The Crib: A Blog for New Parents
Is My Baby Allergic To My Breastmilk?
A. The only way to find out if your baby is sensitive to your milk because of something you have eaten is to eliminate the food you suspect is causing the problem from your diet. Unfortunately for you and for baby, only trial and error will tell you which food you have consumed does not disagree with baby.
Some doctors are still convinced that it is unlikely that babies can really be sensitive to their mother’s milk. However, breastfeeding mothers who know otherwise have inspired research into the matter and several studies into how to test for food allergies in infants have been done in the past few years. So far, the most commonly noted food allergy found in breastfed infants, is an adverse reaction to cow’s milk proteins. However, if there is a genetic disposition within the family of allergies to other foods then it is possible for the baby to be allergic as well.
- Fussiness
- Gassiness
- Unusual stools (constipation and/or diarrhea, or green stools with mucus or blood.)
- Rash
- Hives
- Eczema
- Sore bottom
- Dry skin
- Wheezing or asthma
- Congestion or cold-like symptoms
- Red, itchy eyes
- Ear infections
- Irritability
- Colic
- Vomiting
If your baby shows any of these symptoms after feeding then it is likely that he or she is having an allergic reaction to something in your breast milk. In such an instance, you should consult with your pediatrician who can then refer you to a pediatric allergist, or a breastfeeding-medicine specialist.
