Does Lactaid Milk Make Babies Stool Change Color

Lactose overload is common just poorly recognized problem. Symptoms are typically misdiagnosed as colic, reflux, milk allergy or intolerance. If you have a gassy, irritable newborn, you won't want to miss this commodity.

What is lactose?

Lactose is the saccharide (sugar) constitute in milk and milk products. It is present in the milk of all mammals but is not found anywhere else in nature. Breast milk contains around 7% lactose.

About cows' and goats' milk based babe formulas contain a like percentage of lactose as breast milk. Soy based infant formulas and most 'hypoallergenic' infant formulas have no lactose.

Lactose is a disaccharide, which means it'due south a combination of 2 sugars joined together. Every bit a disaccharide it is too large to be captivated past the trunk, so it needs to be broken downwards into glucose and galactose, which are monosaccarides (single sugars), past the digestive enzyme 'lactase'. Glucose and galactose tin then exist captivated into the blood stream and used by the body.

What is lactose overload?

Lactose overload is a 'dose-related' digestive problem. Symptoms occur when a baby's digestive tract becomes overloaded with lactose as a effect of overfeeding in the example of bottle-fed babies and oversupply syndrome in the case of breastfed babies.

The medical term for lactose overload is 'functional lactase insufficiency'. This definition implies that some newborn babies exercise not produce sufficient quantities of the digestive enzyme, lactase, to breakdown all of the lactose consumed. Most healthy babies tin can tolerate the amount of lactose within normal volumes of milk, and thus they're not technically lactose intolerant. Even so, the symptoms linked to lactose overload occur when a baby cannot fairly digest large amounts of lactose received equally a issue ofexcessive consumption of milk. So they brandish GI symptoms that make them appear like they're suffering from a digestive disorder.

Lactose overload is non a disorder. Symptoms occur in response to inappropriate feeding management.Symptoms tin exist significantly reduced or completely relieved in as little equally 24 hours one time advisable feeding direction strategies are practical.

Who is at risk of lactose overload?

Lactose overload is a common but poorly recognized problem affecting countless numbers of breastfed and bottle-fed babies in the early months of life. Information technology's estimated that as many as 2/3 of breastfed babies experience episodic symptoms associated with lactose overload in the first three months of life. A small percentage of breastfed babies may exist affected upward to 6 months of age. The number of canteen-fed babies afflicted is unknown.

Causes of lactose overload

The primary reasons for lactose overload symptoms are overfeeding in the example of bottle-feed babies, and oversupply syndrome in the example of breastfed babies.

Overfeeding

Overfeeding is a common problem for canteen-fed babies in the early on months because newborn babies cannot command the flow of milk though an artificial nipple (which is frequently stiff); stop when they want to end (because of their sucking reflex); or point when they have had plenty (owing to immaturity in concrete development). The hazard of overfeeding is increased if the period rate of the nipple is too fast and/or the parent misreads the baby'south behavioral cues and offers feeds too ofttimes. (See 'Hungry baby' for other reasons why babies overfeed).

Newborn babies are especially vulnerable to overfeeding because they have express power to self-regulate their intake owing to the presence of their sucking reflex. The sucking reflex, which disappears effectually three-iv months of age, is triggered by pressure on a baby'south hard palate past the mother'south nipple, the nipple of a feeding bottle, a pacifier, infant's fist or a parent's finger. In one case the sucking reflex has been triggered, a baby will suck regardless of whether she'southward hungry or not. Because a reflex is an involuntary, automatic response, she cannot not suck. The presence of a baby's sucking reflex increases the risk of overfeeding if parents are not conscientious.

Simplistic advice to 'feed on demand' increases the risk of overfeeding a newborn baby. Baby behavioral cues are non easy to read. Many babies nether the historic period of 6 months have a stiff want to suck. They want to suck when hungry, tired, bored, overstimulated, when uncomfortable, to soothe when upset, and for pleasure. Their desire to suck ways they will oftentimes fuss and requite the appearance of hunger at times when they're not in fact hungry, only rather want to suck. While I back up the opinion that babies need to be fed whenever they're hungry, all too often 'need' feeding is misinterpreted by parents to mean 'feed baby every fourth dimension she fusses, cries or wants to suck'.

