Question: I was told that my baby was fussy and spitting up so much because he was allergic to my milk. This doesn’t really make sense to me–can you explain it better?
I hate to be the one to tell you this, but being allergic to breastmilk is not really possible. Babies simply are not allergic to their own mother’s milk. Healthy babies are designed to eat and what they eat is mother’s milk. Plain and simple. Anyone who tells you to switch to formula because your baby is allergic to your milk is not someone that you should be taking breastfeeding advice from.
Not allergic to your milk but something in it. . .
What can happen, is that baby is allergic or sensitive to something in your diet. Most often, the culprit is cow’s milk protein. Occasionally nuts can also cause a reaction. There are a few other things that might cause a reaction as well but in general, this is not that common. Breastmilk has been shown to protect against allergies, not cause them. If you suspect that your baby is sensitive to cow’s milk protein (which by the way, he may well out grow as his gut becomes more mature) then eliminate all dairy from your diet for a few days and see how it goes. If you notice marked improvement in the symptoms you’ve found your culprit.
However, I need to point out that in more recent years, studies have suggested that babies are not nearly as sensitive to things in our breastmilk as we might believe. Babies are fussy and frankly, some are more fussy than others. Babies also spit up, and some spit up more than others. Projectile vomiting after eating is always a cause for concern, as is lack of weight gain.
Reflux
Reflux is another ‘cause’ of a fussy baby that many parents miss for awhile. The tell tale sign of reflux, besides the spitting up, is that the baby screams when he’s laid down flat. This is not the only sign; but several symptoms combined may indicate reflux. Your pediatrician should be able to tell you if what you’re experiencing with your baby is reflux or normal.
But rest assured, your baby is definitely not allergic to breastmilk.
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