Milk/Soy Protein Intolerance (MSPI) Part 2

[my3girlsjde]

Mommy Mertel, my twins were MPI and reflux and outgrew it around 20 months, as 90% of them do. I jear you on missing milk. I'm a milk addict and the thought of ice cream, cheese and plain old milk makes me a little sad. I've been dairy and soy free for about 6 weeks and would kill for just a nibble lol.

I'd also like to know when to try adding dairy to my diet again.

Well we had E weighed again today and she's gained 5oz in 3 days with bfing alone this is the third time she's proved that she consistently gains without formula so there's something else in it that she's sensitive to. But she's gaining and no longer a failure to thrive!!!

[~Sarah~]

WOO HOO!!!  Good job on the weight gain!!

We are kind of small here too.  DD was 13lbs at 5mo, and she will be going to the Dr. for 6mo checkup in a few weeks.  She just did a big GS...my first I noticed in supply, so I am hoping she has gained some good weight.

[Gypsymom]

Well we had E weighed again today and she's gained 5oz in 3 days with bfing alone Smiley this is the third time she's proved that she consistently gains without formula so there's something else in it that she's sensitive to. But she's gaining and no longer a failure to thrive!!! Cheesy Cheesy Cheesy

That is so wonderful, Vicky! Congratulations!! This really made my day. BTW, I've got a friend who is doing FF with her refluxer and she is encouraging me to stay the course with BFing (although she is very sympathetic to the ED tactics we have to do to get there). At least we can (theoretically) control the contents of our milk. Tari (Scarlett's Mom) told me there can even be a corn product in normal table salt, so I've switched to sea salt as I think S is really iffy on corn. It does seem to pop up everywhere!!

Sarah, sorry to hear soy is now giving you guys grief too. Apparently a lot of bubs can tolerate the soy lecithin, but we ended up avoiding it.

[scarlettsmom]

Fantastic job Vicki!!   

[my3girlsjde]

Thanks
Just a quick update: Emma is now almost 16lbs and has some rolls of fat and doing quite well growth and developmentally. I had started adding foods in about a month ago and had some pretty nasty flare ups we've also discovered silent reflux that only became apparent when the foods were added back. We've started with Ranitidine and she's improving slowly but with my experience with the twins, she'll probably need something different in a couple of months.
Otherwise, during the day she's a happy little gal and doing great. Nighttimes are still a mess but we'll get there.
Thanks for the continued support.
Oh and still EBF'ing!!!

[bakershaker]

Wanted to ask some of you ladies over here this question:
My DD has had MPI since she was a few weeks old, but we didn't discover and treat it until she was 5 months. Since then she's been on soy formula and we've avoided all milk products. At 9 months we introduced cheese and then recently yogurt and she has no issues with them. However yesterday she had a peice of her brothers bagel with butter on it and she was not grumpy at all from it, but she did have a little spit up for the rest of the day. So I take it, she can tolerate cheese, yogurt, but not anything else yet? Anyone else here with advice as to when I should try to intorduce other milk products to her? Do I just keep trying every few months?

[my3girlsjde]

Just from my experience, and I'm not sure why, but my LC suggested to me that when I start eating dairy again to go with cheese and yogurt. Possibly the pasturization? Also these were the first two she recommended for me to introduce to her when the time came to try her with milk products.
Personally if she just spit up a biut more and she's otherwise fine, I'd mention it to the dr and wait and try again in a month or so. Yay for positive outcomes with the first two though. It sounds like if she's tolerating that stuff, then progress may be in the works.

[EloysH]

save the milk for last hun, the proteins are in the most "pure" state.  If shes tolerating cheeses now you could try goat milk or cows milk at 12 months.

[my3girlsjde]

Thanks Eloise. She's not doing cheese well enough yet. I did cheese about 2 months ago and bits of blood in per poo but not as bad as it was. So I think things may be getting better but just not 'there' yet. Hopefully soon though

[bakershaker]

Thanks ladies! Myla can officially tolerate yogurt, cheese, and hidden milk in her food! We've come along way from the baby who would vomit from a drop! Things are looking brighter over here for a start of whole milk in 2 months:)

[QueenietheCutie]

Hello,
I'm new to being a mother, new to using forums and new to MSPI, so finding my way around this forum and picking up advice - please excuse my ignorance of forum acronyms, I'm trying to get my head around those!

