Switching from formula to milk question

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-12-2004
Switching from formula to milk question
3
Tue, 08-10-2004 - 7:10pm
My daughter is 13 mos old. She was breastfed for the first 9 months and has been on Enfamil Lipil with Iron eversince. When she turned 1 I tried to switch her to whole milk. Mixing it with formula to slowly switch her. She got a rash so bad she was bleeding and she started throwing up. So I went back to formula. I just tried to switch her again and she immediately got a rash again. I don't know what to do. Her dr says it can't be a milk allergy since she was on a milk based formula. I was thinking of trying organic milk or soy milk on my own, but don't know if that is a solution or not. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
iVillage Member
Registered: 10-12-2003
Tue, 08-10-2004 - 9:14pm
huh, i think your dr mis or under informed you. lactose (protien in milk that causes allergies) is processed much differently in formula than in just regular milk. many babies can take milk based formula but can't handle the real thing. and the more whole milk your dd drinks before her body is ready for it the more likely she is to have a lifelong allergy. i'd recomend that you try a lactose-free version (available at most grocery stores) before you get really creative, and see if she can handle that. if that goes over ok, try pediasure. it's milk based, but again, processed very differently, and many kids who can't drink whole milk can still drink pediasure.

can she eat yogurt/cheese/ect? if so, she has a good chance of being able to handle whole milk, but you'll just need to move your time table nearer two instead of one. my dd was very allergic to milk when we first intoduced it but we did that and now at 5 she can drink it fine. still doesn't like the taste, but she can drink it without an allergic reaction.

hth,

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-12-2004
Tue, 08-10-2004 - 9:40pm
Thanks for your advice. I was starting to think I was crazy, I knew that it was the milk doing it. She eats YoBaby yogurt every night, and cheese occasionally. I will try the lactose free, and i never even thought about pediasure. Thanks so much!!!
iVillage Member
Registered: 10-12-2003
Tue, 08-10-2004 - 9:59pm
don't you love the yo-baby? ds had FTT and i swear he lived on that stuff for at least 6 months, and i think i owe most of my 'chub' to the five grams of fat in each tub, lol. nope, you're not crazy...some kids are just like that. something about the enzymes in formula, cheese and yogurt break the lactose down and it's easier to digest, then everyone's all suprised when you end up with a milk allergy. but that kind of 'secondary allergy' is a lot easier to get over than a true "can't eat any dairy products whatsover,' that kind of allergy can make your life a living hell. so try the lactose free then the pediasure for a while, maybe six months, then try milk again, and with luck it'll go over fine.

good luck!