BabyWhispererForums.com
EAT => Food Allergies => Topic started by: ~Emma~ on May 26, 2011, 12:20:30 pm
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OK, good news. FINALLY got someone to listen to me. ;D
The dietician came round this am with that pesky HV. I showed her D's skin , which is pretty gnarly right now. I also showed her my food diary that I had kept and listed all her behaviours, sleeping patterns, BM's (she is terribly constipated right now regardless of drinking LOTS of prune juice).
She was lovely and said that it could indeed be a dairy intolerance and would highly recommend dairy and soy free for an 8 week trial. She mentioned that this should have been the first port of call all along with skin like that. She commented on how congested she is....DH and I dont even notice that anymore but whenever anyone meets her for the 1st time its usually the 1st thing they say ''aw, is she unwell?''
So I get neocate next week to start. Probably not until Tuesday or Weds though due to the Bank Holiday.
I have another dilemma. I am still BF twice a day. Do I go dairy free for 8 weeks or just throw in the towel now? I just know I'll cave with something, probably cheese.
Again feeling nervous and overwhelmed by it all.
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So happy someone finalled listened to you :) (but sorry that it seems your instinct was right) - Murray constantly had a snotty nose too which was my main indicator something was wrong.
Sorry, I know you don't want to hear this, but I think you should go dairy free - if you don't she is still getting some dairy so it's not a completely dairy-free trial. I think you know this already, but you know there are lots of us in the same boat to hold your hand. It really isn't as bad as it seems, especially when you start seeing results. The cheese cravings do pass (I used to eat cheese every day). Jammie Dodgers don't have milk (although the little ones do!!) and they are my new vice!!!
If you want suggestions for dairy free products, let me know. Labels are really good now, but eating out is tough (I tend to always have baked tatties, with no butter, and beans, etc). It;s great for the waistline as almost all cakes and chocolate (apart from the really rich stuff) are dairy - cooking is fine - just use oat milk, pure margarine and things taste fine (some actually are tastier!!).
So many hugs
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Sorry, I know you don't want to hear this, but I think you should go dairy free - if you don't she is still getting some dairy so it's not a completely dairy-free trial.
I think you misunderstood lovely. I meant either I go dairy free or I quit BF'ing!
Thanks for the support. i donthave a clue how to read labels. I dont even know what it is on the label I should be looking for! Any help appreciated. :-*
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Sorry! I think it is really up to you - I know you are considering giving up anyway, but I suppose if you continue b/feeding if she doesn't take to the Neocate (Oliver did, Murray took a while) then you wont be as stressed (apart from the lack of cheese!!) as she can always take milk from you.
If you look at the "allergy information" box on every food label it will say "contains cows milk" or "may contain traces of cows milk" (I eat the latter! - after one food shop you will quickly know where to find it. The main odd milk-containing ones are salt and vinegar crisps and some processed meats!!
You will know that lots of people who can't tolerate milk can't take soya but not sure if you are thinking about that too? If so, the main one there is pre-sliced bread - it (almost) all contains soya (but bagels don't!) :(
I can post you the info the dietician gave me about what to avoid/how to get calcium etc if you want as we don't need them.
Hugs
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Thanks hon but i've got the dietician here getting all that stuff for me.
Yep we are going soy free too. Ugh, BREAD...you have got be kidding me?
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Yep we are going soy free too. Ugh, BREAD...you have got be kidding me?
Yup!! If you have a breadmaker you can buy the supermarket own brand bread mixes, or Wright's ones (just add water). I am living on bagels, Jammie Dodgers and Skittles!!!
(to be fair, that is just the convenience things I am relying on most - I am a fussy eater which doesn't help!!). If you like baking you are fine as you can make almost everything soya/dairy free.
Glad you are getting the professional support at last. It really is okay once you get into it. I have actually gone off chocolate too (I used to LOVE it!) - the thought of it now is not tempting at all (apart from when I am tired and over-hungry!).
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What I would do is get the neocate and see how she takes to it while still breast feeding without an ED for a week. If she takes it ok then I'd move to neocate for all milk feeds and give up breast feeding. So she won't be totally dairy free for that first week but that's ok.
I find giving up dairy really tough. I'd find soy too even worse.
But only saying that as i know you've been thinking about quitting anyways and I think if D takes the neonate ok you can stop bfing with no guilt and not have to worry about slipping up on an ED and affecting the dairy and soy free trial.
Hugs xxx
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I agree Shiv but its when it comes back in 8 weeks thats she's possibly not MSPI then I will feel terrible. Not for her but for myself. I am back to really enjoying BF'ing again now we are down to 2 feeds a day. They are no hassle, the morning one is just lovely. Its before B gets up and its so long and lazy. A real 'us' time kwim? The mid morning one is dying a death though, she's barely interested in it. Here I go with this battle again!
I am thinking that if its only for 8 weeks then I might as well give it a bash. What I need is some sort of meal plan to go with for her and myself. So far I'm having bagels for breakfast.... ;)
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Well that's a different story then!!!
Am really glad you're enjoying it again.
Has the dietician given you info?
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So far I'm having bagels for breakfast....
... don't forget that they are good for lunch too!! I had a caramelised onion and poppy seed one from Tesco for lunch today - thought I'd splash out a bit!! ;)
Yes,menu planning is the secret!
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Emma, whether to give up BFing is totally up to you hun. Going dairy/soy free is hard at first yes but there are plenty of Mums who have done it and loved to tell the tale!
