Should I Avoid Dairy?
QUESTION
Dear Lactation Consultant,
I am due in February. Here's what I'm wondering. My husband is allergic to dairy protein. Should I avoid it now and during breastfeeding just to be safe? Or is that being too careful? Also, I'm wondering what some of the signs are that a baby is having trouble with something you're eating?
ANSWER
If you have allergies in the family it is always good to be moderate with everything. With dairy, that means no more than a quart of milk a day from all sources (milk, cheese, yogurt, ice cream, etc.).
Some signs of reactions in babies are rash, congestion, wheezing, and colicky symptoms. But it is important to be scientific before you assume it is something in your diet. That means, experiment by eliminating the suspected food and then reintroducing it later. All babies have fussy periods, but it is unusual for babies to react to foods mothers eat.
In rare cases, a mother may need to totally eliminate a food. Dairy is the most common culprit. But as a baby grows and their digestive system matures, it may be possible to reintroduce it later.
With dairy, it can take two weeks to get our of your system. If that is the cause of the problem, I would wait a month or two before trying again. Dairy is the most common allergen that people react to. It may be because we tend to overdo on it both during pregnancy and afterward. I've always wondered how one food got to be its own food group.I hope this helps.
-- Nancy, IBCLC
Kathleen Tackett
Dr. Kendall-Tackett is a health psychologist, International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, and Research Associate Professor of Psychology specializing in women's health at the Family Research Lab, University of New Hampshire. She is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association in both the Divisions of Health Psychology and Trauma Psychology. Dr. Kendall-Tackett is a La Leche League leader, chair of the New Hampshire Breastfeeding Taskforce, and the Area Coordinator of Leaders for La Leche League of Maine and New Hampshire.
Dr. Kendall-Tackett is author of more than 140 journal articles, book chapters and other publications, and author or editor of 15 books including The Hidden Feelings of Motherhood (2005, Hale Publications), Depression in New Mothers (2005, Haworth), and Breastfeeding Made Simple, co-authored with Nancy Mohrbacher (2005, New Harbinger). She is on the editorial boards of the journals Child Abuse and Neglect, Journal of Child Sexual Abuse and the Journal of Human Lactation, and regularly reviews for 27 other journals in the fields of trauma, women's health, interpersonal violence, depression, and child development. Dr. Kendall-Tackett is the "Ask a Lactation Consultant" columnist on Pregnancy.org and serves on the Board of Directors of Attachment Parenting International.
Dr. Kendall-Tackett received a Bachelor's and Master's degree in psychology from California State University, Chico, and a Ph.D. from Brandeis University in social and developmental psychology. She has won several awards including the Outstanding Research Study Award from the American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children, and was named 2003 Distinguished Alumna, College of Behavioral and Social Sciences, California State University, Chico.