Its the combination of active sucking reflex and misinterpreting behavioral cues every bit hunger that places newborn babies at loftier take a chance or overfeeding. And it's overfeeding that causes symptoms of lactose overload.

Oversupply syndrome

The situation is fifty-fifty more circuitous for breastfed babies because the ratio of fat in chest milk is constantly changing - within a unmarried feed and from feed to feed. The fat content of the milk received volition influence the volume of milk a infant consumes. While exclusively breastfed babies don't generally overfeed (though this can happen in certain situations) they can receive more lactose than their abdominal tract can handle owing to foremilk-hindmilk imbalance. This does not imply that there is anything wrong with a mother's milk. Foremilk-hindmilk imbalance occurs when a nursing mother has an oversupply of breast milk (more than her babe needs) and switches her baby between breasts too soon. Her infant may then receive disproportionate amounts of low-fat foremilk in relation to high-fat hindmilk. As a consequence of switching too soon, the baby needs to consume larger volumes of depression-fatty milk in order to receive sufficient calories to run into her growth and energy needs, and in doing so she may also receive more lactose than her intestinal tract is capable of digesting.

It'south non the frequency of feedings that cause GI symptoms in the case of an exclusively breastfed baby, just rather the fact that the mother is switching sides too soon or too frequently. If a newborn breastfed baby is also bottle-fed, overfeeding could potentially compound the problem and worsen the symptoms of lactose overload.

Sleeping problem

I discover that more often than not, an underlying sleeping problem begins the concatenation of events that leads to lactose overload bug. Typically an infant sleeping trouble - which is normally due to sleep associations - starts first. This so causes broken slumber. Cleaved sleep ways naps are short which and so results in more frequent feedings. Hunger is oftentimes blamed for baby's wakefulness. Broken sleep tin likewise crusade infant distress due to lack of slumber. Irritability due to over-tiredness is commonly blamed on hunger. Babies' desire to suck as a style to fall asleep is likewise blamed on hunger. So not only is the baby distressed due to lack of sleep, she now overfeeds and suffers gastro-abdominal (GI) discomfort associated with lactose overload. And if that's cracking enough, over-tiredness makes newborn babies vulnerable to distress associated with overstimulation.

Signs and symptoms of lactose overload

A breastfed baby'southward bowel motions tin exist liquid, frothy or 'explosive' (shoot out with force) and take a slightly offensive olfactory property.
A formula-fed baby'southward bowel motions tend to exist sloppy and foul smelling.
Bloating.
Cramps.
Excessive gas (farting) - foul smelling.
Irritability/screaming.
Sleeplessness or wakefulness.
Babe appears to be constantly hungry.
Baby gains big amounts of weight (which is non the example when a baby is lactose intolerant).
Infant is usually less than 3 months old, but in some cases this trouble can go on upwards to the age of v-6 months.
The baby might too spit up or regurgitate milk (not due to lactose overload merely rather overfeeding which causes symptoms of lactose overload).
Fussing during the feed and bearing downwards.
Extreme grunting in early hours of the morning.

The intensity of GI symptoms can vary in degree (mild, moderate or severe) depending on the corporeality of lactose nowadays in the large bowel at the time. The baby could suffer from abdominal discomfort at different times of the twenty-four hour period and night and at other times appear unaffected.

What triggers symptoms

Homeostatic mechanisms! Homeostasis occurs when the torso acts in a way to maintain a normal rest. I believe that the GI symptoms linked to lactose overload are the upshot of a number of homeostatic mechanisms acting to prevent babies from accumulating too much trunk fat at a time they're at greatest risk of overfeeding. An excessive accumulation of body fatty is not healthy for anyone, including babies. If an overconsumption of lactose tin can't exist digested, it can't be captivated, and the excess calories cannot be converted and stored equally body fat.

Homeostatic mechanisms in action

When all is running smoothly, lactose will be broken down into simple sugars - glucose and galactose in the modest intestines past a digestive enzyme called 'lactase'. Galactose and glucose tin then be absorbed into the claret stream through the wall of from the pocket-sized intestines, where it can and then exist used by the body. Only minor amounts of undigested lactose enter the large intestine (bowel).

Babies have limited ability to produce the enzymelactase within whatsoever particular time period. Normal healthy babies are capable of digesting lactose sufficient for healthy growth, but they may not be able to digest excessive amounts of lactose.

