One of the biggest culprits of reflux, colic and gassiness (which are symptoms not a diagnosis), are actually undiagnosed tongue and lip ties.  True milk allergies are rare (they do exist!!) but so many moms are told to just cut whole food groups out of their diets instead of exploring for ties. The restrictions in the mouth from the ties cause baby to lose the latch and swallow more air (called aerophagia) which contribute to the symptoms (Kotlow, 2011)

Remember ...

Breast milk is NOT made directly from your stomach contents but within the breast itself from your blood. The foods you eat are broken down in your digestive system. Proteins, carbohydrates, nutrients, white blood cells, enzymes, pre- and probiotics, water, fat, and chemicals (alcohol, caffeine, medications) are pulled from your intestines into the blood stream. Blood delivers these nutrients to the milk making glands at the back of the breast. Every nutrient you consume gets used or stored and each type gets cleared from your blood in a certain amount of time. Cow protein, for example, is completely cleared from your blood steam within 8-12 HOURS of absorption. Caffeine clears your blood in 4-7 hours and alcohol within 2. Medications have longer or shorter half lives, which is how long they stay in your body, and larger or smaller molecules. Some can pass into breast milk and some can’t.

🪫MYTH: If the baby is fussy or has colic, don’t eat dairy.

💡FACT: Cow milk protein allergy is only in 2-7% of the population. Fussiness is not a symptom for diagnosing cow milk protein allergy.

🪫MYTH: Spicy food makes spicy breastmilk which will upset the baby’s tummy.

💡FACT: While the foods you eat can change the flavor of your milk, there is no evidence that capsaicin (the compound that makes foods spicy) is ever present in breast milk. Breast milk is actually quite sweet and palatable for babies.

🪫MYTH: Beans, cabbage, broccoli, and cucumber give the baby gas.

💡FACT: The insolvable fiber found in vegetables mixes with your gut bacteria and makes you gassy. Insoluble fiber does not leave the GI tract and cannot reach your milk.

🪫MYTH: Baby will refuse your milk if you eat garlic, onions, and other potent flavors

💡FACT: Research studies have found babies actually  prefer the flavor of garlic in breastmilk and will spent more time at the breast and drink more milk. (Mennella, 1993

🪫MYTH: Carbonated beverages will make the baby gassy

💡FACT: Carbonated drinks don’t carbonate the blood. The bubbles don’t get into your milk.

I know many will not always agree but there are plenty of studies and research if you are interested when it comes to allergies and lactose / dairy intolerance . I feel so many are not educated ates correctly as it is more complex that what meets the eye.