Milk/Soy Protein Intolerance - MSPI - READ HERE!!!

[SAHNE]

Hello everyone... I'm new to the boards, but was looking for some feedback on DS's 4 month check today.  The ped. recommended starting solids in a few weeks - first veggies, then meats, then fruits and last cereal.  I was thinking it was best to wait until 6 months... what have other MSPI mothers done/been recommended?  How did it go?  I also was surprised not to start with cereal.  Carter is my first and is sensitive to milk and somewhat to soy.  Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Carter's Mom!

[GraceKellysmom]

My breastfeeding clinic, lactation consultant, and LLL leader all told me to wait until 6 months or later with an exclusively breastfed baby. Here is a link to kellymom.com regarding solids introduction. http://www.kellymom.com/nutrition/solids/index.html Weigh that info and what your doctor told you, and that should help you decide what is right for your family. As with many things in parenting, there isn't a right or wrong way.

There is a new trend in breastfeeding mothers to skip the purees and jarred food. It's an interesting concept that I believe, that breastmilk is perfect nutrition until 12 months. Any foods your baby wants to feed themselves (between 6-8 months they start to self feed and practice with solids) is fine. It sure is a turn away from what companies like Gerber and Beechnut want us to believe - that we must feed our babies their jarred food at 4 months or else! LOL 

With my intolerant kids, I started with veggies and fruits. I gave them oatmeal from a pretty young age. Meats were next. Neither did solids until 6 months old. I waited on the high allergens (egg, milk, nuts, citrus, tomato, etc) until much later. I think my doc told me no nuts until after 3 yo, although it was too late, I had done peanut butter at 14 mos or so.

[SAHNE]

thanks for your input... i may shoot for 5 months as a happy medium.

when did your kiddos outgrow their intolerances??  do they have any problems now?

thanks.
carter's mom

[GraceKellysmom]

I think I mentioned it somewhere in the 13 pages here, lol, but dd outgrew hers at 18 months, and ds outgrew his at 12-13 months. I am soy intolerant, so our house is soy-free, and I don't know if either of them are intolerant since they don't get it.

Ds still has an occasional nasty diaper if he's had too much milk products, esp ice cream.

LLL has a great list on "is my baby ready for solids" maybe instead of shooting for a date, you could wait until your bub shows the readiness signs and then try? Readiness is being able to sit in a high chair (strong chest/head/neck), the tongue-thrust reflex is gone (where they will swallow food instead of pushing it back out with their tongue), they are interested in watching you eat and mock your motions of eating like opening their mouth when you do. Those are just some!

[SAHNE]

Thanks... I was guessing it was in there somewhere!  DS is definitely showing interest in starting to eat... he loves watching his daddy eat and can just about sit up on his own.  I'm the one dragging my feet b/c of the intolerances and the extra effort (cleanup, monitoring, etc.)  I think it's hard enough to watch for reactions to what I eat... let alone what he's going to start eating...  I guess waiting a little longer won't hurt!  Thanks a ton for your input - throughout these posts!

Thanks,
Carter's Mom

[ks6]

We are almost at 13 months, and I've been gradually adding yogurt and cheese to ds's diet.  No reaction yet.  Yay!  I'm waiting to start milk, and we haven't begun to think about soy yet.

[First Time Mom]

How do you know if a milk protein allergy is outgrown?

My dd had blood in her stool when she was much younger, haven't seen any sign of it since she was 5 months old and she's now still bf and on solids (though doesn't take much solids). We took her to an allergist and they did a skin test that showed she was not allergic to milk or soy but the allergist said to still stay clear of milk products because the skin test is not a good test for the milk allergy. He wants to wait 6 months and then do a blood test followed by a milk challenge and then another blood test. Just prior, I ate a piece of cheese to see if she would have any reaction and there was no blood in her stool (visable), her stool was more runny (sorry if tmi), does this mean she's still allergic? I hate the thought of continuing to restrict my diet for another 6 months but will if I have to. Have any of you been told to wait to get tested or did you just try to reintroduce milk?

[GraceKellysmom]

Kim, I'm keeping my fingers crossed for your continued success!

