Cow’s milk protein-based powdered milk helps babies develop comprehensively but also poses a risk of allergies. For healthy baby development, the market now offers milk formulas for babies allergic to cow’s milk protein. Let’s check them out with AVAKids!

1What is Cow’s Milk Protein Allergy?

1.1. Causes of Cow’s Milk Protein Allergy

Cow’s milk protein allergy occurs when the body’s immune system identifies milk protein as harmful. The body then produces immune antibodies called IgE to neutralize these allergy-causing proteins.

Cow’s milk protein contains two main allergy-causing proteins: Casein (found in the solid part of curdled milk) and whey (found in the remaining liquid part of the milk after curdling).

1.2. Symptoms of Cow’s Milk Protein Allergy

To promptly identify signs of cow’s milk allergy in children, mothers need to carefully observe their baby’s reactions:

Fast Allergic Reactions

• The most common sign of cow’s milk allergy in babies is the appearance of red, burn-like rashes or hives on their skin. This indicates that the baby’s immune system is reacting to the protein in the milk.
• Babies allergic to cow’s milk will have difficulty breathing, wheezing, and phlegm in their throat or nose.

Signs of Cow’s Milk Protein Allergy in Babies

Slow Allergic Reactions

• Babies allergic to cow’s milk may cry prolongedly due to stomach pain.
• They may experience frequent diarrhea (about 5-7 times/day) with loose or bloody stools.
• Babies with cow’s milk protein allergy are prone to gastroesophageal reflux and vomiting, which can lead to nutrient deficiencies, slow growth, and even weight loss.

1.3. What to do when your baby has a cow’s milk protein allergy

• For babies under 12 months old, completely eliminate cow’s milk and dairy products from their diet, as breast milk is their primary source of nutrition at this stage.
• Mothers also need to carefully control their food and drink intake before breastfeeding to avoid cow’s milk protein allergy in their babies.
• Babies with cow’s milk protein allergy should limit the consumption of milk from other animals and replace it with nut or fruit milk.

Pack of 3 137 Degrees Traditional Walnut Milk 180 ml (from 1 year old)

2Criteria for Choosing Milk for Babies with Cow’s Milk Protein Allergy

2.1. Choose milk with hydrolyzed protein

Milk with partially or fully hydrolyzed protein is better for babies with cow’s milk protein allergy. In addition, the product should also contain adequate nutrients for the baby’s comprehensive and healthy development, specifically:

• Fat and energy for the baby to be active all day.
• Vitamins and minerals are essential in milk: The minimum calcium content should be 90 mg/100 kcal, potassium 80 mg/100 kcal, etc.

2.2. Choose milk supplemented with probiotics for babies

Babies with cow’s milk protein allergy often experience digestive problems such as diarrhea and abdominal pain due to damaged intestinal mucosa. Therefore, mothers should choose milk supplemented with probiotics to help heal the mucosa and strengthen their child’s digestive health.

Choose milk that provides probiotics for your baby’s body

2.3. Choose milk suitable for your baby’s age

Formula milk brands usually offer different products for each age and stage of a child’s development. Therefore, mothers should choose milk appropriate for their child’s age to meet their nutritional needs and promote optimal development.

2.4. Choose reasonably priced milk

Milk containing hydrolyzed protein is usually more expensive than regular milk products. As the baby grows, mothers can switch to plant-based milk (without cow’s milk protein) at a lower cost. However, nut milk often has lower nutritional value than powdered milk containing hydrolyzed protein.

2.5. Choose reputable brands

Mothers should choose milk from reputable brands to ensure their baby’s health and nutritional intake. Some reputable milk brands offer products for babies with cow’s milk protein allergies, such as Dielac, Nestle NAN, Meiji, and Friso.

3Top 8 Best Milk for Babies with Cow’s Milk Protein Allergy

3.1. NAN Supremepro 1 Powdered Milk

*Note: Promotional prices were updated on November 5, 2024, and may change over time!

NAN Supremepro 1 powdered milk is a nutritional product from Nestle Vietnam, researched and manufactured based on the criteria and strict international standards of the National Association for Sustainable Agriculture Australia (NASAA).

Key features:

• NAN milk provides many nutrients to enhance immunity and brain development in babies.
• The product supports the digestive system and helps babies gain healthy weight.
• It is a high-quality, safe powdered milk trusted by many mothers and tastes like breast milk.
• The milk contains partially hydrolyzed Opti-pro quality protein, minerals, vitamins A, D3, C, B1, etc., to fully supplement the baby’s nutritional needs.

3.2. Nutramigen A+ Lgg 400g Powdered Milk

*Note: Promotional prices were updated on November 5, 2024, and may change over time!

