Milk/Soy Protein Intolerance - MSPI - READ HERE!!!

[matt&chris mom]

I would avoid the formula. He's old enough to not need it. My son is almost 13 months old and his doctor said to give him rice milk at his one year checkup. She said to give the same quantities as cow's milk so about 16 ozs.

I'm so glad you were able to see an allergist. I cancelled the skin tests when I noticed an improvement with my DS although he still can't have all milk based products. Our doctor recommended we not introduce eggs and nuts too until the dairy intolerance was completely gone. 


Minerva

[melon75]

I've found these postings really interesting, although I don't think I've got it too bad after all I've read!!!

My 8 monther used to be very spilly and quite distressed at times after/during feeds.  Feeds would take SO long, and then he'd often seem to loose heaps of that liquid gold.  At about 4 months of age a friend suggested cutting out all dairy, and just like that, he's fine!!!

Another friend (who caught me drinking milk by the litre when I was pregnant) said it was probably that which caused the allergy.  I had maybe 3 glasses of milk a day when preggers.

Baby is still BF, and oh how I miss my cheese, and icecream, and yoghurt, and ...

The big question is: will he grow out of it?

[Kayna]

Most babies grow out of MSPI by the time they are two. Some even earlier. :wink:

[GraceKellysmom]

Max outgrew his by 12 months. Grace was 18 months. I am finding that I am sensitive to soy, don't know if I always was, but I still can't eat it without getting ill. I'd like to be allergy tested myself.

[Mom to M&M]

How have your MSPI babies done with starting solids?

Marisa in on Neocate and has been for a few months now. HUGE difference. She can tolerate rice cereal (used to have to thicken her bottles) but it constipates her. Doctor had us try some fruits/veggies but all gave her some sort of reaction - pears and prunes and squash gave her gas/cramping and extreme fussiness (like pre-Neocate days) as wel as congestion. Apples gave her rash and increased vomiting. She can tolerate pear juice though. No increased night wakings - but she's always been a good sleeping, even at the height of her reflux issues.

Now we are waiting until 6 months before trying anything again. And then will likely go VERY slowly. I'm also happy to make my own foods when we start trying again.

I know that MSPI babies have more sensitive stomachs/digestive systems and am not in a rush - but just wondering when we can realistically hope that her body will be ready and what foods some of you have had luck with. Maybe if we can stop all the constipation a bit of mashed up banana thinned with formula would be good?

Any input would be appreciated. TIA.

[Kayna]

Now we are waiting until 6 months before trying anything again. And then will likely go VERY slowly.

I thinking waiting is a good idea when it comes to allergy babies. We haven't had any problems but we waited until she was 6 months old to start solids.

I know that MSPI babies have more sensitive stomachs/digestive systems and am not in a rush - but just wondering when we can realistically hope that her body will be ready.

Every baby is different. I can tell dd's tummy is already getting a little better (not quite so sensitive) but other babies can be over a year old before they show improvement. I think you have the right idea by taking it slow. You may want to keep a food diary if you're noticing a lot of different symptoms.  :wink: Good luck.

[Mom to M&M]

Thanks Kayna. Would love to hear from others about their experiences as well!

[1sttime]

Hi everyone, I have just started to suspect a milk allergy in my lo and was so grateful to find this discussion. I was wondering if watery stools with no solids can be connected to this or if that is something different. He only has that rarely and blood only a few times. More often is green frothy stools. He has a lot of spitting up and congestion. His stomach doesn't seem to bother him and he's gaining weight fine.  Does this sound like a milk allergy? I've cut out milk and soy for 3 days and his spitting up is practically gone. Is it too soon for that to be from no milk? He's also started spacing out feeds to 3 1/2 hrs so I wasn't sure if that is what has helped the spitting up. There has been no improvement in stools and the congestion is actually worse, but I'm not sure if that is just a cold. Ok, I know I've gone on and on.  This is all just new to me and I'm afraid I'm going to do all this diet stuff and still not be able to tell if that is the problem. What do you think?

[GraceKellysmom]

I would continue the diet for a little while longer, and see if he continues to improve. Then you can slowly add back, one thing at a time. Maybe it was just milk, or just soy, and not both?