FTM, I think the general rule for babies like ours is to wait longer to try them on milk products. You can try a few things (in *your* diet, one at a time) to see how she does. Make sure not to add anything new to her diet if you're trying milk for yourself, or you'll just say "gee, I wonder if it was the milk I ate or the plums I gave her?" If/Once she handles milk ok through your breastmilk, then it would be ok to try yogurt, then cheese, etc in her diet, after 12 months usually for intolerant babies.

Intolerance is much different than allergic, intolerance won't show up on an allergy test. Just like I am intolerant to sesame seeds, not allergic, but boy do I get ill if I eat them!

[Cassie]

Hi all!!!  Just checking in... it has been awhile.  My little guy Palmer is MSPI also, but I believe he is getting a bit better.  I can eat regular lunch meat and a bit of soy now without much of a reaction.  My main problem is my milk supply.  I drink enough and eat enough (I haven't lost any weight since my 8 week check up WAH!), take a multi vit and extra Ca/Mg.  I also drink Nursing Mother's tea.  Yet still I have almost nothing in the evening.

I am thinking of giving him some Nutramigen to see if he tolerates it.  I really don't want to but he has been waking up hungry in the middle of the night (and at around 5am as he usually does) because I barely have any milk at his before bedtime feeding.  I am having problems with the afternoon (around 4pm) feeding also.  He is screaming for dinner at 5pm where he use to be able to wait until 6pm to eat with the rest of the family.  He is also constipated so I am fearfull that he isn't getting enough fluids.  He will take a few ounces from a sippy, but that is obviously not enough.

I am counting the months until I can wean him.  This makes me sad as I really enjoy breastfeeding, but I am SO TIRED of this diet.  And I know that I don't have to be as strict as others do.

Palmer is doing well.  I would like to start giving him some finger foods, but he really can't tolerate any grains.. he gets even more constipated and he can't seem to pick up slippery fruits/veges.  

I am rambling.  Anyway just wanted to pop in to say hello and offer my support to all of you dealing with MSPI.  

[GraceKellysmom]

*waves* Hi Cassie!! Glad you are getting a few more things to eat. How is your water intake? Have you tried nursing him more often during the day to see if it will increase your supply? I found that night wakings often came with AF around the corner.

My sister has a lo Palmer's age, so I can just imagine how absolutely cute and sweet he must be about right now.

[First Time Mom]

Stacey, what's "AF"? I'm curious because my dd generally nurses 5x a day with no nws and prior to yesterday, was "snacking" all day long. She wouldn't nurse more than 3 minutes so I was concerned about my supply so I would offer again an hour later and the same would happen. I ended up putting her on the breast a total of 9x . She also had 2 nws for about 3 nights. Yesterday, all was back to normal as was today. Any idea what would cause this? I did also get my period for the first time and it's gone now so I assumed it was a change in taste or supply of breast milk.

Also, in terms of the milk allergy, would this cause their stools to be softer? My dd still has stools around 4x a day including one explosion. Now she's on solids (past 2 months) and it almost looks like I could spoon it into a jar and call it baby food. I'm thinking of giving her a specific colour to see how many hours later it comes out. She's a lightweight and slow to gain baby so I sometimes wonder if she's not absorbing the nutrients. As for the milk- I eat ZERO hidden milk/butter/ etc. We're away right now and dh brought food to the room from a restaurant while I packed food for myself from home. I had one screw up at a restaurant once giving me butter so I don't trust cooks anymore unless it's fine dining and dealing with chefs so I know for sure I haven't taken in any.

[Cassie]

Marian - AF is just a slang term for your peroid.  So that could have been what was going on wtih your lo!!!  I think my milk supply is even lower right before and during my period.  Plus I am sure it does change the taste.


I do drink plenty of water.  And I have been trying to put him to the breast before naps now too to increase my supply.  Palmer is not a comfort nurser.  He is all about the food, but it there isn't anything in there he either looks at me like I am crazy or gets really irritated.  He won't just suck for awhile to see if something eventually comes out.   So he usually sucks a few times and then looks at me like I am nutso.  LOL

I will try to post a picture.  He definitely doesn't LOOK malnourished. LOL

[Cassie]

okay here it goes!

[ks6]

Cassie, cute picture!  Could your lo pick up slippery fruit/veg. if they were coated in rice cereal? (the powder)  It was an idea I heard from someone else on the forum.

[Cassie]

I dont' know... I will try it!  Hopefully that small amount of cereal wouldn't be too much for his belly to handle.