Help with possible dairy/soy allergy?

Hi
I am exclusively pumping for my 4 month old as breastfeeding did not work out. He gets one or two bottles formula a week as top ups as I cant seem to keep up with him and I am always a few ml short every day. I started out giving him karicare HA as I had a dairy allergy as a baby (drank soy formula) and my husband's nieces and nephews all had issues with dairy when they were toddlers. He suffers from reflux, spitting up a lot, and was prescribed infant gaviscon but at the same time my karitane nurse made me realise that his reflux could actually be a dairy intolerance so I cut out all dairy from my diet. Within a few days he was so much better, and I dont use the gaviscon any more (I have tested this and when I have milk/cheese or chocolate he will start spitting up the next day). My gp suggested I use soy formula as a top up instead of a dairy based one. He drank the first few bottles fine (S26 soy) but last week he just started refusing to drink it. I thought it might be the taste so I tried to "trick" him into drinking it by giving it to him as a dream feed. He drank the full bottle and seemed fine sleeping and everything but two hours later he started projectile vomiting up everything. I tried giving it to him again a few days ago, he refused again but had a few sips before I gave him a bottle of breastmilk. Two hours later he started vomiting again.

I am thinking that I should probably get him tested for allergies if that is possible. I don't really know if he is allergic to dairy/soy or just intolerant but I don't want to give him something that will make him sick. At the moment I am thinking of giving him a few teaspoons of cereal or other solids to make up for the few ml he needs extra everyday but I have heard that starting solids too soon can cause allergies so now I am not too sure about this. On the other hand I need to give him something if he is hungry and I cant express any more and it seems like formula is just making him sick.

I am new to New Zealand (as well as a new mom) and I am not sure what to do next, do I take him back to my GP or do I wait for my plunket appointment next week? Or should I take him directly to a paediatrician or do I need to be referred? We have medical insurance so they will probably cover it?

On the other hand I can probably get him on solids quickly if that is a good idea, as he is a very big boy (more than 8kg at 4 months) and shows all the signs of being ready for solid food including being very hungry all the time (he drinks more than a litre of expressed milk a day).

Hi, thanks for replying. I'm in Auckland so I am thinking that I will first go back to my GP and see if he can refer me. I found out that I need a referral for my insurance. I'm not sure if my GP really knows what he is doing as he said if the soy formula isn't working I should try a lactose free formula but doesn't breast milk contain a large amount of lactose?

No, I haven't tried goats milk, I know that I was sensitive to that as well when I was a baby so I don't want to even bother with it except if a Dr insists.
I actually really want to wean him from breast milk as the pumping is getting me down and with him being more active and awake it is really hard to keep him occupied while I am pumping. But now with the issues with formula it feels like I have no choice.

I bought some baby rice cereal, and it looks like it contains only rice. He seemed fine eating it today but it feels like I am giving him diet food as its only carbs and no fat or protein. Thanks for the suggestions, I cant believe everything that contains dairy! It seems like milk solids is in everything (I've been making a point of reading labels).

Yes BM is full of lactose!

Watch out for Casein & whey as ingredients as well. Hidden dairy although things are much more accurately labelled now as compared to 3 years ago.

Ha....I just clicked who you are Mina!