Milk protein allergy - alimentum

Ive been posting for the last month about DS' pooping today we went to a pediatric GI doctor and it was confirmed that he has a milk protein allergy. I am so upset since I have been ebf since he was born. He suggested giving alimentum either entirely or supplementing with it. He said if I supplement I have to be really devoted o staying away from dairy and sometimes that doesn't even work. I honestly feel like I failed. I know I shouldn't feel that way but I can't help it.

Have any of you had an LO with a milk protein allergy and still successfully BF?

I am waiting for a call back fom my ped to see what his thoughts are.

I also have concerns about when it will clear up. The G I said usually by a year. What have been your experiences with it and it clearing up.

I am just so upset.

Re: Milk protein allergy - alimentum

My DD had this and it did clear up by her first birthday but I stopped bfing. There's a limit to how much I can sacrifice and still maintain my sanity.. the last time I nursed her I forgot about a scoop of ice cream I had had the night before and when I heard my DD cry the next morning I knew that formula was best for her... and the alimentum was a total life saver. There was an INSTANT change in my DD... she went from crying, constipated and miserable to the opposite in about a day.

My best friend is made of completely different stuff and also dealt with this. She did the elimination diet, bfed for a year.. and her DD still had a ton of issues, including failure to thrive.

Obviously these two examples point in the formula direction, but I'm sure there are others who were successful BFing their child with a milk allergy. You have to do what's right for you but please please please know that you are NOT a failure no matter what you decide.

Re: Milk protein allergy - alimentum

I'm on month four of dairy elimination. It is HARD and at times annoying, but I was committed to EBF so I'm doing what I have to do. I don't fault anyone for switching to formula, but it is possible to continue to BF. my plan was to EBF but I have supplemented, especially at first since I had no freezer stash and I had to work.

Most things have allergen information on them now, but make sure you learn all the milk derivatives for the label reading you may have to do.

Re: Milk protein allergy - alimentum

be careful with alimentum....

if it's a true allergy alimentum will still cause a reaction because it still contains milk

Re: Milk protein allergy - alimentum

Re: Milk protein allergy - alimentum

Re: Milk protein allergy - alimentum

My DD has a milk protein allergy and I've cut ALL dairy and soy for 6 months now. It is def doable and not as hard as it sounds once you get the hang of what you can and can't eat. DD had blood in her stool which is how the ped confirmed it. 4 weeks later her diapers were fine.

I cut out all milk and even hidden milk in products and also soy by my ped said there is like a 35% chance that soy protein will bother her too.

I googled and asked my vegan friends for food suggestions. Fm me if you have any questions.

Re: Milk protein allergy - alimentum

I wanted to add that I know 2 other moms who recently went through this so it is pretty common. 1 mom switched to formula and 1 is doing the elimination diet. Do whatever you feel is best. My ped implied I would switch to formula, and I was so upset with him...but once I proved that gong dairy free would work for us he left it alone. Don't be bullied into making a decision you are not comfortable with. I'm so not anti formula...formula is food too...I just loved bfing and was not ready to give it up.

Good luck with whatever you decide!

Re: Milk protein allergy - alimentum

I spoke to my ped and he is all for me still BF. I will have to get rid of my supply and be really strict with my diet but He thinks it's very possible. He says he likes nutramigen better then alimentum. Does anyone know if hip covers it?

If you have switched your diet can you give me an idea of you eat?

Thanks for all of the responses!!!

Re: Milk protein allergy - alimentum

I can't give a full response right now because I am holding my sleeping baby in one arm and typing on my phone with the other hand . However, I will come back on later tonight and give a more thorough response. But I just wanted to say that my son was diagnosed with milk protein allergy at 6 weeks. I had been EBF up to that point. The doctor who saw him in the hospital recommended I just switch him to Alimentum but I made it clear to him that I was committed to breastfeeding and would do whatever I needed to make sure I could continue doing so. So, at the suggestion of him and our pediatrician, we gave him Alimentum for 3 days to give the dairy a chance to leave my system. Then went back to EBF and eliminated all dairy (including hidden) from my diet. I continued to successfully EBF for 15 months. When my son turned 1, we tried giving him whole milk and he had no reaction. He'll be 2 in a few weeks and loooves milk and all dairy and has no issue with it!

