What foods can cause a baby to have a milk allergy reaction?

Wondering whether something you have eaten has caused a reaction in your baby? Could it be a milk or dairy allergy? What foods can cause a milk allergy reaction in a baby or child?

As a parent, it can feel overwhelming trying to figure out what’s causing your baby’s discomfort—especially when they can’t tell you what is wrong! If you’re wondering whether your little one might have a milk allergy, you’re not alone- it is a common concern in babies.

So what foods can cause a milk allergy reaction in babies?

Milk allergy is when the body reacts to the proteins in milk. Therefore babies with a milk allergy can react to any food containing milk, including:

🥛 Fresh cows milk and anything made with milk including dairy products (milk, cream, butter, cheese, yogurt)

🍝Sauces made with cheese, cream or milk - like white sauce, pesto, a roux or macaroni cheese

🍞 Processed foods that may contain hidden milk as an ingredient (such as bread, biscuits, crackers, soups, or sauces)

➡️What ingredients to look for on labels:

•Casein, caseinates, whey, lactose, milk solids, or milk protein

•Butterfat, ghee, cream powder, cheese powder

•UK law requires milk to be highlighted on an ingredient list, so always check the labels!

🍼 Most baby formula is made from cows milk in the UK

🤱🏽 Milk is also found in breastmilk when a mum eats dairy or drinks cows milk. The amount that enters can vary. The time taken before it clears can be as early as a few hours after consumption for some women, but it can stick around longer in others

🐐 Goats milk is similar to cows milk and can cause reactions in some babies that have a milk allergy but not all. Talk to me to see if this is appropriate for your baby

🫛 Soy and cows milk proteins are quite similar and some babies can have an allergy to both soya products and cows milk. I can help you work out if you need to avoid both

My baby has a milk allergy: does my baby have to avoid all milk in food?

Babies can have varying levels of tolerance to cows milk. Your baby will have its own tolerance level. This is something a skilled professional like me can help you navigate. Some babies can eat milk traces or baked milk and not have a reaction whereas others may react. If your baby has any of the red flag symptoms then it’s not safe to figure this out at home unsupervised

Once your baby is successfully on solids and enough time has passed, and if it’s safe to do so, you’ll start doing a milk challenge!

My baby has a milk allergy and I’m breastfeeding: can I eat dairy?

This is something a skilled professional can help you answer. Not all breastfeeding mums have to stop dairy if they are breastfeeding. It depends on the individual sensitivity of the baby who has the milk allergy. Babies can have varying levels of tolerance to cows milk and your baby will have its own tolerance level.

Some babies react to cows milk in formula but do not react to cows milk traces in a mums breast milk, or may only react if a mum has large amounts of higher allergenic forms of cows milk - like drinking a whole cup of fresh cows milk.

Determining a babies tolerance level should always be guided by a professional like me and if your baby has any of the red flag symptoms then it’s not safe to figure this out at home

🥑Remember, you must be referred to a paediatric dietitian with an interest in allergies in babies if your baby has a milk allergy, or if they have any other food allergy and you are breastfeeding

With my support you can:

⚡️Identify trigger foods if you are breastfeeding

⚡️Confidently follow an allergen free diet

⚡️Optimise key nutrients in your diet

⚡️Heal your baby’s guys post milk allergy

⚡️Feel confident with weaning your baby with a milk allergy safely

⚡️Reduce the risk of other food allergies developing in your baby

#milkfussy