I'm breastfeeding and have heard avoiding dairy can help reduce colic in my baby. Should I be removing dairy from my diet to help my baby’s colic symptoms?

Last updated 31/01/2025

Anyone who's spent a lot of time around babies knows that a baby with colic is an issue with no easy fix. Besides the prolonged crying and discomfort that can be difficult to witness and tough to endure, colic can also affect a baby's (and their caregiver's!) sleep. Parents and guardians are often desperate and will try anything, but it's important, particularly if you're breastfeeding, to not cut out food groups and sacrifice important nutrients in your diet without first speaking to your GP, dietitian, paediatrician or maternal child health nurse.

First things first - what is colic? Colic is a period of intense crying that young babies experience in the first few weeks of life. Symptoms include frowning and general unhappiness, passing gas and hallmark crying fits that can last for hours (often in the evening). The cause of colic is unknown, but thankfully colic symptoms don't stick around forever - they can appear in the first two to four weeks of life, and peak by eight weeks.¹

Good news if you're a dairy lover and a breastfeeding mum - although cutting out dairy for colic is common advice, ultimately, there's no convincing evidence linking a mother's diet to her baby's colic symptoms. Here's a run down of the evidence we do have:

Is lactose the culprit? Lactose is naturally found in all mammal's milk including human breastmilk, and is the main source of carbohydrate in breast milk. Therefore, avoiding dairy foods while breastfeeding won't actually reduce the amount of lactose in your breast milk. So, could your baby be lactose intolerant? Primary lactose intolerance in infants is where an infant has lactose intolerance from birth, and is a rare genetic condition² requiring special and immediate medical care. A baby with primary lactose intolerance would typically have other symptoms including poor weight gain - if you suspect your baby has this, it's important to seek urgent medical care. The Australian Breastfeeding Association has more information on breastfeeding and lactose.

Is cow's milk protein allergy to blame? Some babies can react to traces of foods that are present in breast milk, including allergies and intolerances. The most common food allergies are those to cow's milk, eggs and peanuts. Around 2% of babies in Australia are allergic to cow's milk, with most kids outgrowing this allergy by 3-5 years.³ Even if a food allergy is the case, it can be very hard to pinpoint which food is causing the issue, and cutting out food groups without medical supervision is not recommended and won't prevent allergy.⁴ That's why speaking to a GP, paediatrician, maternal child health nurse or dietitian is your best bet in getting to the bottom of a suspected food allergy.

If you've spoken to a health professional and ruled out any medical issues or other concerning symptoms, continue to consume dairy as part of a balanced diet including all food groups according to your requirements. Lactating women need two and a half serves of dairy a day to keep up their calcium stores in their bones (the very ones that were leeched out to create your baby's skeleton!).

Remember, colic is tough but it's not forever. You may be tempted to self-diagnose and cut out food groups, but in the long run, it probably won't help with colic and might increase your risk of nutrient deficiencies in this physically and mentally exhausting time. For more information on colic, including coping strategies, visit Period of PURPLE crying in babies | Gold Coast Health.