Nutramigen A+ Lgg 400g powdered milk belongs to Mead Johnson, a US powdered milk brand established in the 1900s. The brand’s first infant formula product was launched about 10 years later. Today, Mead Johnson has over 70 products in more than 50 countries, helping millions of children develop and become smarter.

Key features:

• Nutramigen A+ Lgg 400g powdered milk (0-12 months) is a product containing complete and balanced nutrition.
• Nutramigen milk is fully supplemented with DHA and ARA to help complete brain and visual development, giving babies better observation and memory skills, as well as healthy eyes.
• The milk is suitable for babies allergic to intact cow’s milk and soy protein, as well as foods derived from cow’s milk protein.
• Helps babies achieve maximum height growth by enhancing calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, and vitamin D3 supplementation. This helps nourish strong bones from within, effectively preventing rickets and stunted growth.

3.3. NAN Supremepro 2 Powdered Milk

*Note: Promotional prices were updated on November 5, 2024, and may change over time!

Following the success of NAN Supremepro 1 powdered milk, Nestlé has introduced NAN Supremepro 2 powdered milk with more improvements, helping babies absorb nutrients better.

Key features:

• NAN Supremepro 2 milk enhances immunity with the addition of HMO 2’FL.
• The product also supports the digestive system and helps babies gain healthy weight thanks to its quality hydrolyzed Optipro protein.
• The milk is considered a “cooling” milk as it is supplemented with millions of probiotics to create a balance in the intestinal microflora, supporting smooth digestion, stimulating intestinal motility, softening stools, and reducing constipation.

3.4. Meiji HP Milk

Meiji HP milk is a hydrolyzed protein milk from the Japanese Meiji milk brand, designed for children prone to milk allergies. It has gained the trust of many Vietnamese mothers in recent years. The product helps babies grow and develop comprehensively, both physically and intellectually.

Key features:

• Meiji HP milk helps babies gain weight and develop comprehensively. It completely eliminates allergy symptoms caused by milk protein intolerance.
• Meiji milk helps supplement DHA and ARA, supporting children’s brain development.
• Additionally, vitamins A, B, C, K, phosphorus, calcium, etc., in the milk help children have good resistance and better height development.

Meiji HP Milk

3.5 Hikid Goat Milk

*Note: Promotional prices were updated on November 5, 2024, and may change over time!

Hikid goat milk is a formula milk product for children aged 1 to 9 years, manufactured by ILDONG Corporation of South Korea. The milk is made from 100% goat milk, ensuring quality and safety for babies, and is suitable for babies allergic to cow’s milk protein.

Key features of Hikid goat milk:

• Rich in calcium and vitamin D: Supports height development and strong bones and teeth.
• Easy to digest: Goat milk has a smaller protein structure than cow’s milk, making it easier for babies to digest and absorb nutrients.
• Suitable for babies allergic to cow’s milk: Hikid goat milk is an excellent alternative for babies allergic to cow’s milk protein or lactose intolerant.
• Supplemented with many essential nutrients: Hikid goat milk provides 45 essential nutrients for the baby’s comprehensive development, including vitamins A, C, E, B, DHA, ARA, taurine, choline, etc.
• Delicious flavor: Hikid goat milk has a mild, sweet taste that is easy to drink and stimulates the baby’s taste buds.

3.6. Similac Isomil Milk

Similac Isomil milk from the Abbott milk brand is currently one of the names trusted by many mothers. After nearly 130 years of development, Abbott has achieved successes that not every milk brand can achieve.

Key features:

• Similac Isomil milk, with its refined soy protein extract, is easily absorbed. The milk also contains many amino acids and unsaturated fatty acids that are very good for health.
• Provides a source of protein for the development of young children, reduces vomiting, bloating, helps babies digest well and gain weight steadily.
• Contains the IQ nutrient system, including AA, DHA, Omega 3, Omega 6, Taurine, Choline, iron, zinc, and essential nutrients for brain and visual development.
• The product strengthens the baby’s resistance by providing Nucleotides and FOS fiber to help the baby’s digestive system absorb nutrients maximally, so the baby develops healthily and is less prone to minor illnesses, giving mothers peace of mind.

Similac Isomil Milk

3.7. Enfa Mead Johnson’s Pregestimil Lipil Milk

Pregestimil Lipil milk comes from Mead Johnson, one of the first companies in the US to focus on scientific research on nutrition for infants and young children, trusted by millions of parents and healthcare professionals worldwide.

Key features:

• Pregestimil Lipil milk contains a blend of Omega 3 (DHA) and Omega 6 (ARA), fats found in breast milk that support vision development in children.
• The product contains high levels of Triglycerides, a fat that is easily absorbed, making it suitable for children with intestinal damage and poor fat absorption.
• Using this milk helps babies maximize calcium absorption into bones, enhances bone length development, builds strong bones and teeth, and prevents the risk of calcium deficiency.

