The term lactose intolerant refers to the fact that the body cannot produce sufficient amounts of lactose. This enzyme is used to digest the lactose that is present in all dairy products. It is the sugar present in cow’s milk, for example. When lactose is not digested, it remains in the intestines causing gastrointestinal problems.
Babies who have delivered prematurely are more likely to not be able to make enough lactose. This becomes evident when they suffer from diarrhea too often and cry due to stomach pain. In some cases, babies may also vomit or experience eczema. These signs usually begin to appear thirty to sixty minutes after the baby has consumed milk. This milk can be cow or maternal milk.
Some basic symptoms of lactose intolerance include pain and cramps in the abdominal area, bloating, and gas for up to two hours after the baby has had milk. Intolerance not only manifests itself when the baby has drunk milk, but even if he eats solid foods. This is for those babies who have reached the solid food stage and if they eat something made with dairy products, such as cheese, they may experience similar symptoms.
Differences are observed between babies who are lactose intolerant, as some may be fine even after consuming food or milk containing lactose, while the rest would feel very uncomfortable after consuming a small amount.
The pain that babies experience can cause them to show signs such as crying and screaming, grimacing, shifting and squirming showing that they are uncomfortable. Most mothers may think that their babies cry because they are hungry. But this can continue even after they have been fed.
Not going to sleep and discomfort while sleeping are also common. After crying all day while awake, it may appear that they are also unhappy at night, causing the mother to be unwell. While sleeping, they may wake up suddenly and cry loudly, as if they are in pain.