Dairy Free Breastfeeding Diet (for beginners!)

Dairy Free Diet Breastfeeding (Going Dairy Free for Beginners)

Dairy free breastfeeding diets can be HARD, but it’s worth it!

With a Dairy Elimination Diet, breastfeeding your baby through a reaction to dairy can totally be done.

And done well!

Your sweet new baby is showing signs of a dairy allergy or milk protein intolerance, the pediatrician recommends you go dairy free for breastfeeding and you’re wondering HOW this is going to work…

Girl, I feel you.

This guide on beginning a dairy free breastfeeding diet is gonna help.

Promise.

Giving up dairy for breastfeeding is achievable, Mama. You got this.

Dairy Free Breastfeeding: cut out dairy breastfeeding: dairy elimination diet breastfeeding

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I know A LOT about going dairy free for baby…because I did it!

I did it begrudgingly…but still.

When my baby was 6 weeks old, his pediatrician told us to start cutting out dairy for breastfeeding. 

ALL traces of cow’s milk protein had to be cut out for my baby’s CMPA (Cow’s Milk Protein Allergy) and we had to begin a strict dairy free breastfeeding diet.

Before the appointment, I remember hoping my baby’s rash and tummy issues were ANYTHING else.

But then, through trial and error it became obvious that dairy was the problem. 

If you’re dealing with a baby dairy allergy, you may be wondering what sort of dairy free diet breastfeeding mothers begin with.

Maybe you’re looking for dairy free recipes or food items.

Maybe you need tips on what it’s really like to tackle eliminating dairy while breastfeeding.

Or maybe you’re just in need of some encouragement because going dairy free while breastfeeding sounds super hard.

Well, Mama, I’ve got ya covered…

I have 3 posts in this series on dairy free breastfeeding for mothers dealing with this same issue.

After reading these tips on how to start going dairy free while breastfeeding, you might find these posts helpful as well:

Dairy Free Tips for Breastfeeding Mamas for tips on how to give up dairy and 5 Reasons Why Dairy-Free Breastfeeding isn’t the Total Worst for benefits of the breastfeeding dairy free diet and reasons to go dairy free. 

Signs of Milk Intolerance or Symptoms of Dairy Allergy in Breastfed Babies

Ok, before we begin, I want to outline some basic key signs of allergies in babies, specifically milk protein allergy.

These are essential to note before you consider dairy elimination diet breastfeeding.

Be on the look out for the following symptoms…

Signs of Dairy Allergy in Breastfed Babies:

  • Mucus in Baby’s stools
  • A rash on Baby’s face, chest, even ears
  • Spitting up frequently/signs of severe reflux
  • Tummy trouble such as diarrhea or constipation 
  • Other signs of discomfort like excessive crying

Mention these or any other symptoms to your pediatrician before making assumptions.

Once you know there aren’t more severe underlying cause of Baby’s symptoms, you can discuss a dairy elimination diet, breastfeeding, and other details. 

They do a test to check for infant allergies at our pediatrician’s office.

We debated whether or not to do it, but our baby’s sleep problems had become so severe that we wanted to see if an allergy could be affecting his sleep.

We decided to do the test, but it was so awful that I don’t recommend it.

They basically had to hold him down while drawing blood very slowly.

He screamed and looked into my eyes for help while I tried to comfort him.

The test ended up only revealing a handful of results and the dairy that it tested for wasn’t even actually the milk protein that he is sensitive to, so it was basically useless.

I tell you this because I want you to know that while finding answers is important, giving up eating dairy may not be as bad as it seems.

Sure, it’s tough, but a dairy elimination diet is a relatively simple way to get to the bottom of your baby’s health concerns.

So if you’re at the point of beginning a dairy free diet breastfeeding relationship, remember it’s worth it.

And hopefully my tips will be a big help in getting started.

Dairy free breastfeeding for beginners: Dairy free diet breastfeeding tips for Cow's Milk Protein Allergy, CMPI and MSPI babies

(I thought I’d include this photo of my baby’s face when his milk allergy rash was at it’s worst.

