ALLERGY BABYCARE: IF YOU HAVE SEVERE PROBLEMS
If your baby is very severely affected, or if you get no results from selective exclusion dieting by the mother, a doctor may recommend that the mother goes on to a full exclusion diet. This is rarely done during breastfeeding, because it can affect the mother’s wellbeing and strength, and should only ever be done under close medical supervision.
If nothing helps your baby, and you and your doctor are still confident that breastmilk is at the root of the problems, it is probably better nonetheless for the baby to keep breastfeeding, and to delay weaning off the breast for as long as possible. A food-sensitive baby has a higher probability of having problems on infant formula feeds (even non-cow’s milk-based) and on solids than on breastmilk.
If you have to give a supplementary bottle feed, or want to wean from breast on to a milk formula, it may be better to give a soya milk formula feed than a cow’s milk-based formula to help prevent sensitivity. Soya is not totally free of problems, but it is less allergenic than cow’s milk formula. Your doctor will be able to advise you on what best to do.
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