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Living with CMPA
Cows’ Milk(CM)/
Dairy Free Diet -
Practical Advice
When your child is allergic to cow’s milk - what does it mean for you and your family?
When your child has been diagnosed with a milk allergy by a Healthcare Professional, it will mean some changes to help manage the condition. All foods containing dairy products including cow’s, sheep or goat milk, cheese, yogurt, custard, should be avoided.
If you are breastfeeding then you may also need to remove most dairy from your diet but talk to your baby’s dietitian or Healthcare Professional about this first. It is also important to learn how to identify dairy ingredients on food labels to avoid that your baby receives a hidden source of milk/dairy.
If you are not breastfeeding, there are alternative options such as specialty hypoallergenic formulas to help ensure your baby’s nutritional needs are fully met. Your dietitian or pediatrician will advise you which is the best alternative option.
Why milk is still
important
Why is milk an important part of my baby’s diet?
An infant will drink less breastmilk/formula after the age of 6 months as you start to introduce solid foods. However, breast or formula milk remains an important source of nutrition in early childhood. For formula fed babies on a milk-free diet, using their prescribed special formula (Extensive HA or Alfamino) in foods and recipes can help improve intake of both energy and key nutrients like calcium.
Breastfeeding and complementary feeding.
If you are breastfeeding you should continue to do so. (Only a very small number of babies will react to traces of cows’ milk protein from mother’s diet coming through in breastmilk. If you have been advised to exclude milk from your diet whilst breastfeeding, make sure you discuss with a qualified dietitian to receive guidance on your own diet and supplementation).
Getting your baby to take a new specialty formula.
If your formula fed baby is having a cow’s milk formula with or without any breastmilk, your Healthcare Professional will recommend that you stop the usual formula your baby is taking immediately and change straight over to your new specialty hypoallergenic formula.
What about vitamins?
Consult with your baby's Pediatrician or Dietitian about what vitamins and minerals they may need in their diet.
What alternative
milks to offer?
What specialty hypoallergenic formulas can I offer my baby instead of cow's milk-based formulas?
The best milk for your baby is breastmilk, and you can continue breastfeeding even if your baby has a milk allergy. Talk to your baby’s dietitian or Healthcare Professional about this and what extra nutrients you might need.
If you have chosen not to breastfeed then there are many formula milk alternatives to choose from. We have included a short list in the table below.
| From 0-12 months | |
| Milk substitutes | Hypoallergenic extensively hydrolysed formula |
| Hypoallergenic amino acid-based formula | |
| Not suitable |
|
Plant-based and
vegan options
Why are alternative plant-based drinks (bought over the counter) not possible to use as the main drink for my baby?
Plant-based drinks can be low in some important nutrient’s, such as protein, calcium, important fats and important vitamins (B12, B2, D, and E).
Protein, vitamins and minerals are needed for your baby’s growth and development. These drinks are therefore not suitable as the main drink for your baby and should not replace breastmilk or the special hypoallergenic infant formula prescribed by your baby’s Healthcare Professional. They can be used however to mix with complementary feeding foods or when cooking, instead of cow’s milk. Ideally the unsweetened versions.
From 1 year of age your baby can have unsweetened calcium-fortified plant-based alternatives, such as soy, oat or almond drinks, as part of a healthy, balanced diet.
Tips for reading
food labels
Reading food packing labels is important to master when your child has a food allergy. Know that ingredients and manufacturing processes can change without warning, so try to read the label each time.
By law, food companies must label their products clearly if they contain milk/dairy. If a food item does not have a label, you have doubts about it, or you cannot read it, avoid giving your child that food.
When reading food labels for milk/dairy, look out for the following:
- Milk or Cow’s milk may be mentioned
- “whey (milk)” Casein (Milk) or “milk proteins” in parentheses may be mentioned
- “Contains milk” might be included
Some food companies use precautionary allergen labels, for example “may contain milk” or “made in a factory with milk.” These labels can be confusing because they do not tell you if it definitely contains milk or not.
In this case, especially if your child has had a severe reaction, it is better to avoid the food, at least until you talk to your child’s dietician or Healthcare Professional about it. They can usually tell you if it’s safe for your child or not.