I remember searching for baby milk allergy rash pictures online for something to compare to.

I’ll spare you pictures of lactose intolerant baby poop, but think slimy and stringy with flecks of blood.)

Dairy and Soy Free Diet for Breastfeeding Moms

Once you confirm that your baby has a cow’s milk allergy, I highly recommend grabbing this awesome guide by Brenda from Paper Heart Family.

Dairy Elimination Diet Breastfeeding Handbook

She literally wrote the book on breastfeeding a baby with Milk and Soy Protein Intolerance.

Her book, Breastfeeding the Baby with MSPI, is an incredible resource with meal ideas, store-bought snack suggestions, tips for cooking dairy-free, and other amazing info like how to reintroduce dairy and soy into your diet once you’re done breastfeeding.

She goes into way more detail than I am able to in these 3 short posts.

Check out her inexpensive guide here.

Dairy Free Breastfeeding Diet: My Experience

Real quick, I want you to know where I’m coming from because I think it’ll help this all make sense.

I was a brand new mom, still clueless about breastfeeding, and probably one of THE biggest dairy lovers in the universe.

I didn’t even know if it was possible for me to cut out cheese, milk, butter…let alone tiny traces of dairy in other products. It seemed way too overwhelming to attempt….

But I’m so glad I did.

And I promise if you give it a shot, you will be glad you did it too.

There’s something really rewarding about denying yourself something great for the better health of your baby.

It’s such a sweet way to bond and really grow into your role as Mommy.

I’m not gonna lie, it’s hard. But it’s worth it! And it’s more doable than you may think.

So, from a mama who still ate mac n’ cheese as a staple meal until age 25, if I can do it anybody can.

I was successful at dairy free breastfeeding for over 17 months!

Meaning YOU TOTALLY CAN BE TOO.

And I’ve got some tips for you to make this whole no dairy breastfeeding diet thing easier…

Dairy Free Diet Breastfeeding

STEP ONE:

Scout Out the Grocery Store

I was intimidated by having to read labels before buying groceries, but it’s really not too bad.

It becomes habit and once you find the brands that work for you, you’re set.

(And if you use this great grocery shopping hack your exact choices are earmarked for the future.)

Plan an initial trip to the store when you have a little extra time.

I know, having extra time as a new mom is a joke, but let Baby stay with dad for a bit or have him come too so you can focus.

Go through and read labels on some of your staple items.

Stick to your grocery list, but check out other items along the aisles while you’re at it.

Sadly, you’ll find a lot of unexpected basics have traces of dairy (think chicken broth granules, spaghetti sauces, most refrigerated doughs, etc.) but you can usually find at least one brand that can work without sacrificing flavor.

Most items will have an allergy warning at the bottom of the label that says “contains milk,” but I have read that it’s not required that they put this, so read through the ingredient list on your first time around to be safe.

After that, just grab the same brands that you know are dairy free (told you it gets easier.)

These are some of my favorite suggestions.

Extra tip:

Experiment with items that say “may contain traces of milk.” It will depend on your baby’s sensitivity, but we found that these items were usually ok for us, especially after 6 months or so.

If your doctor suggests a total breastfeeding elimination diet, continue to be strict.

But if you’re testing things or reintroducing dairy while breastfeeding, this is a good place to start.

Remember that it can take a few days after Baby drinks the affected milk for symptoms to show up, so give it time.

Use gentle trial and error. Take it slow.

You don’t have to do Dairy Substitutes

I was on a non dairy breastfeeding diet for nearly 18 months.

That’s almost a year and a half without my favorite treats…during a year when I could have realllllly used some treats (being a new mom kicked my butt.)

In that time I read a TON of dairy free recipes and blogs for help. A huge chunk of those use dairy substitutes for milk, cheese, sour cream, etc.

I just couldn’t do it.

To me, if it wasn’t the real thing, I’d rather go without.

If you’re the same, just know it IS possible to cook and eat well without dairy or “weird ingredients.”

