12 month old with dairy sensitivity, lack of interest in solids, occasional night...

[cstamp]

Over the last month, my soon-to-be 12 month old son has had reactions to yogurt, cottage cheese, and mashed potatoes made with milk and butter.  He vomits or gags (if the food didn't even make it into his mouth) and gets red, irritated bumpy skin wherever the food touched.  We've been doing baby led solids and started offering him table food at 6 months--he's been minimally interested in eating and mostly likes to feel the textures with his hands.  He's always been a high needs little guy and we've had bouts of night crying that aren't soothed by breast feeding where he ultimately wakes up, is happy to play for awhile, and usually poops.  I eat a lot of dairy myself and had been told by a lactation consultant that there is little evidence that what mom consumes affects her breast feeding child, but now I am having my doubts. 

He's been pooping 3+ times a day lately--mostly very runny and more towards the green tint.  I'm thinking of cutting out dairy from my diet to see if it affects his digestion and wonder about other moms'experiences with dairy sensitivities in babes/toddlers still breastfeeding.   At this point, I'm less concerned about his lack of interest in eating and just want him to feel the best he can.

[lfpalmer]

Oh my goodness, there are mounds of evidence that mother passes components from her diet on through her breastmilk. We certainly know that drugs are passed on in milk. Nursing mothers are warned against consuming much alcohol or caffeine. Many who pump regularly know that their milk even looks and smells differently, depending upon their dietary intake. How could one think the diet doesn't affect the milk? Eat a bunch of beets and pump some milk. You might be surprised at what you see. 

Allergic reactions are thought to be chiefly to proteins. Mother's milk is designed to pass intact proteins, especially various immune factors, and baby's system is designed to accept and preserve certain intact proteins.There are science research studies that specifically demonstrate the passing of intact dietary proteins using markers, plenty that just assume it as science fact as they study the effects, and then there are the experiences of millions of mothers. One means by which mother's body purposefully passes elements of her diet on through her breastmilk is termed the Enteromammary Pathway.

It's pretty clear from several signs that your son is allergic to cow's milk proteins. Green stools mean that foods are being run through the intestines quickly, leaving little time for digestion and absorption. If this occurs frequently, you child is losing the more slowly absorbed nutrients. You say "towards the green tint," so this doesn't sound very worrisome but it's very likely that he could maintain a healthier digestive environment if you were to cut all traces of milk proteins from your own diet, as well as from his. If he exhibits signs of discomfort now, these could surely reduce with good dairy avoidance.