Frequently Asked Questions: Infant feeding
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What formula should I use if my baby has a cow’s milk allergy?
If your baby has a cow’s milk allergy, regular infant formula should not be given to your baby and your doctor will recommend an alternative such as soy infant formula, hydrolysed rice formula or a prescription only specialised infant formula depending on your child’s age and medical history.
Children allergic to cow’s milk should avoid all dairy products unless their clinical immunology/allergy specialist advises otherwise.
Most children allergic to cow’s milk will also react to other animal milks such as goat and sheep milk and horse milk, so they should be avoided.
“A2 milk” (from specially bred cows) is claimed to have a number of health promoting properties, but this milk is also not suitable for children with cow’s milk allergy and should not be given.
Partially hydrolysed cow’s milk-based formula (usually labelled ‘HA’ or hypoallergenic) is also not suitable for children with cow’s milk allergy.
Lactose free infant formula is not suitable for babies with cow’s milk allergy.
Is soy milk or goat's milk better at preventing allergies over cow's milk formula?
No. Research has shown that using soy milk or goats milk formula instead of cow’s milk formula does not reduce the chance of your baby developing an allergy.
Can you introduce common allergy causing foods to all babies before one year of age?
Yes, you can. This advice is recommended for all babies, whether you have a family history of food allergy or not.
Babies with eczema have a higher chance of developing a food allergy, especially if the common allergy causing foods are not introduced before one year of age, so following this advice is even more important.
If your baby is allergic to a food, DO NOT feed your baby that food. If you think your baby has a food allergy, you should seek advice from your GP. It is important that food allergies are confirmed by a GP.
Are there any foods I should not feed to my baby when starting solid foods?
Solid foods should be commenced when your baby is ready at around 6 months of age, and not before 4 months. You should not avoid any foods to prevent allergy.
If you think your baby has an allergy to a certain food, talk to your doctor before giving your baby that food. If there are foods you are not able to feed your baby due to allergy, talk to your doctor and possibly a dietitian.
Learn more about introducing solid foods.
Should I use commercially prepared allergen introduction products?
Packaged foods for babies that contain most of the common allergy causing foods are now commercially available. While these products might appear to be convenient for introducing the common allergy causing foods, there are many benefits to offering babies the actual food rather than commercially prepared options.
It is important to note that some of the commercially prepared egg introduction products contain raw egg powder. It is recommended that well cooked egg is offered when introducing egg as there is less chance of an allergic reaction.
ASCIA recommends offering babies a variety of foods, as part of family meals to provide a nutritious and diverse diet. Using commercial allergen introduction products may be unnecessary and costly if the common allergy causing foods are regularly included in family meals.
How do I introduce egg to my baby?
Parents are sometimes worried about offering egg to their babies, as egg allergy is common in young children.
To help prevent food allergy, it is important to offer your baby well cooked egg soon after your baby starts eating solid foods, as delaying the introduction of egg may increase the chance of your baby developing an allergy to egg.
When offering egg, it is important that it is well cooked – not raw or runny egg – as babies are less likely to have a reaction to well cooked egg.
It is important to note that some of the commercially prepared egg introduction products contain raw egg powder, which is not recommended.
Offering the common allergy causing foods to your baby when you can watch for any signs of an allergic reaction is important. For example, offering well cooked egg soon after your baby wakes, allows you to watch your baby and quickly respond if they show signs of an allergic reaction.
Once your baby is eating egg, you should continue to offer the egg at least once a week.
Learn more about how to introduce the common allergy causing foods.
How much well-cooked egg should I offer my baby?
Start with a small amount, about a quarter of a teaspoon of hard-boiled whole egg mixed into your baby’s usual food, such as pureed fruit or vegetables.
If your baby is not having any signs of an allergic reaction, gradually increase the amount offered next time, for example half a teaspoon of hard boiled whole egg.
You can increase the amount as your baby’s appetite increases.
Once introduced, continue to offer well cooked egg to your baby at least once a week if there are no signs of an allergic reaction.
Learn more about how to introduce the common allergy causing foods.
How do I introduce peanut to my baby?
Parents are sometimes worried about offering peanut to their babies, as peanut allergy is common in young children.
