Why does milk give me a stomachache these days?

Dear doctor,
After taking milk all my life, it gives me gas and pain in the stomach, these days, not to mention diarrhoea! Why is this so?
Mr Laban Kakwenzire

Dear Laban
It is likely that you have now developed problems digesting lactose in milk. Although it happens earlier in life, it can come at any time later. The undigested lactose enters the big intestine where it is broken down by bacteria releasing substances or gases that cause a gassy, painful and running stomach.

Now what you have to do is to take less milk less often, taking it diluted or avoiding other milk products except those that may not cause a problem like yoghurt which has its own enzymes.

Dear doctor,
I delivered a few days ago but I’m worried about a soft swelling on my baby’s head. Is it the brain trying to escape?
Masitula

Dear Masitula,
When a baby is being born head first, pressure on the baby’s head by a dilating cervix will result in venous congestion in the affected baby’s scalp. The congestion results in water (serum) loss from the veins which water will make a soft swelling of the scalp, which goes away in hours or a few days.

When a woman has had a difficult delivery, blood instead of water may lead to a longer lasting swelling which requires a doctor’s examination and management. So wait and see. If the swelling does not go in a few more days, please visit your paediatrician. If this swelling was due to brain loss, the baby would be very sick.

Dear doctor,
My baby of two weeks has swollen breasts. Will they ever get back to normal? Could it be anything I ate while pregnant that could have caused this?
Mildred

Dear Mildred,
During pregnancy, sex hormones produced in large amounts will render a mother’s breasts bigger and more developed in preparation for breastfeeding after she delivers. These sex hormones do not lead to production of milk until after delivery when the placenta which produces the large amounts of sex hormones exits and another hormone prolactin takes over to cause milk production.

Since the sex hormones may reach the baby when in the womb and also cause breast development, it may be usual for babies whether girls or boys to be seen with swollen breasts for a week or two after birth. In fact some babies’ breasts may produce milk called witches milk. The swollen breasts can suffer breast infections from milk seeking germs from which the baby should be protected. Squeezing the breasts promotes the infection and should be avoided.

It is true that in China recently, some babies have developed breasts akin to those of puberty allegedly from consuming powdered milk. I do not think you consumed this kind of milk yourself to cause your baby big breasts. So if the baby is on formula feeds instead of breastfeeding, please report this to a doctor.

Answers by Dr Vincent Karuhanga