A baby'southward digestive system can become overloaded past lactose from large volume feeds, depression-fatty feeds, and/or frequent feeding patterns. The larger the book of milk in a baby's intestinal tract, the quicker information technology travels through. Large volumes of milk tin can pass through a baby'due south pocket-size intestines too speedily for all of the lactose to exist digested.

The nutritional content of milk also influences the speed at which it travels. Fatty slows down the rate at which milk will laissez passer through the tummy and abdominal tract. Considering foremilk is lower in fat compared to hindmilk, this means it will travel through the small-scale intestines faster. Plus, a breastfed infant who receives by and large low-fat foremilk will want to feed more often (in club to receive sufficient calories for her growth and energy needs) compared to if she consumed more high-fatty hindmilk. So she consumes large volumes of low-fat milk that travels through her small-scale intestines at a rate that is too fast for all of the lactose to be digested.

It'southward the amount of milk present in the intestinal tract at the time, rather than the amount consumed in a unmarried feed, that matters. So its possible for a baby to swallow more milk and thus lactose than she can handle as a event of small, frequent feeds. Frequent feeding patterns also touch the charge per unit of flow through the intestinal tract. Every bit milk begins to empty from the tum into the modest intestines this stimulates the gastro-colic reflex. This reflex causes contractions of the intestinal wall, which then pushes the contents forth. Information technology'southward the body'due south style of making room for the new feed. (The gastro-colic reflex action is why newborn babies oftentimes poop or pass gas during feeding and grunts at times). If a baby is fed over again before the lactose in the previous feed is fully digested, the gastro-colic reflex may push some of the undigested lactose from the previous feed from the small intestines through to the large intestine.

All is good then far. Information technology's the adjacent phase where problems occur for the baby.

Then what happens?

If the milk travels through a baby's pocket-size intestines too quickly for all of the lactose to be digested, large amounts of undigested lactose tin can be pushed into the big intestine. There the undigested lactose (which is a sugar) draws in actress water through the abdominal wall through a process called 'osmosis'. Intestinal bacteria (both good and bad) unremarkably present in the bowel ferment the undigested lactose. The fermentation process produces abdominal gas. The terminate result for baby is bloating, intestinal cramps, frequent watery/sloppy, foul smelling bowel motions, and lots of flatus (farts). Stools are acidic and tin scald baby's little bottom if left in contact with the pare too long.

The bloating, abdominal cramps, acrid poop causes discomfort/hurting for the baby. She acts similar she'due south hungry because she has learned that feeding provides comfort, which it does - just only temporarily. An additional feed provides more milk and more lactose, which results in more lactose and potentially more gas, cramps, watery stools and more abdominal discomfort for baby... and then the bike continues.

Reflux

Reflux is not a cause or symptom of lactose overload. Simply it often goes hand in hand with lactose overload in the case of an overfed baby. Reflux (milk regurgitation) is another homeostatic machinery that protects a babe from the effects of overfeeding. Regurgitation of stomach contents volition occur when the tum is overly stretched due to large volume feeds. Babies who throw up large volumes of milk may be less inclined to suffer GI symptoms due to lactose overload, because by throwing upwardly they may reduce the lactose load within their intestinal tract. But throwing up won't necessarily prevent episodes of GI discomfort due to lactose overload.

Annotation: Reflux also occurs for reasons other than overfeeding. Because a baby regurgitates milk does not mean they are overfeeding.

Misdiagnosis

What babies suffering from lactose overload need is for their parents or caregivers to receive pedagogy on interpreting baby behavioral cues and constructive feeding management advice. What most babies get, is a medical diagnosis, medications and/or dietary change.

The symptoms of lactose overload are oft mistakenly attributed to problems such as colic, reflux, lactose intolerance or milk poly peptide allergy or intolerance. A mistaken diagnosis can trigger an unfortunate chain of events that has the potential for unintended and potentially harmful consequences for the baby further down the track.

At beginning, babe'south symptoms may exist dismissed every bit "normal". If parents are insistent that its not, babe might then exist diagnosed with colic or reflux, or both, and given medications.

