Cows milk intolerance - help me!

[Mummyspider27]

Hi!

My 7m old has cows milk for the first time this week on wheatbix and got instant rash on his face. Dr has told me not to try him again as subsequent reactions can be worse? I am breastfeeding and she has told me to cut dairy to see if it has any effect on him (always suffered with dry/scabby/rashy skin and scratches his head a lot, he is sicky and grunty but such a happy baby so never tried before (feel awful now)).

Can he have oat milk on wheatbix/porridge instead? I will continue to breastfeed but see so much conflicting online about alternatives. Would like a substitute for yoghurt but not full of sugar, thinking of buying plain and adding fruit puree but what substitute? Dr and Health Visitor said no soya but online is conflicting!

Help!! X

Think there's a coconut based yoghurt
Fortified oat milk is probably ok on cereal. Think those that react to cows milk can often react to soya too

My little guy also has a cmpa.
Our dietician told me that oat and soya milk are closest to blue top milk in nutritional value. A large number ( cant remeber exact % but I remeber reading somewhere that it's about half) also react to soya. My guy happens to react. I would advise testing before doing elimination of soya. It's in s surprising amount of things including the majority of breads.
We use violife for cheese as it's the best of a bad lot. For yogurti use oatly Greek or koko plain.

I was told to avoid soya until a year? So oat milk/yogs are fine for babies under 1? X

My dairy intolerant daughter is also intolerant to soya and apparently that's quite common, which is why you'll have been advised to avoid it. The proteins are similar in structure.

We use Oatly whole oat milk for cereal, porridge and as a drink (its the best alternative to cows milk) and coconut yoghurt (Coconut Collaborative do a plain one and various other desserts she enjoys).

There are loads of vegan alternatives these days too, which we relied on when weaning. You have get used to looking at ingredients on everything but your child can have a really varied diet and avoid dairy and soya.

And google the Milk Ladder - it helps with introducing dairy into their diet safely. We're up to pizza and my daughter has just turned two.

Good luck! It gets easier.

Just saw your last update OP. Soya isn't recommended for children under 1 because of the plant estrogen, which can impact their hormones.

And oat milk can sometimes cause constipation in children under 1 too, but we introduced it under the guidance of a consultant and my daughter was fine.

Dairy intolerance can also mean soya intolerance too.

Oat milk can replace cows milk in/on anything
Coconut collective yogurt?

Things to watch out for if you're trying to cut out dairy completely, sausages, gravy/stock pots (of chicken ones will have it in) some bread, basically anything processed can have milk in.

Ds had awful cradle cap and eczema at 4 months as well as reflux. It all disappeared within 48 hours of being dairy free.

If no soya or oat milk what are the other options for porridge etc? I don’t want the faff of expressing really and don’t want a formula.

Thanks everyone already I feel like I have more knowledge.

I feel the Dr and HV just gave basic info... don’t try again until he is 2. Should he be referred for proper testing/help or do we just crack on?! X

@Boringnamechanging did you breastfeed? I have just finished my first day dairy free! X

My son has several allergies (including milk) but our allergist actively encouraged us to feed him soya and he eats it daily since 6 months old.
It's not advisable to use soya formula for those under 6 months but otherwise it is fine to give as far as I know.
We use Oatly Barista which has good fat levels for infants and tastes good.

I gave my ds goats milk and that seemed to work.
Then as he got older I'd re-introduce cows milk. Occasionally he'd have a relapse so back to goats milk we'd go but now hasn't needed it for over a year.

I stopped dairy while breastfeeding, my lo was 4-5 months at the time and suffered from bad eczema not getting better with treatment. I have stopped dairy, egg and soya as I was desperate to help him asap. It takes 3 weeks for dairy to leave your system and another 3 to leave your lo's system, some people see improvement after few days, some people after up to 6 weeks if these allergens were the issue.

I have used coconut or almond milk for porridge, coconut yogurts mainly, Roberts does good bread without soya.

I used the oatly barista for my youngest as that was the one I found nicest to have in coffee. You should be getting an appointment with a dietician so they can help you with all of this (although I suspect the waiting list is massive at the moment).

If you're on Facebook there's a good group called breastfeeding CMPA advice and support.

@Mummyspider27

I was told to avoid soya until a year? So oat milk/yogs are fine for babies under 1? X

Yep oat milk and yogs are fine in the same way these dairy products would be. Its advised not to use the milk alternatives as a main drink untill there 1.

Theres a cmpa weaning group and breastfeeding group on Facebook both of which I found great when my lo was first diagnosed.

We’re in Wales and they don’t offer testing unless the allergy is severe. My DS is 3 and has never been tested. We were referred to a dietician who we saw once, she was happy DS had a balanced diet so didn't need to see him again. Advised to try the milk ladder after age 2. Pretty much everything from Oatly is good. They do an ‘Oatgurt’, their custard and creme fraiche is nice too, also the cream. Once you get the hang of it, it’s pretty easy. Lots of things that you think will have milk in, don’t. Like Bourbon biscuits. Stay away from the free from aisle, its overpriced and mostly unnecessary!

No I didn't breastfeed but pumped for 3 months but I could never keep up with him. He fed for comfort from the reflux and had really bad poo so was constantly feeding. Took until he was 4 months to get someone to take me seriously that there was something wrong it wasn't new mum being over precious. By that time we'd switched to formula.

There's not much point in getting him allergy tested if he's non-ige, it's just a case of eliminating dairy from both of your diets and seeing how you get on.

You should definitely have been referred to a Paediatric Dietician though under the Nice Guidelines.

If expressing or formula is a faff for his porridge, have you though of some different breakfasts?

Things like Banana-cado, smooth nut butter on white toast, banana pancakes or a cinnamon and raisin bagel with Vitalite might be easier?

All good suggestions, thank you.

Oat milk going well with porridge and wheatbix but always keen for need ideas xx