Pregestimil Lipil Milk

3.8. Miwako Rice Milk

Miwako rice milk comes from the Dale & Cecil Malaysia brand, established in 2015. The brand’s mission is to provide organic nutrition for children, limiting common food groups that cause sensitivities, such as gluten, casein, and sugar.

Key features:

• Contains Omega 3, which helps develop healthy brains and nerves.
• Miwako rice milk is rich in organic plant protein, derived from Pisane PEATM yellow pea protein – one of the top 5 highest protein foods available today.
• The milk provides a complete protein source with all 9 essential amino acids for body development, and has been hydrolyzed for high nutritional value and minimal allergy risk.
• Miwako rice milk has no added sugar, artificial sweeteners, and is lactose-free, resulting in a mild, refreshing sweetness without causing allergies, making it suitable for all babies, including those with lactose intolerance.

Miwako Rice Milk helps develop the brain and nerves in children

4Milk Intake for Babies with Cow’s Milk Protein Allergy

Babies with cow’s milk protein allergy cannot get calcium from cow’s milk, so they need to breastfeed (hydrolyzed milk) to get enough nutrients for their daily activities. The specific milk intake for babies with cow’s milk protein allergy is as follows:

• Children under 1 year: Breastfeed on demand or follow 600 ml per day.
• Children 1-3 years: Breastfeed 300-400 ml/day or as needed.

Cow’s milk protein-free powdered milk often has a slightly different and less palatable taste than regular powdered milk products. Initially, when starting with this milk, mothers should only give their babies a small amount of 100-200 ml and then gradually increase it according to their age.

A baby’s cow’s milk protein allergy can gradually lessen as they grow older. Therefore, parents should take their child for checkups every 6 months to assess their allergy status and adjust their daily diet accordingly.

5Frequently Asked Questions About Cow’s Milk Protein Allergy in Children

5.1. What should mothers avoid if their child has a cow’s milk protein allergy?

In addition to not drinking cow’s milk, children with cow’s milk protein allergy should also avoid dairy products like cheese, yogurt, cakes, and candies. This is because these foods may contain more cow’s milk protein than breast milk.

Furthermore, for safer breastfeeding, mothers should avoid drinking cow’s milk and eating foods containing cow’s milk protein for 2-6 weeks. Follow this principle for 2 weeks, then reintroduce these foods for 2 weeks to see if the baby’s allergy symptoms fall into one of the following categories:

• The baby’s allergy symptoms do not recur: The mother can return to a normal diet.
• The baby’s allergy symptoms recur: Continue the cow’s milk-free diet for another 2-6 weeks until the baby no longer shows any adverse reactions to breast milk.

Pack of 4 Vinamilk Super Nut 180 ml (from 4 years old)

5.2. What solid foods should babies with cow’s milk protein allergy eat?

Babies with cow’s milk protein allergy are at risk of being allergic to other foods as well. Therefore, if a child is diagnosed with this condition, mothers should only consider introducing solid foods after the child turns 6 months old to limit allergic reactions. The child needs to avoid the following foods when starting solids:

• Cow’s milk
• Foods made from cow’s milk: Butter, cheese, cakes, candies.

Here is a suitable solid food diet for babies with cow’s milk allergy:

• In the initial stage, when the baby is just starting solids, mothers can give them vegetables like carrots, sweet potatoes, bananas, etc.
• After a month, mothers can add eggs, pork, beef, and chicken. However, start with small amounts to check for any allergies to these foods.
• After three months, the baby can eat fish and seafood. But mothers should continue to give them small amounts to check for allergies.

5.3. Can cow’s milk protein allergy be cured?

According to statistics, children with cow’s milk protein allergy can recover completely by the age of 3-4. However, regular checkups are still essential. If the baby’s reaction is mild, you need to modify their diet to ensure their health. If the baby’s reaction is severe, the doctor will provide more detailed recommendations on diet and childcare.

After the child has been tested and shows no reaction to milk protein, parents can gradually reintroduce cow’s milk and foods containing cow’s milk protein. However, this should be done gradually and under the guidance of a doctor to minimize any impact on the baby’s health.

6Where to buy milk for babies with cow’s milk protein allergy?

Currently, milk products for babies with cow’s milk protein allergy or other powdered milk brands such as Abbott Grow 2, Nutifood, Pediasure, etc., are available at AVAKids mother & baby stores nationwide. Here, mothers can easily choose the best quality, genuine formula milk products for their babies at affordable prices.

Also, download the AVAKids app for more offers:

Download the AVAKIDS app now: Smart Shopping, Great Promotions!

Milk for babies with cow’s milk protein allergy comes in a variety of prices and brands and is very good for a child’s overall development. If you have any questions, please contact AVAKids via hotline 1900.866.874 (7:30 – 22:00) or website avakids.com for answers and purchase support!