Just got back from the allergist and Elijah tested positive for egg and milk (dairy) allergies. The weird thing was the Dr advised giving foods that are highly allergenic earlier than later. I told him that my reaction to Elijah's food issues made me not want to try things.... Any other allergy moms out there?
@austinjl so your lo tested positive for these and he told you to give them to him? I'm with you on not wanting to give him those. Aren't those tests so that you can avoid causing a reaction?
I'm planning to just keep F on breast milk for the foreseeable future, but watching him get it everywhere when I've tried to give him some in a sippy cup makes me feel like I'm letting gold run down the drain while he figures it out. The bottle is so much "cleaner" but I guess we can't do that forever ha
Oh! No I meant that his general recommendation was to expose babies to highly allergenic foods as early as six months because early exposure may prevent sensitivies/allergies from developing. Once an allergic reaction occurs and an allergy is confirmed, don't give it.
@austinjl Allergy mom here too! Though I'm actually starting to wonder if he's really allergic now. Dairy/soy allergy was suspected at 3 months because of eczema and blood in his poop, so I've been staying away from both allergens ever since then while I am still breastfeeding and it cleared his symptoms up. But we went on a trip a few weeks ago and had to eat out and I couldn't avoid the allergens unless I didn't eat so I just decided to get something that seemed relatively safe. P had zero reaction after that 'cheat' so I have kind of been testing the theory that he may have possibly outgrown the allergy already? He hasn't had any reactions to anything I've tried with soy or dairy in it now, though I haven't tried giving it to him directly since I'm not 100% sure. If we still had insurance I'd go get him checked for sure but oh well. I am super hopeful though!! When he was first having issues with it the reactions were pretty immediate so I'm hoping this means his system has just matured and is able to handle it now.
Married 6/1/13
BFP #1 7/2013 MMC 9/17/13
BFP #2 5/2014 MC 6/15/14
BFP #3 11/13/14 (Found in ER with ruptured cyst) Diagnosed MC 11/15/14
BFP #4 4/2015 MC 7/1/15
BFP #5 10/21/15 EDD 7/3/16 Praying for our rainbow!
Cool, hope P grew out of it too!!! The dr told me not to make any adjustments in my diet unless Elijah has a bad reaction. So for me, I've eaten eggs this whole time while breastfeeding and he doesn't have any problems but when I eat dairy, he gets a lot of chunky spit up. So no dairy for me. For now at least. Good luck to you!!!!!
@austinjl The no dairy thing was a blessing in disguise for me because I think I ate way too much of it before all this and I have felt better since cutting it out. I'm planning to try to stick to a very minimal dairy diet even if it turns out he's not allergic! Plus they have so many great alternatives now it's been surprisingly easy considering how much dairy I used to eat!! Hope all the allergy stuff improves for you guys too. It's definitely a whole different world.
Married 6/1/13
BFP #1 7/2013 MMC 9/17/13
BFP #2 5/2014 MC 6/15/14
BFP #3 11/13/14 (Found in ER with ruptured cyst) Diagnosed MC 11/15/14
BFP #4 4/2015 MC 7/1/15
BFP #5 10/21/15 EDD 7/3/16 Praying for our rainbow!
@TiffRox81... he drinks water out of any sippy cup I give him. The second I put BM in there, nope, he wants nothing to do with it. I've tried multiple different nipples, too. I finally got him to drink a few ounces last week and again this morning. It took 15-30 minutes, but that's progress. And today, the daycare was able to get him to drink 1.5 oz.
He's just super into nursing. He'd be attached to me Day and night if I'd let him
Ahh! Well baby steps! That's a good sign that he's taking it bit by bit.
I swear this leap/stage of their development has caused L to be the clingiest she's EVER BEEN! She literally GRIPS me as if I'm going to throw her to the wolves. This is often brought on by people looking at her. Seriously. Yesterday was a bit of a disaster at our house, because we had 4 ladies over for dinner. Mind you, all ladies she's met a number of times....but last night, she wanted none of our company in her house! It got better once my husband came home and both of us were there to comfort her. And strangely after about 30 minutes she was totally cool with one of my friends, lol! She let her hold her and walk around outside. They even played with her toys. But only one friend! The others couldn't come within 3 feet of her, lol.
@FTM53 M gets 4 ounces. We upped it from 3 in February and it's seemed to be sufficient. Every once in a while if there's a rogue ounce left over when I make bottles, she'll get a little extra.
I have no plans of weaning M, but can I just say I am totally counting down the days until I can be done pumping. When her birthday gets here, I'm chucking that bad boy some deuces.
