Can Goat Milk Formula Help With CMPI?
First up, a medical disclaimer: If you suspect your little one may be reacting to anything they consume – be it breast milk, cow’s milk formula, goat’s milk formula or otherwise – your first port of call should always be your paediatrician. Proper, personalised medical advice for your child is the way to go. This is especially the case when breastfeeding isn’t an option for you.
In this article we’ll talk about cow’s milk protein intolerance (CMPI): what it is, what to do about it, and whether goat’s milk formula could help manage it.
What is CMPI?
CMPI, is what’s known as a ‘non-IgE-mediated’ food allergy or reaction to food. These sorts of allergies typically produce digestive symptoms like vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhoea. So they’re annoying, but not life-threatening (phewf).
So is it an allergy or an intolerance?
The term ‘cow milk protein intolerance’ is often used as an umbrella term by many clinicians when referring to non-immunoglobulin E-mediated (non-IgE-mediated) gastrointestinal food allergic disorders.
So CMPI is an allergy to cow’s milk protein, but not a VERY BAD one as it doesn’t present with anaphylaxis.
CMPI vs cow’s milk allergy (CMA) vs. lactose intolerance
CMPI is distinctly different from what a medical professional in Australia would call a full-blown cow’s milk allergy (CMA). And just to confuse things further, it’s also different to lactose intolerance. Here’s a bit about what those are:
- Cow’s milk allergy – CMA is an ‘IgE-mediated’ condition. The key difference is that symptoms are way worse (breathing difficulties and cardiovascular issues), and will happen within 60 minutes of ingesting cow’s milk proteins. An anaphylactic reaction (swelling and obstruction of the airway) caused by a CMA is life-threatening.
Very important to note: Goat’s milk formula is not suitable for babies with CMA.
- Lactose intolerance – Symptoms of CMPI in infants are similar to those of lactose intolerance. But rather than reacting to the protein in cow’s milk, babies with lactose intolerance have an insufficient amount of an enzyme called ‘lactase’ which helps to break down lactose.
Somewhat important to note: Goat’s milk formula contains some lactose, but less than cow’s milk. It may be an option for some babies with mild lactose intolerance, but only consider it with guidance from your paediatrician.
Unfortunately there’s a lot of misleading information out there about CMPI and CMA being the same thing. This can mean that children with life-threatening allergies may not receive proper support. (Or that cafe owners don’t understand the importance of making a babycino dairy-free!)
Symptoms of CMPI in babies
When tiny tummies react to the protein in cow’s milk, they often display gastrointestinal issues including:
As you can see, these symptoms are pretty uncomfortable and annoying, but not excessively concerning. As with most non-IgE-mediated allergies, symptoms of CMPI are likely to arise hours or days after cow’s milk products are consumed.
More severe reactions which could suggest your baby has CMA include:
- Difficulty breathing
- Facial swelling
- A wheeze or persistent cough
- Being pale and floppy.
These are signs of an IgE-mediated allergy which can present as anaphylaxis within the space of an hour. This needs to be treated immediately with adrenaline.
How CMPI is diagnosed
If you’re suss that your baby isn’t handling cow’s milk proteins too well, your first port of call would be your GP. They’ll probably discuss your little one’s symptoms and medical history, and perform an examination.
Non-IgE-mediated food allergies like CMPI typically don’t require allergy testing. However, there’s a chance you could be referred to an immunologist or allergy specialist for more in-depth analysis or a formal CMPI diagnosis and treatment plan.
Managing CMPI in infants
The good news is cow’s milk intolerances are pretty common in babies, and they rarely last into adulthood. Around 50% of children outgrow CMPI by 12 months, and 80% outgrow it by the age of three. So your house doesn’t necessarily need to be dairy-free forever!
The bad news (if you’re passionate about cow’s milk) is that the best way to manage CMPI in infants is to eliminate cow’s milk proteins from their diet.
That means:
- Cutting dairy from your diet if you’re breastfeeding or mixed feeding – because cow’s milk proteins will transfer into breast milk and likely cause symptoms of CMPI.
- Switching to an infant formula without cow’s milk protein. In Australia, babies are usually started on extensively hydrolysed formula or rice milk formula as an alternative to cow’s milk formula. This is done in consultation with a specialist, and some formulas will require a prescription. The Australian Society for Clinical Immunology and Allergy has a Guide for Milk Substitutes in Cow’s Milk Allergy.
- When introducing solids, steering clear of products with cow’s milk in it.
It’s still essential for babies to get the right amount of nutrition in their diet, so make sure you work with a medical professional if cutting out cow’s milk products.
Can goat’s milk formula help with CMPI?
Maybe, but it needs to be approached carefully.
The digestibility of goat’s milk formula can sometimes make it an attractive alternative to cow’s milk formula for babies with tummy sensitivities.
The makeup of goat’s milk makes it naturally easier to digest:
- Goat’s milk naturally contains smaller protein molecules than cow’s milk, making them produce softer curds that are easy on little stomachs.
- Goat’s milk also has less of the A1 beta casein protein than cow’s milk does.
- Better yet for developing digestive systems, goat’s milk has a higher amount and variation of oligosaccharides. This is a type of milk sugar present in human breast milk which is proven to support immunity and gut health.
If your little one struggles with cow’s milk formula, they may benefit from giving goat’s milk formula a go. But of course, we don’t suggest offering your little one goat’s milk formula without consulting your healthcare professional first, particularly in the case of allergies and intolerances.
In short:
- Children with cow’s milk allergy (CMA) should definitely avoid goat’s milk formula, as it contains some of the same proteins as cow’s milk.
- Children with mild lactose intolerance could manage goat’s milk formula better than cow’s milk formula as it’s gentler on the stomach and contains less (but still some) lactose. (FYI, breast milk also contains lactose!)
- Children with CMPI or general sensitivities can trial goat’s milk formula, and it may be suitable for them.
Babies, just like adults, are so vastly different. High quality goat’s milk formula such as Oli6 Goat Milk Formula can help some sensitivities, but it’s not necessarily a guaranteed solution for CMPI.
To see what other parents say about Oli6 Goat Milk Formula for babies with sensitivities, check out Product Review.
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