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Upstate NY Babies
Dairy free?
I've decided to try going dairy free, Thomas has these gas attacks starting at 4am and they last for 3-4 hours. This is every single night without fail, and he's starting to sleep poorly in the beginning of the night too. I am really really tired!
I know there are some of you who went dairy free- any good resources? I already don't drink milk, only soy milk, but cutting out cheese is going to be really hard.
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Re: Dairy free?
I had to go dairy free about a month ago because Stef was also very gassy and fussy. We took her to the Dr. and they tested her poop and found blood, which is apparently a common indicator of a milk protein issue. I was so bummed for her, and also for me. I LOVE CHEESE! LOL. I also had a hard time at first because I am gluten free already, so this added another limit to my already restricted diet.
I was vegan for a year awhile back, so I knew what to look out for in foods and about some alternatives. I have to say, no cheese stinks. I have been mostly eating vegan and adding meat back in. LOL. I go to a vegan bakery in my town for sweets, and also the local food co-ops. They have a lot of good stuff. I prefer to use rice or almond milk, and then I don't overload her on soy. There is soy in other stuff like some of the fake cheese (that I use on pizza or in lasagna and that's about all I can stand.) I also sometimes use the Tofutti "sour cream" on tacos. You can also make dips with tofu. Almond Dream is awesome ice cream. There also also coconut ones and Rice Dream.
Just watch out for "hidden" dairy in stuff. Sometimes it says "lactose free" but there is still another form of dairy in it. Casesin is one that I look out for. I also lurked a little on the food allergy board here and also checked out some vegan resources online to refresh my memory on things. Good luck! I hope he feels better soon! After about a week I noticed a BIG difference in DD.
I am pretty much dairy free at this point. I've just been avoiding cheese, yogurt, and ice cream, which SUCKS, but I'm hoping it won't be for forever. I do not like soy yogurt at all and refuse to pay $4.00+ for a pint of soy ice cream that I might not even like.
I have had a little dairy here and there, like a piece of cheese on a sandwich, but not a lot. I've definitely seen a difference in Audrey when I don't have any dairy. Do you shop at Wegmans? The majority of their products are labeled with an "L" in a blue circle if they're lactose free. And many products now have allergens labeled under their ingredients, like "Contains soy and milk" or something like that. I've never appreciated reading lables like I do now!
Oh and I've renewed my love for goat cheese on my salads and in my eggs. So yummy!
Here is a website that is helpful, too: https://www.godairyfree.org/
I am milk and soy protein intolerant and DS is allergic to a bunch of stuff and it stinks. However, there is a lot more now than there used to be. I have been buying coconut ice cream and that is pretty good. I also buy Daiya shredded "cheese". So it tastes nothing like cheese, but if you are putting it IN something (grilled cheese, casserole, etc.) it melts and has a similar texture. Honestly, the substitutes are probably going to be disappointing, but at least it is short term!
I cut out dairy starting October 7 and even though it's been hard, it's totally been worth it for my Thomas! He was very gassy and fussy all the time. He rarely smiled and now he's giggling and much happier, he's a completely different baby now! Shortly after cutting it out he started sleeping 6-7 hour stretches at night too.
I try not to dwell on what I can't eat and just focus on what I can. Earth Balance butter substitute is decent and I've heard that Coffee Rich (a frozen dairy-free coffee creamer) is a great milk substitute for cooking.
Coconut milk ice cream is expensive, but AMAZING! I have bought the So Delicious brand at Wegmans but I'm thinking about trying to make it myself.
An acquaintance of mine has 5 kids and all 5 had milk sensitivities as infants and she recommended rice milk for things like cereal and coconut milk creamer for coffee. I haven't tried the rice milk yet but the coconut milk creamer is good!
I'd have to say that the thing I miss most right now is pizza! As soon as I can eat dairy again, I'll be eating ridiculous amounts!
It's so worth it though, good luck!