Colic medications: Many colic medications - that actually make a divergence - work by reducing contractions of intestinal tract. By doing so, provide more time for more lactose to exist digested and reduce symptoms related to lactose overload.
Antacid and acid suppressing medications delay gastric elimination time, and therefore may provide more time for lactose to exist digested which in turn may reduce discomfort due to lactose overload. Or they can make the situation worse, as these meds can inhibit the growth of good leaner in the intestinal tract that help to assimilate lactose (as can antibiotics).

So there could be some relief every bit a result of medications, only commonly not enough, especially when infant has an underlying sleeping trouble. Adjacent baby might exist diagnosed with a digestive disorder like lactose intolerance or milk protein allergy or intolerance.

Lactose-reduced and lactose-free formula

So-called 'colic' and 'reflux' formulas are lactose-reduced. Soy infant formula and hypoallergenic formulas are lactose-free. All of these formulas have the potential to mask the symptoms associated with lactose overload. They practise nothing to fix the problem that is causing the symptoms, i.e. overfeeding or oversupply syndrome, but they can reduce or relieve abdominal discomfort associated with lactose overload, and in doing so provide some relief to distressed babies and exhausted parents. (They won't resolve distress due to an underlying sleeping problem).

Basically, medications and lactose-reduced or lactose-costless formula save symptoms by inhibiting the actions of a infant's natural homeostatic mechanisms. Sure, a baby may be more content as a result, just past inhibiting his homeostatic mechanisms, he'due south at present at increased risk of accumulating excessive amounts of trunk fat if overfeeding problems are non addressed (i.east. if parents keep to misinterpret behavioral cues as hunger while baby'south sucking reflex remains active).

Consequences of misdiagnosis

Babies are exposed to the risk of side furnishings and secondary adverse effects associated with medications. (Meet Colic medications and antacids).
Breastfed babies are needlessly weaned to formula and deprived of the benefits of breastfeeding.
Botte-fed babies might be given biting tasting hypoallergic formula, which costs 3 times as much every bit regular formula. Incorrectly labelling a healthy, thriving, however irritable babe as 'lactose intolerant' may effect in a lifetime of unnecessary dietary restrictions.

Misdiagnosis occurs more frequently than you might think. Many wellness professionals take not heard of lactose overload and how this relates to feeding direction. Nor are they aware of the intricacies involved in breastfeeding or bottle-feeding healthy babies, and therefore may exist ill-equipped to propose parents on how to resolve this trouble through feeding management strategies. As a consequence of receiving feedback from parents that their infant is more than settled every bit a event of medications or due to switching to lactose-gratis formula (such as soy or hypoallergenic formula) gives the health professional person the fake impression that their diagnosis was correct and they are then more likely to advise other parents to do the same; unaware that there are far more than effective ways to manage this trouble and promote a baby's contentment.

Lactose overload vs lactose intolerance

The GI symptoms associated with lactose overload and lactose intolerance are due to the fermentation of undigested lactose in the large bowel. Hence, the GI symptoms for both issues are the same. A baby troubled by lactose overload will have fake positive results when tested for lactose intolerance. These tests cheque the baby'south stools (poop) for indications of acid, which is present when lactose is fermented in the large bowel (which will occur with both bug).

In the case of lactose overload, information technology's the backlog lactose, beyond what is normal, that the baby has problem digesting. Although irritable due to GI discomfort, the baby is physically well and gaining weight well. (Rarely, a breastfed baby might display poor growth equally a event of this problem).

In the case of lactose intolerance, the babe is unable to assimilate normal amounts of lactose. This means the baby, whose main or only source of nutrition is milk, will be deprived of the calories that lactose provides (while she is fed milk containing lactose). She will rapidly become unwell and lose weight. (See our commodity of lactose intolerance for more than).

Why is lactose of import?

Lactose is important to a baby's health. It aids in the assimilation of calcium and phosphorus and supports the growth of good bacteria in the intestinal tract. Good bacteria are major players in the prevention of illness. They inhibit the growth of harmful microorganisms – bacteria, viruses, and parasites - that live in the abdominal tract and those entering the torso in food and fluids. Practiced bacteria help to keep the walls of the intestines healthy, preventing harmful microorganisms from entering into the blood stream. Good bacteria also aid in the digestion of lactose.

Galactose, a simple carbohydrate that comes from the breakdown of lactose, is vital to a healthy brain and nerve tissues. Galactose tin can be institute is some foods, but milk containing lactose volition exist a baby's merely source of galactose during the early on months - an of import time of rapid brain growth and evolution.

