Lactose Intolerance In BabiesWhat is Lactose intolerance in babies? Lactose is the sugar in milk. When a person stops producing the enzyme LACTASE that brakes down lactose, lactose intolerance occurs because of the inability to digest it. This is a very rare occurrence and is usually not the case, usually baby only has
colic
or
food allergy,
which is an immune response not a digestive condition like lactose intolerance. True lactose intolerance usually only becomes apparent at about age 10, it's very uncommon for a baby unless he is
premature
, but this also passes after time. What are the symptoms of lactose intolerance in babies… - Frothy runny stools
- Gassiness in baby- Bloody stools - Baby is fussy, crying and irritable most of the time - Baby struggles to put on weight - Baby shows obvious signs of dehydration - Excessive vomiting - Diaper rash - Milk rash (sores on the face) Diagnosing lactose intolerance in the breastfed baby Hydrogen breath tests are for reducing sugar in the stools and can be taken but are not always very accurate as most healthy babies might bring up the same results before three months of age.
What is secondary infant lactose intolerance? This is when the gut lining has been damaged…caused through gastroenteritis, surgery, food allergy from food products, parasitic infections, celiac disease (intolerance to gluten) Secondary lactose intolerance is temporary and only lasts until the gut lining has healed. Mom should continue to breastfeed as the breast milk will assist in the healing of the gut. Babies are usually only given a lactose free hypoallergenic formula if malnourished and losing weight. If mom does end up giving baby formula she can always use alternative feeding methods and pump exclusively until baby’s gut lining has healed. This will ensure that mom’s breast milk supply doesn’t dry up. Read more on temporary weaning What if mom has lactose intolerance? You can continue to breastfeed. Mom might need to take some calcium supplementation.
What is lactose overload?
This is when baby is consuming unnecessary large amounts of breast milk, usually caused through an
oversupply of breast milk.
The result is a fat, fussy, gassy baby that has explosive bowl movements and excretes excessive amounts of urine.This occurs because baby is drinking too much of the foremilk, which is less sustaining than the fatty hind milk at the back of the breast. The result is gas, acidic poos and even nappy rash. Drinking then calms baby down and moves the acid further down giving him comfort, but actually making the situation even worse. The solution? Get baby to finish one breast before offering the other one, if he doesn’t get to the other breast you can always just pump for relief and make sure baby drinks from the opposite breast the next time. Also, mom should try timing baby so that she doesn’t feed him unnecessarily. It could be helpful to feed baby on each alternative breast every two hours. Read more on dealing with oversupply and block feeding here Read more on foremilk and hindmilk imbalance Things you can try that might help a lactose intolerant baby - A breastfeeding mom should stop consuming milk products for two weeks to see if the problems subside. Lactose intolerance foods to exclude include whey, casein, cream and butter. Watch out for hidden ingredients in fast foods, fried foods, cereals, bread and candy. Alternatives that you can consume include: soy or rice milk.- Baby might be intolerant to other ingredients as well as dairy, try leaving out wheat, soy, eggs and nuts too. - Moms that formula feed can use a lactose intolerance formula What causes lactose intolerance in baby? - Genetic factors - Diarrhea can cause temporary lactose intolerance - Some medications can also cause temporary lactose intolerance Food allergies
- Rashes, hives - Eczema - Dry skin - Asthma - Itchy eyes - Ear infections - Green stools mixed with mucus and or blood - Constipation or diarrhea If baby has a food allergy it won’t help removing lactose from the diet, you will need to eliminate the specific culprit food. These food allergies (allergic to milk protein not the lactose) are much more common than lactose intolerance. Read more on breastfeeding and food allergies So what can be done if baby has a cow milk allergy problem? A breastfeeding mom will need to cut out all forms of dairy and get her calcium from another source. Bottle fed babies need to be given formula that contains no cow milk proteins. This problem usually disappears by age two.
Other pages on “breastfeeding problems” in connection with lactose intolerance in babies - Acid reflux in the breastfed baby - Breastfeeding diet guidelines - Understanding why babies cry Leave a commentWant to share your stories? Ask a question or just say hello... What Other Moms Have SaidClick below to see contributions from other visitors to this page...
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