To help prevent food allergy, it is important to offer your baby peanut in an age appropriate form, such as smooth peanut paste, soon after your baby starts eating solid foods, as delaying the introduction of peanut may increase the chance of your baby developing an allergy to peanut.
When offering peanut, it is important that to provide it in a developmentally appropriate form, such as smooth peanut paste or peanut flour mixed in with pureed fruit or vegetables. Children under 5 years of age should only be given peanuts (or tree nuts) as a smooth nut butter or paste or as nuts ground up to be a powder or flour.
Offering the common allergy causing foods to your baby when you can watch for any signs of an allergic reaction is important. For example, offering peanut soon after your baby wakes, allows you to watch your baby and quickly respond if they show signs of an allergic reaction.
Once your baby is eating peanut, you should continue to offer the egg at least once a week.
Learn more about how to introduce the common allergy causing foods.
How much peanut should I offer my baby?
Start with a small amount, about a quarter of a teaspoon of smooth peanut paste or peanut flour mixed into your baby’s usual food, such as pureed fruit or vegetables.
If your baby is not having any signs of an allergic reaction, gradually increase the amount offered next time, for example half a teaspoon of peanut paste or peanut flour.
You can increase the amount as your baby’s appetite increases.
Once introduced, continue to offer peanut paste or flour to your baby at least once a week if there are no signs of an allergic reaction.
Learn more about how to introduce the common allergy causing foods.
How often should I feed my baby allergy causing foods once introduced?
Once you have fed your baby the common allergy causing foods, it is important to continue to include these foods in your baby’s meals, about twice a week. This is important to help prevent your baby possibly developing an allergy after eating the food. If you feed your baby the common allergy causing foods, but your baby does not continue to eat the foods, they could develop a food allergy if they have not eaten the food for some time. There is no clear research to tell us exactly how much of the allergy causing foods your baby needs to eat to prevent food allergy, so it is recommended that you choose small amounts (for example, 1 teaspoon) to start with and increase the amount as your baby grows and eats more.
As it is important to continue to feed your baby the common allergy causing foods once introduced, you should only feed them the foods that you are able to continue to feed them. Your baby will eventually be eating family foods, so if your family does not eat a particular food, you may choose not to introduce that particular food to your baby, knowing that they are not likely to continue eating it once they are able to eat family meals. You may wish to discuss this with your doctor or an allergy dietitian.
Learn more about how to introduce the common allergy causing foods.
What should I do if my baby already has food allergies?
If your baby has had what could be an allergic reaction or is allergic to a particular food, do not feed your baby that food. However, it is important to feed your baby the common allergy causing foods that your baby is not allergic to, to prevent them from developing other food allergies.
It is important that you have discussed your baby’s food allergy with a doctor so that you have any medications required or prescribed by your child’s doctor.
Learn more about babies with known food allergy or a family history of food allergy.
What should I do if other members of the family have food allergies?
If other members of the family have food allergies, it is still important to introduce that food to your baby, while keeping the family member with food allergy safe.
Learn more about babies with known food allergy or a family history of food allergy.
Does cooking the food remove the allergen?
Cooking some foods such as baking egg and milk, may make some foods less likely to cause allergic reactions. However, this is not always the case, so the decision to give a child a food they are allergic to in a cooked form, should only be made by a clinical immunology/allergy specialist.
If a clinical immunology/allergy specialist thinks a child who is allergic to egg or milk is likely to be able to eat baked milk or baked egg without having an allergic reaction, the child will usually have an oral food challenge to confirm this. Oral food challenges may be done in a hospital setting where medical assistance and facilities are available, as severe reactions can, and do, occur.
Many people allergic to food products cannot eat them whether they are cooked or uncooked, and they should follow the advice of their treating specialist.
Are all reactions to cow’s milk due to allergy?
Some reactions to cow’s milk may be due to lactose intolerance, which is caused by the lack of the enzyme lactase, which helps to digest the milk sugar lactose.
Symptoms include diarrhoea, vomiting, stomach pain and gas, which are similar to some of the symptoms of cow’s milk allergy.
Lactose intolerance is uncomfortable but not life-threatening and does not cause symptoms of food allergy such as hives, swelling or anaphylaxis.