Glucose, the other simple saccharide that bonds with galactose to form lactose in milk. Glucose is essential for free energy, growth and jail cell development. Without glucose in the diet a baby will use body fat as a source of energy, and lose weight. A babe will non survive if deprived of glucose for a long period. Most foods, including lactose-free milk, will be broken down or converted into glucose in the body.

While all infant formula provide glucose, lactose-free formula, soy infant formula and almost hypoallegenic formulas do not. Babies fed these formulas miss out on the benefits of galactose in the early months. Insufficient studies accept been conducted to make up one's mind whether this has any detrimental long term furnishings on a baby'southward brain development or non.

What you can do to solve lactose overload

Breast fed babies

The key to correcting the problem of foremilk-hindmilk imbalance, which leads to lactose overload, is to ensure your breasts are adequately emptied earlier switching sides.

If yous are currently offering both breasts at each feeding, try to extend feeding time on each breast to ensure your baby has fairly emptied the first chest before switching sides. (Discover your baby'south feeding beliefs to decide when it's time to switch rather than watching the clock. While your baby is contentedly feeding, there is no need to switch sides. She will allow you know when she needs to be switched). If this does not relieve her GI symptoms, try one-sided breastfeeding.

How often you lot would need to feed from the same chest before switching to the other side would depend on the degree of oversupply (mild, moderate or extreme) and how often yous feed your baby. If you have an overly abundant supply of chest milk it may be necessary to offer your baby the same breast multiple times (2, 3 or four times) before your breast is adequately tuckered (not that breasts every fully empty). This will mean your baby gets lower volumes of milk only the proportion of fat in the milk volition exist increased with each feeding. The higher fat content volition help to wearisome down the rate at which the milk flows through her abdominal tract. This will allow more time for the lactose to exist digested in her minor intestines and minimise GI symptoms related to lactose overload. The college fat content will too mean your infant will feel more satisfied and she may and then non desire to feed as frequently.

Also see our 'Hungry infant' article for reasons why babies often appear to be hungry when they're not.

IMPORTANT: Circumspection should be used with same side feeding as information technology tin can subtract supply (which is what you desire when you lot have an oversupply just not to the indicate where it becomes an undersupply). When making changes to feeding management it is of import to closely monitor the number of moisture diapers your baby has each twenty-four hour period. There should be five or more moisture disposable diapers or 6 or more moisture cloth diapers each day. A weekly weight check may as well be helpful to reassure you that your baby is getting enough nourishment. Also be guided by your babe'due south feeding behavior. If she'due south fussing at the breast and it feels soft, offering the other side.

Facts about breast milk and lactose

Lactose is produced in breast milk independent of what the mother eat or drinks. Whether she drinks milk or eats dairy food or non, the amount of lactose in her milk will be the same.

Formula-fed babies

See Estimate how much formula your infant needs to discover if your baby is overfeeding.
See 'Hungry baby' to notice mutual reasons for overfeeding.
Try to encourage your infant to go iii - 4 hours betwixt feedings during the day (timed from the first of one feeding to the beginning of the next).
If your baby is feeding quickly (under 10 minutes), slow down the feed by using a slower nipple or give your infant brief breaks during the feed.
Reply to your baby'southward feeding cues and stop the feed when she indicates she wants to stop. Don't try to make her empty the canteen.
Discourage a bottle-feeding-sleep clan by keeping your babe awake during the feed or or waking her if she becomes sleepy while feeding.
If your baby is currently on low-lactose or lactose-gratuitous formula once you have addressed reasons for overfeeding (in a higher place) you may find you can return her to regular formula.

How to tell when things are under control

You will know when you have this trouble under control when your baby'south stools decrease in frequency, thicken in consistency, and she become less gassy and more than settled. Green stools volition gradually become yellow/mustard color.

Making appropriate adjustments to infant feeding practices can be very effective in relieving a baby's GI discomfort associated with lactose overload; however, feeding strategies lonely won't necessarily guarantee her contentment. Baby care problems are not rationed to ane per baby. A lactose overload trouble often develops as a result of a underlying infant sleeping problem. It can also develop when parents misinterpret their infant's desire to suck at times of tiredness, when bored, when over-stimulated, when uncomfortable and for pleasance, every bit hunger.

Written by Rowena Bennett.