On Sun, 6 Sep 1998 08:43:01 -0400 Miranda <[log in to unmask]>
writes:

>        In hindsight, I realize now that the baby's diarrhea started
about the
>same time I started back on dairy products.  His diarrhea continued for
>weeks.  I asked the pediatrician if it could be a milk allergy or
lactose
>intolerance, but he said diarrhea was not a symptom of either.

Diarrhea IS a sign of food allergy and one that we are very familiar
with. So is the horrible diaper rash that goes with it.   A baby with
lactose interance would not have been able to handle breastmilk in the
first place since it is higher in lactose than cow's milk.  Lactose
intolerance in babies is pretty rare, but dairy allergies are less so.

>I changed pediatricians.  The new doctor put me on a breastfeeding diet
>which eliminated all known irritants, including dairy products.  I
didn't
>see any immediate improvement, and I couldn't take it any more, so I
just
>quit breastfeeding and put him on soy formula.

It can take up to two weeks to clear you system and you have to make sure
that you have removed all traces of dairy.  I was "avoiding" dairy while
breastfeeding my daughter in the beginning, but that wasn't enough.  I
wasn't checking every label.  If I even had a trace amount, she broke out
with eczema.  We subsequently found other foods she was allergic too
also, but dairy was a major problem from the start.

>My problem is easily manageable, but my concern is the baby.   I want to
>breastfeed, but I am afraid to chance it.  I don't want to put another
>child through that kind of suffering.

If you find the problem manageable for yourself, continue with the dairy
free diet while breastfeeding.  Just make sure you get all the hidden
ingredients.  Breastfeeding is the best for minimizing allergies although
not foolproof.  I nursed for 13 months and we found the dairy problem
starting at about 1 month.
When I put dairy back into my diet after I weaned, I became severely
intolerant of it.  I still haven't completely figured out if it's an
allergy or lactose intolerance, but I more suspect allergy.  I know
allergies can change and be triggered by the changes in hormones during
pregnancy - my inhaled ones were much worse.

It will be interesting to see if I have another dairy allergic child
since there will be no exposure in utero or during nursing.  I certainly
consumed more than my usual amount while pregnant the first time.

Kathy P.

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