@LDSJM123 Omg I totally agree on the pumping!!! I took a one week pumping vacay and it was glorious!!!! I haven't gotten back to my once nightly schedule but have enough in the freezer to last me til one. Plus he's not taking as much milk these days when I'm gone. Still trying to figure out how to cut the one pump from my workday. I'm thinking I'll just bring my manual pump and pump for comfort. A little scared about this since I tend to get clogs....
I was just talking to my mom about this! And I quote "Pumping, though...that I could stop today and would be beyond happy. I HATE pumping. I feel like a cow and I am constantly worried/stressed about how much I'm producing. And the machine is big and bulky. And every part of it is annoying except knowing I'm giving AJ the best thing for him."
I will begin to wean at 1 year, but I think I will miss it. I, honestly, truly enjoy breastfeeding and the bond it's given AJ and I. Though I'm excited because I know DH has been less involved and is looking forward to when he can "do everything" for our son and getting to see them bond.
I HATE pumping, but planning to continue until he self weans. He gets 3-4 oz at each sitting -- I think DH prepares 4 and he eats what he wants of that. I can tell my supply is dropping a bit from my travel last week, so I'm trying to add extra pumping sessions at night. Extra ugh
Question: how does self-weaning play out? Will he just not be interested one day and that's that or do I gradually offer it less until he doesn't notice when it ends? Haha I realized I have zero idea how this works. I kind of feel like we're already on our way there, I'm down to one boob doing all the work because my dud side just kind of became unnecessary and I stopped offering it (so now I'm ridiculously lopsided, whoops). And since I started trying to be more regular about solids for three meals a day, the nursing sessions we do have are short and only happen two or three times a day now. When he goes to grandma's for the day while I work on stuff at home, I have stopped doing the midday pumping session I used to do, mostly because I get so busy I forget and my boob doesn't remind me like it used to. Am I basically describing weaning?? It seems like a lot of women I know have said their baby just up and quit one day, but I can't really picture that scenario.
Married 6/1/13
BFP #1 7/2013 MMC 9/17/13
BFP #2 5/2014 MC 6/15/14
BFP #3 11/13/14 (Found in ER with ruptured cyst) Diagnosed MC 11/15/14
BFP #4 4/2015 MC 7/1/15
BFP #5 10/21/15 EDD 7/3/16 Praying for our rainbow!
@winnie1122 I was literally just thinking about this. I realized I have zero ideas about that. We are going for the forseeable future (he still is more into milk than food I feel. But is showing more interest in having some bites of anything anyone eats at any time. It's just never a substantial amount) but I don't even know how to begin figuring it out. Especially since we co-sleep and he doesn't wake up, but will fuss around until he can latch and drink some. (I'm thinking teething/leap may have something to do with that, because before he was randomly Sleeping through most the night). So any insight would be appreciated.
Also how much is everyone's LO's eating? Like per meal/per day? I feel like the amount of solids he eats, isn't enough to really be a meal (he nurses a LOT, but he is also huge on comfort nursing). I feel like no matter what we try, it's never much he eats. We've been trying those little Gerber meals (especially if what we eat isn't super healthy/baby friendly. Sometimes just in addition to meals, just to get him to eat something), and he won't even eat 1/3 to 1/2 of one. Feeling at a loss...
For me, (I think it's going to look different for everyone) I'll continue to offer 3 meals and 2 snacks a day and I'll follow her ques. She's already down to nursing 4ish times a day. But she's really good about letting me know when it's me she wants vs food. My friend is a lactation consultant and doula and said the majority of kids, when left to self wean, fully wean themselves around/by 2. They just get less and less interested. So until I reach thr point of "I'm over it" I'm just going let M take the lead.
As far as how much she's eating. This week breakfast has been 1 whole (average size) banana, an oatmeal blueberry muffin, and 1 hard boiled egg. Lunch- she'll eat half of a sandwich, a whole cheese stick, 1/8-1/4 (?) cup of veggies, and the same amount of fruit. Dinner- is just what we're having with the addition of fruit.
I'm going to wean DD2 the same way I did DD1 since it worked well last time. This weekend I'm going to quit feeding DD2 in the night. I'll still nurse her when she wakes in the morning, after 1st nap, after 2nd nap and before bed. When she turns 1 I'll give her a sippy cup of cow's milk after 1st nap and drop that nursing session. After 2-3 weeks (once my boobs don't feel extra full anymore and have regulated), I will also give her a cup of cow's milk after 2nd nap and quit nursing. After 2-3 weeks I'll drop the morning nursing session and replace with cow's milk.
