I'm just curious if anyone has had a baby diagnosed with a milk protein allergy when they were very young and how you transitioned to milk and also how that went. My daughter just turned one and we're at the point to start her on milk after she sees her doctor on Monday. I believe we will be starting to slowly try milk - 1/2 milk and 1/2 formula for one week, but obviously I'm very, very nervous because she was in so much pain as a baby and I'm worried the milk may put her right back where she was. I know a lot of babies grow out of the allergy and we won't know until we try, but I was just wondering how others made out who experiened this and how the adjustment went.

Thanks.

We haven't tried milk as DS is only 10 months but we did just do a short trial of foods containing dairy. It didn't go well. Within 3 days he was just miserable and starting to breakout. I think we're going to be finding an alternative to milk at 12 months, personally.
Good luck though. I hope all goes well for her.

DD is 11 months old, and she was diagnosed with a Milk Protein Allergy as well. I have already started her on other dairy products, and she did GREAT! She LOVES cheese! So I think she grew out of it! When she is a year old, I will probably transition her slowly to whole milk, and see how it goes.

I didn't know your dd had a milk protein allergy, mj! Anyway, my little guy was diagnosed with this terrible allergy when he was 8 mo after breaking out in hives, and throwing up after feeding him various things containing milk (obviously we had no idea what was causing his troubles at that time). The allergist actually told us that once I'm not breastfeeding anymore, he should be on soy formula until he's 2! But that he would do another test on him a year from when he saw him (so, still 8.5 more months before we find out if he's still allergic). He did say though, that we could test him at home with a very small amount of something he had a reaction to in the past. So a month or so ago, we gave him toast with margerine on it (he had gotten hives from that), and again--he got hives wherever the margerine touched :(. So, maybe you should try giving her something that is less likely to cause a serious reaction first, and if she does well with that, then try the milk. Just a thought! I totally sympathize with your worries--it would be so much easier (and less expensive) to just give ds whole milk instead of soy formula.

Whiskers

Whiskers- Didn't you know we secretly have the same child? ;):D

Update: I wanted to let the original poster know that I just started DD on whole milk, and we have had no reaction. Although, my DD reaction to the milk initially was not as severe as others. She had spit-up, vomit, and blood in stool issues, no hives or rashes.

Also, I do know that there is a difference in a intolerace to dairy, and an allergy to dairy. An intolerance just means that your baby has a hard time processing the dairy in their system. So, over time, as their system matures, it gets easier.

When we made the big switch to whole milk, we did it slowly and watched for any reactions. She has been on it exclusively now for a few days, and she is still doing great.