bing you up foods my dd will not tolerate at all and we've had awful nights after them.

If there was blood in his nappy that definitely sounds like an allergy ime. We have tried the milk ladder and when dairy is introduced my boy goes back to waking more at night (it seems to be the only symptom) so I'd definitely cut it out again and see how you go

Frequent wakings can be a sign of an allergy, in my dd's case it was because the milk was making her tummy very uncomfortable. She was awake every 20 minutes, within a few days of being on prescription formula she settled down a lot.

DD didn't suffer with blocked nose etc but I understand it can be a sign of an allergy too.

Definitely in my experience. That was the main indication when trying to reintroduce dairy was that his sleep would become much worse but them better within days of stopping again. Congestion was always a problem too, totally blocked nose over night.

6.5 is a major developmental leap. My DD has two weeks of the first sleep ever at this point.