Having a child with CMPA often means that a breastfeeding mum will need to avoid dairy and all products that contain cow's milk protein in her diet as well.
Cow's Milk Protein Allergy (CMPA) is a common food allergy in infants and can affect breastfed infants and children. If a breastfeeding mother consumes dairy, the cow's milk proteins can pass through her breast milk and cause delayed allergic reactions in the baby. For this reason, mothers of infants with CMPA are often advised to eliminate dairy from their diet (this should be confirmed by your child’s medical specialist or dietitian).
Meeting calcium requirements in breastfeeding mothers who are eliminating cow's milk protein.
Calcium is an important nutrient while breastfeeding. Breastmilk will always contain enough calcium for your baby. The calcium in breastmilk will always stay consistent and is very bioavailable for your baby (meaning it is well absorbed and utilised)..... but if a breastfeeding mother is deficient in calcium, her body will use calcium stores from her bones to ensure there is sufficient calcium in her breastmilk, this may cause maternal calcium deficiency and lead to bone problems later in life.
The recommended daily intake (RDI) for calcium in a breastfeeding mother, is at least 1000mg, which is the same for all women 19-50 years of age, regardless of breastfeeding.
The major sources of calcium in most Western diets are dairy products such as milk and milk products like yoghurt and cheese. Avoiding dairy and all products that contain cow's milk protein, can make it more challenging to meet calcium requirements during breastfeeding.
You must ensure that your calcium needs are still met and adequately replaced with high-calcium dairy-free alternatives if you have been advised to avoid all dairy products in your diet whilst breastfeeding (if you are avoiding soy as well this can be even more challenging).
Choosing maternal calcium-fortified milk replacements
There are many plant-based 'milks' available as non-dairy alternatives to cow’s milk, which can be a safe and suitable choice for mothers avoiding dairy, such as almond, oat, rice, soy, coconut, tiger nut, and more. However, not all plant-based milk is a good source of calcium, and some can contain very little, if any, calcium at all!
To ensure you are getting enough calcium from your plant-based milk, it is important to read the nutrition information panel and select a milk alternative that is calcium-fortified with at least 100-120mg of calcium per 100ml.
High calcium smoothie recipe for Mum's
Ingredients
(serves 1)
1 ripe banana
1/2 cup of diced mango (fresh or frozen) can be replaced with berries
1 tablespoon of chia seeds
1 tablespoon of tahini (sesame seed paste)
250ml of calcium-fortified milk alternative
Honey or maple syrup to sweeten (optional)
Blend and serve chilled.
This smoothie contains around 480mg of calcium per serve.
What about my child's calcium needs with CMPA
Cow’s milk allergy is the most common food allergy affecting infants and young children. A large number of children with cow’s milk allergy may also have soy allergy so obtaining enough calcium from other dietary sources can be difficult.
Cow’s milk can be an important source of energy, protein and calcium in the diet, especially for developing infants and children. Appropriate substitution is essential to ensure adequate growth and development, and sufficient intake of calcium.
It is recommended that all infants and children with CMPA, who are avoiding all sources of dairy products and cow's milk protein, see a paediatric dietitian, along with infants or children with multiple food allergies.
Rice, oat or nut-based drinks are generally not recommended for young children (particularly children under two years of age), due to inadequate amounts of fat, calcium and protein. These drinks should only be used after consultation with a dietitian specialised in paediatric food allergy.
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