Does he seem to be in pain, or does he seem unable to digest the new stuff? Any diet change can increase flatulence, and cause some changes in his usual digestive pattern. If he doesn't seem to be in pain, is still making wet and dirty diapers at a reasonable rate and just seems squirmy it's probably ok to give it 5-7 days and see if things get better (or worse). Basically, if he seems in pain or unable to digest (check his diapers) the new food then you'd want to switch back.

Was there a medical reason for having him on lacto-free formula initially? If there was and that reason still exists then he's probably better to go back to lacto-free and not experiment.

You can ask your pediatrician about how to tell what might be 'normal' digestive changes from lactose intolerance.

Put him back on the lacto free !!!! If it aint broke dont fix it!!!! Stick with what was working in the first place.

Actually, lactose intolerance in infants is so rare that it virtually doesn't exist. What is being mistaken for lactose intolerance is actually a cow's milk allergy.
With lactose intolerance, the body lacks the ability to manufacture the enzyme Lactase, which is used to break down the milk sugar lactose. I often wonder why doctors don't prescribe lactase drops, since it seems to be doctors who are handing out the "lactose intolerant" label so indiscrimintely.
Cow's milk allergy is the inability for the baby's immature digestive system to process the larger proteins found in cow's milk and cow's milk derivatives (like whey, the primary ingreient in most milk-based breastmilk substitutes).

Lactose is very important for the development of your baby - it plays a very large part in brain development. It would be a pity to deprive your baby of lactose on the assumption that he is "lactose intolerant" if that is not really the case.

Kayla is on soy formula, she couldn't tolerate regular Enfamil w/Iron nor could she tolerate my breastmilk (I was disappointed). the soy seems to work great.

Also, if a baby doesn't seem to tolerate mom's breastmilk, chances are that the baby has a cow's milk allergy and is reacting to the proteins passed into mom's milk. Eliminating cow's milk products from the mother's diet usually clears up the problem.

Becky I had no idea about the cow milk. For the life of me, I couldn't figure out why Kayla couldn't hold down my breastmilk. I tried for a few weeks, but she wasn't gaining and she was sooo uncomfortable. Then to regular formula which caused her sooo much pain.

Since we have her on soy - she is still gassy, but normal, not crazy.

I wouldn't have switched your son unless I discussed it with the peditrician first. Someone had to have suggested the Lacotse free forumula and there was a reason so you should have asked that person if it was okay to try a regular formula. I realize it's hard because our son was on Pregestimil and then Nutramigen until he was about 9 months old~about $20 a can. It was really hard because we were on a tight budget as it was but we got through it.

Yes, it will take a baby a while to get used to any changes in formula. How long ago did you switch? It usually takes a few days.

~Leslie~

I have a 4 mo old and eliminated dairy from my diet 3 months ago. She has been doing great ever since.

Please can someone give me advice on my 5mth old baby, since birth she has had alot of pain and trouble going to the toilet, i've changed her formula milk but nothing helps. The dr has now given her a lactose solution which does help a bit but she'll still won't go for days and i don't want her to be on the solution forever. She's started on solid foods and that's not helping!!!!
Thanks

>>>>Posted by Becky_M (My Page) on Wed, Jan 30, 02 at 1:22

Actually, lactose intolerance in infants is so rare that it virtually doesn't exist Although I am new to the Parents and Infants forum, but not new to GW, I have to respectfully disagree with this statement.

Most asian babies have some form of Lactose intolerance, albeit not all are severe enough to warrant a 100% ban on milk products. (Well documented in pediatric literature)

Btw, my daughter is lactose intolerant (+1). Her stool was tested for a sugar enzyme.

Symptoms include gassiness, vomiting after feeding, mustardy, and watery poo, and even a diagnosis of failure to thrive could be symptomatic of lactose intolerance.

If it was so rare, then why does Enfalac, Nestle, and Isomil all have Lactose free formations along the shelves of the regular stuff?

Lactose intolerance in infants are rare and this is why enfalac , nestle..etc.. will not make those formulas for babies. It is cost effecient for their companies and straight and easy to manufacture the reg milk given. My friends baby was diagnosed with true lactose intolerance. The symptoms for her baby was cramps, diarrhea, vomiting, crying..alot of gas. She called me and i'm lactose intolerant as an adult so the same symptoms follow. But i told her to confirm with the doctor. She went and got gripe water for the gas and gave her baby water to replace fluids while she went to the hospital. Dehydrationis dangerous for a little one.!!
Put her back on the lactose free milk! i know you want to save..but you wont save any money if your babe has diarrhea and pain..more diapers to change, docs to go, and medicine. Oh yah,,, try goats milk. Apparently there are alot of allergies linked to cow milk now. You can find it in the organic health section. But that is not cheap either.

Sounds like gas to me...I suggest getting the bottles that have the liners where you can push the excess air out of the bottle.
My daughter had the same problem,when we switched bottles,she was fine.

Is there a medical test for lactose intolerance?

We know someone whose baby was just hospitalized with severe lactose intolerance. We were told the baby had convulsions. Maybe it was actually a cow's milk allergy, I don't know.

Hi can anyone help! I have a 9 week old baby and he has been having bad cramping pains everytime I feed him, he also had diarrhoea, come up in a dotty rash, crying a lot, a lot of wind, eczema and temp. We got sent to ANE, doctors sed he was lacto intolerance now I have been prescribed lacto free milk for him which has deff worked! He's a completley different baby!the hospital sed to keep him on it for 6 weeks!
Why when I went back to doctors she sed keep him on it for to then wean him bk to original milk?? I don't get why they would do that surely he will be in pain again?? Someone please reply thanks!

Hello,

My son is 18 months old. he does not drink milk other than breast milk. he does not eat solid food. He looks like one year old child.
what needs to be done for him to eat, gain weight and height

I totally disagree with.. Lactose intoarent is very rare it hardly exsits!!!My baby is four months old and has just been diagnosed with lactose intolerant. He has been very constipated since about a month old and they have done a lot of tests and have only just realised. They have now put him on a lactose free milk! If you really are worried about your babu keep going to the doctors it took me a lot of trips to the doctors and a lot of nagging for them to sort it and do the tests but now its finally getting seen to properly!

Such statements must be made by people who do not have screaming babies! My girls are grown now, but I'll be ever grateful to a kindly nurse who told me lactose intolerance can kick in at 2 weeks, and not before. If I had had even the smallest amount of dairy, excluding real yogurt, the baby nursing 20 minutes later would start the who fussy, crying, pulling legs up routine. No dairy, no problem. Very straightforward.