It just takes a little creativity:

  • Mexican food is a really easy one: just leave out the cheese.
  • Pasta too: stick to red or oil sauces and ditch the parm.
  • Salads: use oil dressings.
  • Sandwiches: leave off the cheese.
  • Soups: try less creamy varieties like minestrone or chicken noodle.

(For more recipes and great ideas, see part 2 in this series on dairy elimination diet breastfeeding.)

Let yourself splurge on what you can have

Dairy free breastfeeding for beginners: Dairy free diet breastfeeding tips for Cow's Milk Protein Allergy, CMPI and MSPI babies

Ok so I’m a firm believer that new mamas need some extra spoiling. Especially when breastfeeding.

What’s your favorite treat?

For me, it’s chocolate.

My usual brands have dairy, but I was able to find a few brands with really yummy options.

It costs a little more than I’d normally spend on a chocolate bar, but it was my splurge.

I tried to make one bar last all week (some weeks it took two bars.)

Towards the end, I discovered this amazing chocolatey splurge.

Yum.

Another tip:

You’ll be surprised at how many super-loved items are dairy free!

Look up the term “Accidentally Vegan.”

This means a company happened to make a product that doesn’t contain dairy, eggs, etc. even though that wasn’t their aim.

A few of my favorite go-to’s were Pillsbury Crescent Rolls, Oreo’s, and Ritz Crackers. Treat yo’self.

Have a Dairy Free Breastfeeding Support System

Don’t do this alone if you don’t have to!

There’s tons of talk about doing a dairy free diet for breastfeeding mothers, but what about fathers?!

If your husband wants to be super supportive and helpful during the little baby stage, invite him to join you in the non dairy challenge.

A lot of husbands want to find ways to help with nursing anyway, so being supportive during dairy free breastfeeding will get him major hubby points.

He can splurge and get ice cream when you’re not together, but it really helps to feel like you have a partner who isn’t an infant.

If it’s just you and baby, remember that your little one really is your teammate in this!

You two are taking on the world as new mama and new life one day at a time.

Remind yourself that your baby’s health is worth it. Breastfeeding is sooo good for that sweetie.

I repeat, IT IS worth it!

(Now say that to yourself on a loop.)

The Breastfeeding Dairy Free Diet:

See it through

Finally, I want to encourage you to see this dairy free breastfeeding thing through.

I KNOW that having to start a dairy free diet for breastfeeding is frustrating. Especially after everything else your body is going through right now.

But don’t let giving up dairy be a reason to stop breastfeeding early.

If you planned to do extended breastfeeding, you totally still can.

It gets easier. 

PROMISE.

If you just want to hit the 1 year mark, count down the days if you need to, but don’t give up!

You’re stronger than you think.

And a year with a baby FLIES by.

Dairy free breastfeeding for beginners: Dairy free diet breastfeeding tips for CMPI, CMPA and MSPI babies

You got this, Mama!

Dairy free breastfeeding can be hard, but you can do this.

And you’ll be SO glad you did.

Remember you’re not alone!

And to prove it, I’ve got some bonuses for you.

Check out my Dairy Free Tips for Breastfeeding Mamas and my post, 5 Reasons Dairy Free Breastfeeding isn’t the Total Worst.

And…

For more tips on pregnancy, breastfeeding and life as a new mom, follow me on Pinterest.

Save this Guide to Dairy Elimination Diet Breastfeeding!How to Cut Out Dairy Breastfeeding: dairy elimination diet breastfeeding

Dairy Free Diet Breastfeeding For New Moms: Cut Out Dairy Breastfeeding

Dairy free breastfeeding diet tips for moms of babies with food allergies like cow's milk protein allergy or intolerance (CMPA or CMPI.) Dairy free recipes, advice, and encouragement for dairy free breast feeding. #breastfeeding #dairyfree #newmom #newborn #baby #babytips

9 Comments

  1. What did you notice in your baby when you eliminated dairy? Better sleep? Less gas? My son has terrible gas, the awful, dry itchy rash on his face, he is always restless when he sleeps, and cries alot too. I’m 100% okay with eliminating dairy for now. I need peace and my sanity back!

