Cutting dairy while breastfeeding is becoming more popular for mamas who don’t otherwise live a dairy-free or vegan lifestyle. It may be advised by a pediatrician or allergist to address a potential or confirmed allergy. Other times, cutting dairy while breastfeeding is a well-intended solution offered by another mama to help alleviate a baby’s belly discomfort. In either case, cutting dairy while breastfeeding can have unintended or surprising side effects.
For all the reasons I’ll list below, a dairy elimination trial is best done with the help of a nutritionist, allergist, and pediatrician. This article is for informational purposes only and not meant to serve as medical advice.
I chose to focus this article primarily on the potential, unintentional effects of eliminating dairy from a breastfeeding mama’s diet so you can better prepare for what may come. It is based on my personal experience breastfeeding my two children and also extensive research I’ve conducted. It’s worth noting that some studies in the cohorts mentioned below were conducted with formula-fed babies as a way to better control the study and assess results. Therefore, some of this information is not just limited to a breastfed infant, but also would apply to a baby supplemented with formula.
1. Prolonging exposure can lead to permanent allergies.
I see similar posts time and again in mom support groups: My baby is a few weeks old. They’re super fussy and really gassy. Should I try cutting dairy to see if it helps?
Every time, I wish I could reach through the phone and give a huge hug. I have been there. Twice. Once when our daughter developed horrible eczema due to cow’s milk protein allergy (CMPA). The next time when our son developed acid reflux. He cried non-stop any time he was awake.
Related Post: What You Must Know about Dairy Elimination While Breastfeeding
The most important takeaway our pediatric allergist stressed during our first appointment is this: unnecessary food elimination can do more harm than good. Evidence suggests prolonging a baby’s exposure to dairy and/or stopping their exposure without a qualified concern can lead to a permanent allergy.
There are many qualifiers that would suggest a baby is experiencing a dairy allergy and that cutting dairy if you are breastfeeding would help. You can read more in this post.
Babies without allergy symptoms are likely experiencing typical GI growth and microbiome development.
Your little one’s body needs to work hard to develop healthy gut bacteria and get used to the proteins. You can read more about infant gut growth and development here. For these babies, dairy elimination may alleviate GI discomfort temporarily. But prolonging or stopping their exposure to dairy can have long-term consequences.
Lactose intolerance and CMPA are not the same. You can read more about the difference here. Whereas CMPA is an immune response that is potentially life-threatening, lactose intolerance does not involve the immune system at all. Instead, it is related to a missing enzyme that impacts digestion and causes discomfort, but is not life-threatening.
Babies who do not have CMPA symptoms and who aren’t otherwise exposed to milk protein during their crucial GI development phase are at an increased risk of developing a permanent milk allergy. In one review of studies about IgE-mediated cow’s milk allergy prevention, the author notes that eliminating cow’s milk for a period of time increases the allergy risk. She suggests that ongoing ingestion of cow’s milk, once introduced, may play a role in cow’s milk allergy prevention.
Consulting your pediatrician and allergist about your baby’s symptoms can help determine whether eliminating dairy is the best option for your baby. You can learn more about how to have the most productive conversation here.
2. Cutting dairy while breastfeeding: milk supply and weight loss
Once you’ve started eliminating dairy from your diet, you may experience a breast milk supply dip or sudden weight loss. These unintended consequences of dairy elimination can result from inadequate diet substitutions or added stress that comes with adopting this new lifestyle.
Because CMPA is an immune response that is potentially life-threatening, there are no cheat days or “a little bit” of dairy. To see a noticeable difference you’ll have to eliminate all dairy for up to six weeks. Your doctor will suggest a timeframe best for your baby’s symptoms.
Cutting dairy includes coffee creamer, butter, cheese, yogurt, casein, whey, and more milk protein derivatives. It’s very important to read all labels because milk ingredients can hide in the most unsuspected foods.
Other dairy-free trial considerations
Our dairy elimination trial started just as my maternity leave was ending. The breast milk freezer stash I worked so hard to build for daycare became unusable.
Additionally, cutting dairy meant forgoing many prepared and packaged foods. We couldn’t eat out at restaurants or order take-out because we couldn’t trust whether the food was contaminated with dairy.
Instead, we were meal-prepping and planning and home-cooking every single meal. This was an entire lifestyle change. I even had to be mindful of what alcohol I consumed because many brands use dairy in their fermentation process. (This website was a lifesaver.)
So not only did I need to feed myself extra calories to make up for cutting cheese, yogurt, and other dairy, but I also tried to build a new emergency breastmilk stash. I was tied to my baby, my pump and to the house again.
If you’re embarking on a dairy-free diet while breastfeeding, enlist a nutritionist to help maintain a balanced diet. They can offer recipes, snack ideas, nursing-friendly supplements, and simple swaps to help you make up for the nutrients and calories you lose when cutting dairy products.
Related Post: What You Must Know about Dairy Elimination While Breastfeeding
3. Vitamin D deficiencies and the impact postpartum.
Calcium and Vitamin D deficits commonly are known for causing osteoporosis, or more annoying symptoms such as fragile nails or sensitive teeth. But recent studies have examined more immediate effects, such as whether nutritional deficits in new moms, specifically Vitamin D, contribute to postpartum depression and anxiety. The author suggests more research to conclusively link the two and determine a path forward, but strong evidence suggests Vitamin D deficiency plays some sort of role. Additionally, studies determined that Vitamin D deficiency, both in utero and immediately after birth, is linked to an increased risk of infants developing allergies.
What can we learn from these studies and how does it relate to your dairy-free breastfeeding journey? Vitamin D is an important nutrient for both mama and baby both during pregnancy and postpartum. Since dairy is a robust source of calcium and Vitamin D, eliminating dairy without a substitution plan can lead to Vitamin D deficiency, or exacerbate an existing deficiency. This is another reason why enlisting the support of a nutritionist is a great idea if you’re cutting dairy from your breastfeeding diet.
Also take note of mood changes or other symptoms of vitamin D deficiency, including muscle weakness or cramps and fatigue. (Though fatigue might be an immediate check box when you have a newborn!) If you start to exhibit these symptoms, mention it to your doctor about a Vitamin D blood test.
Let’s recap the most important stuff about cutting dairy while breastfeeding.
Your baby’s growing digestive tract is working hard to develop a healthy gut of bacteria. The current theory is that no live bacterial communities are present in a baby’s gut in utero. Instead, an infant’s gut microbiota evolves after birth through breastmilk (or formula) exposure and through the transition to food.
Most GI symptoms your baby has is because of normal and healthy GI tract development and shouldn’t last too long. But other, more alarming symptoms can be indicators of a dairy (or other protein) allergy. A true dairy allergy is diagnosable and warrants cutting dairy if you plan to continue breastfeeding, or a milk-alternative formula if you plan to supplement.
Dairy elimination can have three significant unintended consequences including a dip in breastmilk supply, unexpected weight loss, or Vitamin D deficiency. Additionally, unnecessarily prolonging dairy introduction, or cutting dairy without justified cause, can unintentionally lead to an actual allergy. If you plan to pursue a dairy-free diet as a trial, involve your baby’s pediatrician, an allergist, and a nutritionist.
Have questions? Please don’t hesitate to comment below or shoot me a DM on Instagram. And I’d love to hear more about your experience. I’m here to help you on your journey however I can!