Watch his congestion. If you are in the US, it is RSV season. Newborns are pretty congested, but RSV and having a hard time breathing are scary.


As for the pp with questions with solids, Max did fine with solids. He has always had funny food preferences though, that I wondered may be due to his tummy. He loved fruits and veggies but has never liked meats. Rice cereal was bad for him but oatmeal was ok.

[olleezmom]

Ethan was not diagnosed with his milk allergy until 6 months.  We went weeks thinking it was just teething causing the loose stools!  I saw blood occassionally, but when we went to the peds, the tested and found "occult" blood...whatever that is.
From someone that has outgrown the allergy...how will we know when he outgrows this thing?  Do we just start trying things at about a year of age? 
I think my pediatrician rushed us by having me try cheese and yogurt after only a few weeks off dairy entirely.  And Coffee-Mate "non-dairy" creamer is the worst. Causes a terrible red bottom and belly rash!
Just thought I would get that off my chest...non-dairy *#@?!
Ethan is on rice cereal, fruits and veges, and is having NO problems, knock on wood!  His poops are now much smellier though, not horrible, but stinky...I'm guessing because of the solids?
It is so good to have other moms to talk to that have experienced this.  Thanks to all that have posted!

[GraceKellysmom]

I waited until a year to start my kids on dairy solids. Yogurt is the one to try first. DD didn't tolerate it until 18 months, DS tolerated it at 12 months. I waited until I thought their stools were fine and had them tested to make sure. I really think the longer they go without exposure to the milk proteins, the faster they heal. With dd, I didn't do the elimination until 8 weeks or so old, with ds it was from birth for dairy.

I read something the other day that said that doctors now suspect that some cases of juvenile diabetes are linked with cows milk protein exposure in infancy. I can't wait to see more studies on this.

[1sttime]

Hi everyone, I have been doing no milk or soy products for 6 days now and his stools are all finally normal Yeah!  :DStill spitting up , though slightly less. I hoped that would go away too. Congestion is only slightly better too. I'm going to stay strict for 10 days then I'm going to try to reintroduce soy. How long does it take for something I eat to show up in him? If soy goes ok what should I try to reintroduce next? Are they ever just allergic to straight milk, but can do cheese and cooked products? Thanks for all the great info!

[aquanis]

Hi there,

thank goodness for this thread! I have been avoiding all soy and dairy for the last 4 weeks as my now 11 week old daughter had been producing bloody stools and had been losing weight. Her poo is now fine and she appears to be gaining weight again and everyone (early childhood nurse and gp) is telling me to start reintroducing soy and dairy to my diet. I am understandably wary of this and have some questions for those of you who have been there:
 
- when do you think would be the optimal time to start reintroducing those foods to my diet (she is fully breast fed)?
- what foods should I try first and in what quantity?
- should I try them at any particular time of day?
- any other advice?

many thanks in advance
Sara and Zoe

[GraceKellysmom]

No, go with your mommy instinct on this one, it is right! You should continue to avoid those foods. If you are unsure if it is milk, soy, or both, I'd understand considering trying one or the other to see if the reaction happens again. Unless you are sure it is both.

It is recommended that we wait until 12 months to do a reintroduction. No milk or soy for her either. That is no yogurt, cheese, and some moms don't even do cows beef because the protein mimics the milk protein so closely. At 12 months, I would try yogurt for YOU while still nursing. Wait a week for a reaction. Then you can try more milk products slowly. Add soy if the milk goes ok. If she is ok with both through you, then she can try yogurt herself and then on the same schedule posted for you.

The longer she is breastfed, the better her chances of not living with a lifelong allergy or intolerance. I think I posted this earlier, but my dd outgrew it at 18 months, my ds at 12 months. Some children take longer than that. But it was so worth their health to be milk/soy free as long as I was, and to continue nursing 12 mos/16 mos respectively.

Best of luck! And post with any questions.

[aquanis]

Thanks very much Stacy, it's nice to hear I'm doing the right thing. I can't really fathom at this stage trying to reintroduce dairy/soy and potentially giving poor Zoe a sore tummy, just because I'm missing my cheese and chocolate!...I'll ignore the bullying from the professionals!

thanks again