At this point, DD2 will be around 14 months old and hopefully only nursing before bed. I continued to nurse DD1 before bed until 18 months old. I don't know how long I will with DD2. I guess until either she or I am ready to be done!
During the work week, L takes about 4 bottles during the day and nurses before bed. Typically soon after morning bottle my husband will make her eggs or a piece of toast with almond butter and give her some diced fruit. She usually has another bottle after her first nap and a snack and then lunch shortly after. She has a sippy cup to keep with her with water. She eats lunch then usually has her second nap about an hour after. Bottle after that nap with a snack and I handle dinner for her shortly after I get home. She'll usually have some milk left in the fridge so I give her that with it. We share some of our dinner with her a little later and then she hits the sack around 7:30!
I added 1oz cows milk to this next bottle I pumped from what I had stored in me overnight. Fingers crossed she doesn't reject it!!
We do 2-3 meals a day and a couple snacks. I nurse in the morning, he gets breakfast and then a bottle late morning before nap, I nurse at lunch, feed him solid lunch, sometimes nurse again, he sometimes takes a small bottle before afternoon nap, and then he nurses when I get home late afternoon. Plus before bed and twice through the night. I think weaning looks different for everyone, but I think they will just take less and less milk or gradually drop nursing sessions. I don't plan to offer cow's milk so that will probably extend how long it would take. Basically I'm just taking his lead, although I'm honestly surprised that he can eat SO much at each meal and want as much milk as he does too. But I'll definitely be ready to drop the pumping sessions! Hopefully those bottles go first haha
@LDSJM123 See that's more like I assume he should be eatting... Out of what M eats for breakfast, he probably would have gotten down about 1/3 of the banana and nothing else other than breast milk. Maybe a couple little "bites" of either the muffin or egg, if we're lucky but not both and no substantial amount of either. And very rarely is any meal much more than that (He does love oatmeal, spaghetti, green beans and a lot of other foods. He just doesn't eat any substantial amount. I have been wondering if it's something I should talk to his pedi about. (He is getting a new pedi. His went back to her country of origin, and her replacement is horrible!) But I keep feeling like since he likes food, does want or eat it etc that it really isn't an issue. Just an on his own terms thing. Momming is hard!
Just catching up on some of the posts in here. We are giving Nat everything we eat basically...she gets the occasional prune puree because she gets constipated easily and I learned very quickly that it's better to catch it quicker the letting it build up into an explosion lol. We are planning to start mixing some cows milk in her breastmilk sippy cups this weekend. She's still super tiny and I'm looking for anything that will help fill her but also help add some much needed weight gain lol. @LDSJM123 are you using 2%? That's what we are thinking of using. Nat will eat 3 meals of table food with us each day. Basically breakfast, lunch and dinner with snacks in between and I nurse her 4-6 times. I pumps 2-3 (which I friggin hate lol).
If his weight gain is ok, I wouldn't be worried about the amount he eats. We all know they surely won't starve themselves.
We are doing whole milk. It's fattier. And from my research is less processed and better for you because it retains some of he healthy fats our body needs.
My pedi said only whole milk for the 1st year unless LO is high risk for obesity then they recommend 2%.
We are also going to do organic. I have girls and I think all the hormones in non-organic milk are especially bad for girls, not that they are great for boys either
@holly142 Yes to the organic!!! I agree. I've watched quite a few tv segments on that and I can't help but think they're right. I too heard whole milk until they're 2. I bought a gallon of Horizon whole milk...so far so good mixing it in to the couple bottles she's had!
Those of you mixing whole milk, did you call your pediatrician first? I would love to do this!! My pediatrician said to start it at 12 months, but if I can do it earlier I would like to save some money on formula.
@shaylalr I'm going to admit I didn't. But I talkes to a lot of my friends with babes 15-24 months and every one of them did the same thing. Started around 10.5-11 months and had them transitioned by 12 months. If not earlier. I think easing them into it is the key?
@shaylalr I asked my pediatrician about this and she told us no and to wait to start the transition until 12 months. She explained to us that there was still nutrients that she needed from the formula that benefitted her until 12 months. I'm nervous because she only gets formula covered by the insurance until her birthday and I really really don't want to have to buy formula on my own. I was really hoping we could start the transition earlier.
I've been googling cow's milk and I found this info on a site I trust (Kelly mom) plus mostly the same info on lots of other sites. We don't have another Dr app until DD2 turns 1, so I'm going to wait on introducing cow's milk until then.
