Can I Give My Baby Lactaid?

There is absolutely nothing that compares to the joy a newborn can bring to a family. And even more so if the newborn is the ‘firstborn.’ The love, joy, and excitement are unparalleled to any other experience for young parents. The experience is a true blessing, indeed.

The presence or your new baby also indicates there is some learning on the horizon. Naturally, the baby will be all consumed in the learning process. And the parents, they are not immune to the new ‘classroom of opportunities’ the newborn brings.

There will be those important milestones, when they sit up, when they start to crawl, walk, talk, and so on. And there will be a plethora of health issues to learn about.

One of the more common issues concerning a new baby would be the fact he or she is lactose intolerant. Milk is such an integral part of a baby’s life. Being a lactose intolerant newborn can pose certain problems.

If a person is diagnosed as being lactose intolerant, they cannot process the lactose in milk. And milk is full of lactose. It’s a naturally occurring sugar in milk, and the stomach produces enzymes to turn the lactose into glucose. Glucose is the processed sugar the body can use. One of the ways to combat being lactose intolerant is the use of Lactaid. Lactaid is a lactose-free milk product.

But for today, we are discussing the question, can I give my baby Lactaid?

What is Lactaid?

The simple answer to ‘what is Lactaid?’ is as follows. Lactaid is the trademarked name of any group of enzymes that causes lactose to changed into glucose. The brand name Lactaid comes in a tablet or liquid form.

An adult with lactose intolerance could simply switch to drinking Lactaid, a lactose-free milk product. It would make the person able to digest milk without any further problems.

The same adult may take the Lactaid tablets to promote a healthy intestinal tract. The adult would then be able to digest food other than milk containing lactose—foods such as yogurt and cheeses.

My Baby is Lactose Intolerant, But He Still Needs Milk.

Milk is the cornerstone of a newborn’s diet. Their whole world revolves around milk. And your baby has been diagnosed as being lactose intolerant. What do you do? You can’t stop giving your baby milk. But you can change the milk.

For a baby on infant formula, there are many lactose-free varieties of formula. And even if the baby is allergic to milk, there are milk substitutes available. Many formulas offer a ‘milk-free’ soy-based formula to give the baby a milk-less way of getting their nutrition.

It is worth mentioning; a lactose intolerant newborn is very rare. The infant is born with the proper enzyme lactase, which enables them to digest milk properly. A lactose intolerant infant is usually one which was premature. They usually begin to develop enough of their lactase to make the intolerance simply a passing phase.

A doctor should see a baby over two months old exhibiting stomach discomfort and bloated with excess gas. It may be an indicator of being lactose intolerant. But again, it is a rare condition for infants to have. They are more likely to have a milk allergy than lactose intolerance.

Lactose Sensitive

If you are concerned about your baby being lactose intolerant, schedule a doctor’s appointment. The child’s doctor can make a proper diagnosis. His diagnosis could be lactose sensitive, not intolerant.

We just mentioned the fact that most babies are born with the enzyme lactase. And those who lack the enzyme usually begin producing it. In the meantime, the doctor may diagnose the child as ‘sensitive’ and not intolerant.

Being diagnosed as sensitive to lactose is just another way of saying, he or she will grow out of it. There may not be enough lactase present in the child’s digestive system. And eventually, the doctor makes the assumption the child will begin producing the proper amount of lactase. Meanwhile, they are simply ‘sensitive’ to the whole lactose issue.

So Can I Give My Baby Lactaid?

It will seem if your baby has an intolerance to lactose to go ahead and give them Lactaid. So it would seem. There are many opinions to the contrary.

Lactaid is NOT recommended as a milk substitute for infants or children under the age of one year. If the infant is having problems with digesting lactose milk, then try to give them the needed nutrition in other forms. Dairy items such as cheese and yogurt are a good source for the calcium and vitamins found in whole milk.

Lactaid is simply not beneficial to children under one year. And it could end up causing additional stomach problems and loss of their appetite. So, no, don’t give your baby Lactaid.

Thoughts on Milk

There are varying opinions on whether or not a child needs milk. A child who breastfeeds until the age of two can receive far more nutrients than those who simply drink milk. And a child who doesn’t tolerate milk well can get milk benefits from other sources.

There are no other species of mammals who drink milk as an adult. And the breastfed child needs nothing other than mother’s milk to grow up happy and healthy. It is recommended when switching a child over to whole cows milk, not to use skim milk. There are some nutritional benefits lost in skim milk. If you should be concerned about the child having weight issues, later on, use 2% milk as a precaution.

Will feeding your baby Lactaid impact his sleep schedule?

Absolutely! Feeding your baby Lactaid can have an impact on his sleep schedule. But, unfortunately, many parents feed their baby Lactaid without even considering that it may totally impact your baby for days to come.

Your baby’s diet will impact their sleep quality. Therefore, it is highly recommended to use this specific baby sleep schedule on nights your baby consumes Lactaid.

Can Lactaid cause your baby to have nightmares?

Some parents believe that the ingredients in Lactaid may cause your baby to have nightmares. You might be just as surprised as us to learn how much Lactaid impacts your baby’s sleep. However, there are ways to check if the Lactaid ingredients are impacting your baby’s sleep. Check out that link to learn about the powerful impact Lactaid has on your baby’s sleep.

Conclusion

Hopefully, we have given you a bit of information so you can be a better-informed parent. Better informed about the use of Lactaid in your baby’s diet.

Lactose intolerance is rare in infants and small children. Don’t just assume your child will be like you and unable to properly digest milk and milk products. The baby’s doctor can decide.

Just give them a tall frosty glass of love and affection.