Are you much of a cook anyway? We didn't eat many ready meals anyway so easy enought to adapt regular meals as really soy is only in chinese food then!
Marks and Sparks do a beautiful seeded brown loaf that it dairy and soy free. Filling too so I had it for brekkie (before we were wheat free too ::)) and it would fill me to lunch. Think most if not ALL white bread has soy in it.
So stock up on DF milk, marg, plain choc (check ingredients tho) and bread. Forget cheese for 8 weeks.
Brekkie can be bread & DF marg, cereals/porridge with DF milk, fry ups!
Main meals - LOADS!
Snacks - fruit, sweets, plain choc, hunt down DF biscuits (there are some!), there must be cakes in the free from se4ctions in supermarkets. Or make cakes, biscuits, flapjacks, rocky road (recipe in recipe section), with dairy free marg/milk.
Drinks - anything, just replace milk in hot drinks with DF milks
HTH?
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http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=173345.0
check this link out
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Thanks for those hon. Helps loads.
OK, So I am going to go out at the weekend and stock up on that bread and freeze a bunch ( I dont have use of our car atm and M&S is about 15 miles away!). So that and DF spread (whats that like btw?) peanut butter or jam for brekkie. Not a massive brekkie fan so that'll do. Although I will heartliy partake if its a fry up! :D
Lunches I usually make soup twice a week anyways as DS loves it. Going to double up on what I'm making and I'll just have it most days. I could eat soup until it comes out of my ears and most of the recipes I use are actually DF anyways. Other than that I guess a tuna sandwich is ok? We also eat eggs for once or twice a week I just cant cook them in butter anymore if I'm scrambling. :P
Its dinners I'm feeling overwhelmed about. I dont want to eat a separate meal from the family and I certainly dont have time to cook to do that. This is where I am freaking out.
I am actually really revved up to do this. I kind of wish I had done it full on alot sooner. If it turns out it IS dairy thats bugging her then I am in for a helluva guilt ride given that its always been at the back of my mind.
I am however mourning cheese already. Its kind of DH's and my thing. We eat cheeseboards alot. :'( ;)
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It is not forever! You will eat cheese again! Make sure you don't have any in the house and you won't cave!
What kind of dinners do you usually have then? Meat, veg and a starch can easily be dairy free (chops, roast, fish, casseroles, chicken thigh bakes etc). Currries, spag bol, even pies can be DF if you buy the pastry that doesn't have butter in - it is the cheap stuff!
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Glad you are feeling its going to manageable. One plus to being dairy free is I've lost weight in the last 10 days since cutting back!
The dietician came round this am with that pesky HV.
Out of curiousity what did the pesky HV say when the dietician say to do the trial. I'd have been so tempted to say 'really? Because i was told last week that it was defintately NOT intolerances'. Makes me cross what you have been put through the last few weeks but am so glad you have support now. Hopefully the next time the HV comes across someone in a similar situation she'll be more supportive.
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Pure sunflower spread (now in a white tub) is fine - I used it anyway! You can bake/cook with it too. I think Vitalite is dairy free too.
I find evening meals the easiest actually! (apart from the lack of cheese!) Mayonaise is dairy free (unless you get the reduced fat one which has powdered cream in it, for some reason!!! so that is good for having in sandwiches, etc
I kind of wish I had done it full on alot sooner. If it turns out it IS dairy thats bugging her then I am in for a helluva guilt ride given that its always been at the back of my mind.
Don't feel guilty - you saw how hard it was to get someone to agree with you when you were pretty sure dairy was the cause; when you weren't sure it was impossible really for you to know about the dairy as any niggles were not backed up by people agreeing.
We discovered Murray's around 6 omnths (I think) and it was only after both ears perforated and he was b/feeding so much I stopped his cows milk - the penny dropped the day after I reintroduced the milk and his nose started .... despite me thinking as a little baby something was upsetting him, and mentioning to everyone (inc my good HV) about him always having a cold - but was told by everyone that it was "just a cold". The main thing is you ARE doing something about it (and you had to fight to get this far)
p.s. where are the bagels on your meal plan list ??? ;)
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I agree with Lucy - don't feel guilty AT ALL! I only just discovered about a month ago that my DS is highly dairy intolerant (not allergic) and he's doing SO much better now off dairy and he'll be two in a week! A friend of mine found out a few months ago that her DS is intolerant to both dairy and wheat and he's doing much better off them and he'll be 7 (!!) in July!
Hugs to you and hope you start to see improvement very soon.
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Really glad you've finally got some help and advice Emma :D
Dairy free is certainly possible - we're doing it here in an attempt to help DH's eczema and to stop me getting so snotty with hayfever! DS doesn't eat what we eat yet, we just give him dairy free (and assorted other allergen free ::)) pouches, rice crackers, fresh fruit & veg, and rice pasta.
For our meals pasta is good as tomato based sauces are mostly dairy free. We chuck in ham and olives to make a quick meal. Fish and rice is good, stir fry is excellent (although it's worth having a large wok to make it easier to cook), and just your traditional meat and two veg type stuff, with potatoes. For dessert there's jelly and fruit, fresh fruit and oat cream (keep it in the fridge and it goes really thick and creamy :)), and we even found a yummy dark chocolate with mint filling that's dairy free (Green & Blacks, or Asda own make which is just as good!)
All the best with the trial, really hope things improve and she takes well to the new formula :-*