"Use of cow’s milk before a year is controversial among experts. You might want to get your baby’s doctor’s opinion on this.
Babies who are exposed to cow’s milk before their first birthday are more likely to be anemic, have diarrhea or vomiting, and/or experience an allergic reaction (the proteins in milk are more numerous than those in other milk products, such as the yogurt). The excessive protein load in cow’s milk can also overload a baby’s kidneys. It is deficient in vitamins C, E, and copper. It is harder to digest as well, often causing intestinal blood loss. A number of studies have also indicated that early introduction of cow’s milk may contribute to the development of Insulin-Dependent Diabetes Mellitus.
Others see no problem with starting cow’s milk toward the end of the first year unless there is a family history of allergy to it. Dr. Jack Newman, a renowned expert in the lactation field, is one of these. See the “Breastmilk, cow’s milk, formula, outside work and bottles” section of his article Breastfeeding and Other Foods. Notice that he qualifies this advice with the importance of the baby being well-established on a variety of solids and continuing to be breastfed (both of which should help make up for what cow’s milk can’t offer at this age). He also suggests that supplemental milk of any kind is not all that necessary if the baby is allowed to nurse frequently when with mom. He suggests offering the baby solid foods with some water."
@holly142 I just called to ask when everyone was talking about it. I loved the idea of weaning her off completely by one. She just emailed me back with her response. She did mentioned the anemia and allergy. I may try to start doing it towards the end of next month. She just turned 10 months today so we have some time.
Yeah I'm going to email my pediatrician and we what he says. I have a feeling I know since some of my local mom friends go to him also. He is super lax. Sometimes I think a little too lax. Although there's a chance my friends never asked! Guess we'll see. At this point she's had about 3oz cows milk total. It's definitely harder to squeeze it in on the days I don't really do any pumping.
The reason we got the ok from our ped, is because M is only getting three bottles a week of us slowly introducing cows milks. It's not every feeding every day. The way he explained it, is that this is no different than us giving her a bowl of cereal or food that has milk cooked into it. And that it follows the same thought process of introducing them to a variety of foods. I hope that makes sense?
I'm definitely starting to stress a bit about the transition away from
the bottle at 1 and away from formula to whole milk. I feel like that
is SUCH a big change and have no idea how it is going to go. S still
takes a MOTN bottle...do you just give them a sippy with whole milk? I
usually just have the powder in the bottle ready to go in her room...I
don't think I can leave a cup of milk sitting out until 4am...
She
loves eating now but she still hasn't dropped any bottles. I THOUGHT
we were close to dropping one this weekend but it didn't happen. She
wigged out when it came time for dinner and refused to eat any regular
food and would only take the bottle.
DD1's pedi and dentist both said to drop the MOTN feedings at 1. I fed DD1 2 times per night until she turned 1. Thankfully she dropped it pretty easily!
@kmurdock925- how many bottles is she drinking per 24 hours? DD2 is at 4 during the day and 2 at night. Last week I gave DD2 oatmeal with yogurt in the evening. She loved it and I think it helped fill her up! I don't know that milk is more filling than formula but maybe some foods can help?
she eats oatmeal and yogurt or fruit at about 830 am, 8oz bottle around 10-11 depending on when she wants it. 1-2 hour nap, lunch when she wakes up (usually 2 fish fillets or chicken fingers or lunch meat with some veggies (if she doesn't pick around them) and fruit (she will eat an entire dole fruit cup), 8 oz bottle at 2-3. 1-2 hour nap, snack of fruit and a carb of some sort around 430-530, dinner at 630 (eats what we are having provided it is healthy), 8 oz bottle before bed at 815ish, then a MOTN bottle (usually only takes 4-6 oz).
Re: Feeding Your Baby
He's just super into nursing. He'd be attached to me Day and night if I'd let him
I swear this leap/stage of their development has caused L to be the clingiest she's EVER BEEN! She literally GRIPS me as if I'm going to throw her to the wolves. This is often brought on by people looking at her. Seriously. Yesterday was a bit of a disaster at our house, because we had 4 ladies over for dinner. Mind you, all ladies she's met a number of times....but last night, she wanted none of our company in her house! It got better once my husband came home and both of us were there to comfort her. And strangely after about 30 minutes she was totally cool with one of my friends, lol! She let her hold her and walk around outside. They even played with her toys. But only one friend! The others couldn't come within 3 feet of her, lol.
Pumping mammas, how many oz is your LO getting at each sitting?
I have no plans of weaning M, but can I just say I am totally counting down the days until I can be done pumping. When her birthday gets here, I'm chucking that bad boy some deuces.
