Treatment of CMPI includes eliminating cow’s milk protein from your infant’s diet. This is usually started with an extensively hydrolyzed formula, which is made up of broken-down proteins that can be digested without an immune reaction. Examples of these formulas are Alimentum or Nutramigen. If your pediatrician or pediatric gastroenterologist feels these formulas may be helpful, they can likely provide you with a sample at the office. They can also be found in most grocery stores.
Most infants (around 90%) will respond to this change. However, some infants will need to use amino acid-based formulas, which are formulas containing the individual building blocks of proteins and are even further broken down to make them easier to digest.
If your infant is breastfed, your provider may ask you to remove milk from your diet while breastfeeding. It may also be necessary to remove soy products from your diet as well, as it is common to also have intolerance to soy protein. This may be difficult, and it may be beneficial to consult with a dietitian for help getting started with this elimination diet. A mother’s nutrition while breastfeeding is very important!
Luckily, cow’s milk protein intolerance resolves in 90% of children by the age of 6 years, and 50% of infants will have tolerance at 1 year of age. Guidance from your pediatrician or pediatric gastroenterologist will be helpful along the way.