My lovely daughter, Bettie is 5 and a half months old and the poor thing suffers with awful eczema and allergic colitis.  I breastfeed, but she was given formula in the hospital by an awful nurse who accused me of starving her when she was less than a day old, and subsequent midwives who told me my milk hadn't come in, however by day 3 I used a pump and filled the bottle!  Had an awful time establishing bf due to being really ill with repeated bacterial mastitus, but luckily I was able to continue bf and Bettie has always gained weight well.

After going backwards and forwards to the gP with my concerns about her skin, reflux, bloody stools and green diarrhoea, I finally saw a pediatrician and dermatologist 3 weeks ago.  I have a new routine of creams and bandages, and have cut all milk and soy protein from my diet (not easy for a veggie, but I think i'm eating healthily enough, if not missing cheese, choc and tofu!).  As advised I have started weaning with purees and it's going well.   Her skin is still terrible, still having poop issues, but the blood stopped as soon as I changed my diet.  I am taking solace from your stories here of your children who are still healthy, some also able to tolerate these foods now they are older.

My concerns are about routine, or total lack of it!  I read about EASY and dip into the whisperer book, and I fear I am allowing "bad habits"  But are all bets off with an unwell baby?  The poor girl is in so much discomfort due to her eczema and stomach.  She often wants to feed every 2-3 hours, but that is common for babies seeking to sooth the pain of acid reflux.  She struggles to stay asleep as she itches so much and wakes herself up inconsolable, despite taking piriton at night.  then we have bad days of her being overtired. I feel for her so much, I do anything to give her comfort, so at night myself or my hubby hold her arms in her moses to stop her itching herself awake, and in the day, I feed her to sleep and let her nap on my lap so I can hold her arms and soothe her.  If I don't do this she doesn't get rest and will scratch until she bleeds (we use scratchsleeves and bandages to minimise the damage).

Lack of sleep is taking it's toll on my husband and I, and I get nothing done all day.  As soon as hubby is home, it takes both of us to do bath, creams and bandages as she gets so agitated and itchy, and then the stress of bedtime starts!

Anyone been in this position and got through it?

[my3girlsjde]

Welcome to Baby Whisperer and big {{{HUGS}}}. You certainly have a lot to deal with.

Have you tried swaddling? A lot of reflux babies do well with it and it may help her to stop scratching

You can forgive yourself for the 'bad habits' Reflux babies need comfort more than anything. I'm only now starting to sleep train my lo at 9 months. She wasn't comfortable enough with the teething, mspi and reflux. I rocked and nursed her to sleep until very recently. It's not ideal, but you do what you have to for everyone to get some sleep if your lo is in pain or discomfort.

There's another thread and I'll get you the link to it when it get to my computer. It's called: "Dear Diary, Support Thread for MSPI". There are a lot of us on there and we pass along support and info. Most of all understanding.

A lot of us have dealt with these issues and it's a great support network.

[~Sarah~]

http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=186294.0
This is the link Vicki was talking about

[QueenietheCutie]

Big thanks to you both!  I will definately go through the thread as the experience of others is so helpful.  My Bettie is like Houdini when it comes to swaddling, but i've been looking into large swaddle bags that some eczema forums recommend to give a try.

Many thanks again!

[Buntybear]

Hello from me too!

I am sorry but I don't know much about allergic colitis. Has it been diagnosed through tests??

I do understand about your LO's eczema though. Poor thing. Olly was swaddled from birth until about 8 months. The main reason he was swaddled so long was the itching. Even now it has practically gone he still scratches when he goes to sleep. I stay with him tbh so if he scrathes too badly I take his hands away.

Do you use steriod scream on her skin? I know it is not ideal but it did help with the itchiness. The turning point for us was cutting wheat and egg from my diet (EBF too) but that is just us - not saying you need to.

And routine - crikey when a baby needs help you just need to help them! There are lots of mums on the chat sticky that have BTDT (me!) or are going through it now. All worry about routine and bad habits but you just can't worry about that until your LO is better. Olly didn't really sleep thru the night until he was 1, before that we would hold him for hours as he would be in pain.

*HUGS*