I will begin to wean at 1 year, but I think I will miss it. I, honestly, truly enjoy breastfeeding and the bond it's given AJ and I. Though I'm excited because I know DH has been less involved and is looking forward to when he can "do everything" for our son and getting to see them bond.
Also how much is everyone's LO's eating? Like per meal/per day? I feel like the amount of solids he eats, isn't enough to really be a meal (he nurses a LOT, but he is also huge on comfort nursing). I feel like no matter what we try, it's never much he eats. We've been trying those little Gerber meals (especially if what we eat isn't super healthy/baby friendly. Sometimes just in addition to meals, just to get him to eat something), and he won't even eat 1/3 to 1/2 of one. Feeling at a loss...
As far as how much she's eating. This week breakfast has been 1 whole (average size) banana, an oatmeal blueberry muffin, and 1 hard boiled egg. Lunch- she'll eat half of a sandwich, a whole cheese stick, 1/8-1/4 (?) cup of veggies, and the same amount of fruit. Dinner- is just what we're having with the addition of fruit.
At this point, DD2 will be around 14 months old and hopefully only nursing before bed. I continued to nurse DD1 before bed until 18 months old. I don't know how long I will with DD2. I guess until either she or I am ready to be done!
make her eggs or a piece of toast with almond butter and give her some diced fruit. She usually has another bottle after her first nap and a snack and then lunch shortly after. She has a sippy cup to keep with her with water. She eats lunch then usually has her second nap about an hour after. Bottle after that nap with a snack and I handle dinner for her shortly after I get home. She'll usually have some milk left in the fridge so I give her that with it. We share some of our dinner with her a little later and then she hits the sack around 7:30!
I added 1oz cows milk to this next bottle I pumped from what I had stored in me overnight. Fingers crossed she doesn't reject it!!
We are planning to start mixing some cows milk in her breastmilk sippy cups this weekend. She's still super tiny and I'm looking for anything that will help fill her but also help add some much needed weight gain lol. @LDSJM123 are you using 2%? That's what we are thinking of using.
Nat will eat 3 meals of table food with us each day. Basically breakfast, lunch and dinner with snacks in between and I nurse her 4-6 times. I pumps 2-3 (which I friggin hate lol).
We are doing whole milk. It's fattier. And from my research is less processed and better for you because it retains some of he healthy fats our body needs.
@joberkiser @AshGee18
We are also going to do organic. I have girls and I think all the hormones in non-organic milk are especially bad for girls, not that they are great for boys either
to a lot of my friends with babes 15-24 months and every one of them did the same thing. Started around 10.5-11 months and had them transitioned by 12 months. If not earlier. I think easing them into it is the key?
"Use of cow’s milk before a year is controversial among experts. You might want to get your baby’s doctor’s opinion on this.
The American Academy of Pediatricsrecommends NO cow’s milk until after the first birthday.
Babies who are exposed to cow’s milk before their first birthday are more likely to be anemic, have diarrhea or vomiting, and/or experience an allergic reaction (the proteins in milk are more numerous than those in other milk products, such as the yogurt). The excessive protein load in cow’s milk can also overload a baby’s kidneys. It is deficient in vitamins C, E, and copper. It is harder to digest as well, often causing intestinal blood loss. A number of studies have also indicated that early introduction of cow’s milk may contribute to the development of Insulin-Dependent Diabetes Mellitus.Others see no problem with starting cow’s milk toward the end of the first year unless there is a family history of allergy to it. Dr. Jack Newman, a renowned expert in the lactation field, is one of these. See the “Breastmilk, cow’s milk, formula, outside work and bottles” section of his article Breastfeeding and Other Foods. Notice that he qualifies this advice with the importance of the baby being well-established on a variety of solids and continuing to be breastfed (both of which should help make up for what cow’s milk can’t offer at this age). He also suggests that supplemental milk of any kind is not all that necessary if the baby is allowed to nurse frequently when with mom. He suggests offering the baby solid foods with some water."
She loves eating now but she still hasn't dropped any bottles. I THOUGHT we were close to dropping one this weekend but it didn't happen. She wigged out when it came time for dinner and refused to eat any regular food and would only take the bottle.
Is whole milk more filling to them than formula?
@kmurdock925- how many bottles is she drinking per 24 hours? DD2 is at 4 during the day and 2 at night. Last week I gave DD2 oatmeal with yogurt in the evening. She loved it and I think it helped fill her up! I don't know that milk is more filling than formula but maybe some foods can help?