Are any babies allergic to their mother’s milk?

Can babies be allergic to breast milk? 

Although some mothers worry that their babies might develop allergies to items they eat and pass onto their breast milk. Ordinarily breastfeeding newborns do not typically experience allergic reactions to human breast milk. 

Breast milk allergy treatment: Do you need to watch what you eat?

Moms often worry about what they are eating and whether it will pass on to their breastfed baby. You should be pleased to know that human breast milk typically does not cause allergic reactions in breastfeeding infants. 

Studies have shown that only two or three out of every one hundred babies who are exclusively breastfed demonstrate an allergic reaction. These reactions are most often because of the cow’s milk in their mother’s diet.

In such cases, the baby may show signs of abdominal discomfort, severe colic, or a skin rash such as eczema or hives. He may also react with severe diarrhea (often with blood in the stool), vomiting, or difficulty breathing that may last up to several hours after breastfeeding.

If you see these symptoms in your baby, please contact your pediatrician right away. Even though these allergies are rare, they can be severe or fatal. Most of the babies with milk allergies will eventually outgrow it, although food allergies to other substances may be lifelong.

A few mothers also notice minor reactions to other foods in their diet. Some babies cry, fuss, or even nurse more often after their mother has eaten spicy or “gassy” foods (such as cabbage).

These reactions differ from allergies in that they cause less-serious symptoms (no rashes or abnormal breathing) and almost always last less than twenty-four hours.

If your baby reacts negatively every time you eat a certain type of food and you find this troubling, you can just avoid that particular food temporarily.

f these symptoms continue on a daily basis and last for long periods, they may indicate colic rather than food sensitivity. Talk with your pediatrician about this possibility, if eliminating various foods has no effect on your child’s symptoms.

Can babies be allergic to breast milk?: Breast milk allergy symptoms

One of the most common signs of a cow’s milk intolerance in a breastfed newborn is bloody stools. These symptoms can make your baby fussy or unhappy.

Cow’s milk allergy (CMA), commonly referred to as cow’s milk protein allergy, is one of the most common food allergies in children. Although most children outgrow it before the age of five, it is estimated that 7% of infants under one suffer from it.

CMA frequently arises when cows’ milk is first given to your baby’s diet, whether in formula or when they start eating solid foods.

Rarely, infants who are exclusively breastfed may be affected since the mother’s diet comprises cow’s milk, which is subsequently passed on to the baby through breast milk.

A cow’s milk allergy can cause a wide range of symptoms, including the following:

• Breast milk allergy rash such as a red, itchy rash or swelling of the lips, face, or eyes.
• Digestive problems such colic, diarrhea, constipation, nausea, or vomiting
• A runny or blocked nose that are comparable to hay fever
• Eczema that doesn’t improve with treatment.

Cow’s milk proteins can produce gas in a baby’s intestines and stomach, which can be uncomfortable and lead to vomiting or diarrhea. In addition, colic symptoms, reflux, rashes, puffiness, runny nose, wheezing, and bloody feces could be brought on by a food allergy. 

If your child is in pain or displaying any of these symptoms, call the doctor right once. Due to the fact that these symptoms might potentially be caused by a variety of other problems, it is essential to have a professional diagnosis.

READ MORE: 

Exclusive breastfeeding: What it is and how it benefits you and your baby

My appetite is out of control. Do you eat more when breastfeeding?

Proper storage of breastmilk: A Breastfeeding Pinay Nanay’s Guide

Can babies be allergic to breast milk? Differences in allergy, sensitivity, and intolerance to breast milk

According to the American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology (AAAI), an intolerance occurs during digestion, but an allergy occurs when the immune system reacts to a meal. 

Allergies typically have more severe symptoms, frequently resulting in skin rashes or difficulties breathing. When we have trouble digesting food, we develop food intolerances, which frequently cause gastrointestinal problems.

To prevent symptoms of an allergy, the offending food must frequently be entirely eliminated from the diet. However, some food intolerances may allow a modest amount of the offending item to be consumed without any negative effects. The smallest amount of the meal you can consume without experiencing symptoms is known as the “threshold” amount.

Breastfeeding helps to lessen the risk of food allergies

Breastfeeding exclusively for the first six months of life has been shown to significantly lessen the risk and severity of food allergies in families with a strong history of them.

Exclusive breastfeeding or breastfeeding in combination with partially or extensively hydrolyzed infant formula also reduces the risk for eczema.

So far, there is no evidence that avoiding certain foods while breastfeeding can help prevent your child from developing allergies. The exception to that might be eczema. Some studies suggest that avoiding certain foods may reduce your baby’s risk for developing eczema.

Still, if your family has experienced severe food allergies, you might consider limiting your intake of milk and dairy products, fish, eggs, peanuts, and other nuts. Monitor your baby carefully for skin rashes, breathing problems, unusual stools, or other allergic symptoms. And be sure to tell your pediatrician about your family’s medical history.

In the first months of life, the baby‘s intestines are not fully matured and foreign substances present in formula may enter the system of the baby through the immature intestine.

Such babies are more prone to allergic diseases like allergic milk intolerance with severe vomiting and diarrhea and allergic rash, asthma or eczema.

Breast milk allergy treatment

If you must give up dairy, there are a number of alternatives to cow’s milk and milk products. Just look for the words “dairy-free” on the food labels at the store. Milk must be disclosed on food labels as it is a recognized food allergy. Remember that a variety of products, including baked goods, salad dressing, and soups, contain milk.

Almonds and soy can also cause allergies in breastfed infants, although reactions to cow’s milk are more common. In order to meet the nutritional needs of both you and your baby. You should ensure that you get an adequate amount of calcium from non-dairy sources.

If you feel like it’s an emergency situation, bring your child in for a checkup. When a child has bloody stools, it’s important to rule out other potential explanations for her symptoms. Keep an eye on the baby’s development and weight gain, and make sure the youngster isn’t losing too much blood. Additionally, your doctor could advise performing a skin prick test to see whether they have an allergy.

Find out if there is a chance you can reintroduce the food later. In most cases, by the time they turn one, food allergies in children outgrow them.

Need Help? Don’t fret!

When in doubt, please refer to a lactation consultant. Who can offer you more personalised advice according to you and your baby’s situation.

theAsianparent also has a Singapore Breastfeeding Moms Support Group that you can join for mum-to-mum advice.

Republished with permission from theAsianparent Singapore

Additional information from Margaux Dolores

Here at theAsianparent Philippines, it’s important for us to give information that is correct, significant, and timely. But this doesn’t serve as an alternative for medical advise or medical treatment. theAsianparent Philippines is not responsible to those that would choose to drink medicines based on information from our website. If you have any doubts, we recommend to consult your doctor for clearer information.