    • ashleybbass

      Hey Kallie! I’m so sorry to hear that your baby is struggling. Poor guy! And poor Mama! My boy’s rash subsided a few weeks after fully eliminating dairy. His digestive health was better too. I would definitely talk to his pediatrician and decide if she thinks an elimination diet might help. If that doesn’t do the trick, I also have a post about my baby’s HORRIBLE sleep problems (along with fussiness, restlessness) that was unrelated to his allergy. Check it out here and hopefully you guys will find a solution soon! I totally understand how hard that is on you as a mom. Best of luck! Let me know how things go!

  2. Ruthie

    Thank you so much for this information, it has been very helpful.
    My twin boys’ pediatrician mentioned cutting dairy out of my diet to see if that would help with One of the baby’s gas. She didn’t highly encourage me to do it, but rather offered it as a last ditch effort to exhaust all options of possible causes. He doesn’t have any other symptoms of an allergy, so there is much uncertainty as to whether dairy is the actual cause, and since I need to be nourishing myself enough to feed 2 babies, I’m still contemplating taking the plunge.

    My main question is whether or not cutting back in dairy can still have an impact. In other words, is this an “all or nothing” endeavor or is there some room for error, especially if the potential allergy doesn’t seem too severe. Three times this week, I have consumed something that contained dairy without realizing it until afterward, so I’m imagining that there is going to be a lot of trial and error before I am 100% dairy-free.
    Thanks in advance

    • ashleybbass

      Hey Ruthie! Wow, breastfeeding twins! You go, Mama! I’m sorry to hear that one of your boys is struggling with gas. Poor guy. It sounds to me like it’s unlikely an allergy since he doesn’t have many symptoms and your pediatrician doesn’t seem too concerned. It could be something like lactose intolerance or just a mild sensitivity.

      As for going completely dairy free while breastfeeding your baby, I’d say cutting back COULD help. If it’s really just a sensitivity, less dairy may make a difference. My mom is lactose intolerant and she occasionally cooks with light amounts of dairy and feels fine. So, it may be worth a try. BUT, if your goal is to completely rule out dairy as the cause, it might be safer to go all in for a couple of months, then reevaluate. It would also probably be easier on you to just go cold turkey. I don’t think a couple accidents will hurt, but avoiding MOST dairy ingredients altogether for an extended time will probably give you a clearer answer on if it is the culprit.

      I hope you see great reward for your hard work! You can do this!

  3. Wendy

    When you were done breastfeeding, was baby able to drink cow’s milk or did you give an alternative milk? I’m about a week into going dairy free for my third boy, my first two had no issue with dairy so this is so different for me. Adding a probiotic for him and visiting a chiropractor has helped a lot with his colic, but he is still super fussy, has the little rash(we thought it was just infant acne at first), and gassy/spits up. Your post has been super helpful as I begin this journey!

    • Ashley

      Hi Wendy! I’m so glad you found this post helpful! I have heard so many stories of great success with colic babies going dairy free. Give it time! It can really take a few weeks before ALL traces of dairy are out of your breast milk and out of his little system. Keep your pediatrician posted. As for the milk thing, my boy was allergic until about 2 years old. We did keep trying a tiny bit of cow’s milk every couple of months, but it wasn’t until age 2 that he was able to really have it. Even now, if he drinks a LOT he has a reaction. I did try him on almond milk, but he didn’t like it. After some research and talking to his doctor, we felt fine about not giving him milk as a big part of his diet. We just had to make sure he was getting those nutrients through his food when he started solids. Keep at it! You’re gonna do great! Let me know if you have any more questions 🙂

  4. Natalie

    I would please like to know. If the rash your baby had, would it come and go. My baby’s rash can worsen in the day and then go down during the night.

    • Ashley

      Hi Natalie, hmm I don’t remember the rash specifically coming and going during different times of day, but it definitely did worsen at times. We would see flare ups and realize we had given him dairy or I had accidentally had some. See what your pediatrician thinks, but it could be a dairy allergy. Best of luck to you and your little one!

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