Re: Milk protein allergy - alimentum

Re: Milk protein allergy - alimentum

You didn't do anything wrong.


If it was me, I would cut out dairy because EBF is very important to me. Talk to your ped and see what he thinks. You gave stool samples right? I wonder why it didn't come up then.

No experience, but you are doing everything right! You know something was up and looked into more. DOnt beat yourself up. Try cutting out dairy for now and then see what your GI and ped say. Good luck!!

Re: Milk protein allergy - alimentum

Posted by jax1

You didn't do anything wrong.


If it was me, I would cut out dairy because EBF is very important to me. Talk to your ped and see what he thinks. You gave stool samples right? I wonder why it didn't come up then.

No experience, but you are doing everything right! You know something was up and looked into more. DOnt beat yourself up. Try cutting out dairy for now and then see what your GI and ped say. Good luck!!

Re: Milk protein allergy - alimentum

Posted by MrsECullen7319

Posted by jamiemarie12

I spoke to my ped and he is all for me still BF. I will have to get rid of my supply and be really strict with my diet but He thinks it's very possible. He says he likes nutramigen better then alimentum. Does anyone know if hip covers it?

If you have switched your diet can you give me an idea of you eat?

Thanks for all of the responses!!!

I'm glad you have a supportive ped!

I eat oatmeal for breakfast or cereal (check labels)with SO Delicious Coconut milk. Once in awhile I have eggs.

For lunch I like Amy's dairy free burritos (found in the frozen food aisle) or salad, kinish, turkey sandwich, PB&j etc. Just make sure you read labels and double check bread! I was shocked at how much bread in the bread aisle contains milk. At first I was buying dairy free bread from a health food store, but I've found some brands that are ok...

For dinner I either have pasta with plain marinara sauce and turkey meat mixed in (lots of sauce has cheese). If I make chicken cutlets I use Italian style Panko breadcrumbs ( waldbaums sells them) and make them separate from the regular ones I make for DH. I also make roasted chicken or stir fry a lot ( I avoid teriyaki or soy sauce tho). I eat lots of veggies.

I've found butter substitute that is good, Earths Best. Trader joes sells stuff too. I like coconut milk, but also use almond milk. So Delicious makes a coconut milk coffee creamer that is really good and the ice cream they sell is relish but $$$. Cheerios, Raisin Bran, Coco Krispies or Coco puffs are all dairy free. I eat the chocolately cereals for a snack. Also, Oreos are ok...go figure! Ritz Crackers are also safe! Surprisingly lots of soups have milk...so always read labels.

When I eat out I usually order a grilled chicken house salad and ask for no cheese or croutons. You can google all the fast food restaurants bc they usually have allergen info on their websites.

Good luck! Hope your LO feels better soon!

Re: Milk protein allergy - alimentum

Re: Milk protein allergy - alimentum

Just to let you know -- milk protein allergies are very often misdiagnosed by doctors, especially if they diagnose it based on a fecal occult test. My DD#1 was diagnosed with one and i went on a dairy free diet for 10 months, but it turned out she never really had one. Her problem was with my BM -- I had an oversupply that was creating a foremilk/hindmilk imbalance. Do a little research on it before you stop BFing - there are ways to alleviate its impact on DC.

Re: Milk protein allergy - alimentum

You have FM!

Re: Milk protein allergy - alimentum

Thank you everyone for posting, the success stories have given me so much motivation and I know that I can do this.

We tried giving nutramigen this morning - I was going to give the formula while my body clears out the dairy but he refused it and it seems the formula is not going to work.

So I am praying cutting out my dairy will work pretty quickly for him.