Cow's milk allergy
Many new parents worry about feeding problems. However, symptoms such as crying, reflux, wind and being unsettled are very common in babies and do not always mean there is a problem.
Your health visitor can assess your baby's feeding and offer advice and support.
Normal behaviours
Babies are still learning how to feed and digest milk.
It is normal for babies to:
- cry
- bring up some milk after feeds
- have wind
- strain when doing a poo
- be unsettled at times
These behaviours are common and usually improve as your baby grows.
Recognising the signs of a cow's milk allergy
A small number of babies are allergic to the protein found in cow's milk.
Most infant formulas are made from cow's milk.
Babies with a cow's milk allergy may become very unsettled after feeds.
However, cow's milk allergies are uncommon and even less common in babies who are only breastfed.
The signs of cow's milk allergy can look very similar to normal baby behaviour.
The difference is that the symptoms often continue for longer and do not improve with the usual treatments.
You may notice symptoms affecting more than one part of your baby's body, such as:
- feeding or tummy problems
- eczema or skin rashes
- some wheezing
If you have tried the usual things to help your baby and nothing seems to work, speak to your health visitor for a feeding assessment.
The best way to find out if your baby has a cow's milk allergy is to remove cow's milk from their diet for two to four weeks and then reintroduce it to see if the symptoms return.
If your baby is breastfed
If you breastfeed your baby, you will need to avoid milk and dairy products in your own diet for two to four weeks.
You should also take a calcium supplement during this time.
Speak to your health visitor, GP or dietitian for advice.
If your baby has formula milk, including babies who are both breastfed and formula fed, your GP may prescribe a special formula.
This contains cow's milk protein that has been broken down, making it less likely to cause a reaction.
Many babies do not have a cow's milk allergy and may simply have grown out of a phase of being unsettled.
For more information, see:
Getting cow's milk back into your child's diet
Most children grow out of cow's milk allergy.
Between nine and 12 months of age, your health visitor or dietitian may advise you to start the ‘milk ladder’.
The milk ladder is a step-by-step way of safely introducing foods containing cow's milk back into your child's diet.
Breastmilk or formula should be the main drink for your baby until they are 12 months of age.
After 12 months of age, most children no longer need infant formula.
They can usually have either:
- whole cow's milk (if they have successfully completed the milk ladder)
- a suitable fortified plant-based milk as part of a healthy, varied diet
For more information, see: