February 2014 Moms

Dairy Aversion w/Breastfeeding--so upset!!

MissusPearsonMissusPearson member
edited April 2014 in February 2014 Moms

So today has been very difficult..It is my first day back to work after mat leave, for one. It was, of course, so very hard to leave DD this morning. I was very emotional all weekend over it and miss her like crazy. Today was also her 2 month appointment and DH took her in. I was already nervous and warned him about her shots, and how she might react to them. Almost as a side note, I told him to please ask the doc as well about the poop blowouts she has been having the past couple of weeks (I posted about these a little while ago--we really thought it was a diaper size issue)

Well, it turns out the frequency has been abnormal and her stool is too green, mucuos-ey, and had a bit of blood in it on the labs. Apparantly this is very common with a dairy aversion and basically in order to continue breastfeeding, I need to cut out all dairy. I know there are quite a few women who are BFing and dealing with this. I don't want to offend any moms who are FFing or even supplementing, but I am just really bummed at possibly having to supplement with formula, as she has been exclusively BFed for 2 months now. I also have a frozen stock of milk that may all be potentially tainted now, and feel like I've been pumping for nothing. I got off the phone with our doc a little while ago and she gave me more instructions regarding the dairy free trial, and I'm just trying to process everything now. I'm just hoping for some support, any other bumpies that are going thorugh this? How are you dealing and what does your diet look like??

Re: Dairy Aversion w/Breastfeeding--so upset!!

  • we had the same thing! ours was diagnosed at around 1.5 weeks though so I never had a freezer stash. she ended up also being allergic to soy (apparently it's really common to be allergic to both if you're allergic to milk) so I just switched to FF. I was really upset in the beginning and struggled with it but DD and I are much happier now so don't feel bad about supplementing! you're doing what's best for your baby.

    I'm sure if you google there will be a lot of diary free recipes. did your pedi tell you that most LO's grow out of the allergy before age 1? that helped me to feel better, too.
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  • I am not breastfeeding, but do have a little one who has milk and soy protein allergies.  It took a lot of questioning and calling on my part for the doctors to decide to test her stool.  She had invisible blood in it and then they switched from regular formula to soy formula.  There is a 50% chance that if your LO has milk protein allergy than she will also have a soy protein allergy (which is what happened with my LO), but for insurance you have to try the soy milk before the hypoallergenic formula which with my health insurance is fully covered as a medical necessity. We finally have a system that is working for her now.  She is on Similac alimentum, two doses of zantac a day and 1 1/2 teaspoons of rice cereal in each bottle to help her reflux.  The alimentum took about 4 days for her to get used to, but now she is doing great with it. 

    I know you are really bummed about either having to change your diet or feed the baby formula, but it will make your baby feel so much better.  Right now while your baby is drinking your breast milk just like mine drank her milk based formula, she is actually uncomfortable due to the allergy.  You will have to get rid of your frozen milk supply as you were not on a dairy free diet at the time, but it is all going to be okay because your doing it for your baby and she will feel soooo much better without the dairy in her diet.  This post didn't exactly answer your questions, but I just wanted to let you know that it will all be okay and that you aren't the only one going through this.  Hang in there:)

  • I've had to go dairy free for DD. It's completely doable. There's a but if a learning curve with it. Make sure you read ALL labels carefully. There are so many things that have dairy and you wouldn't think they would. We are eating a lot more Asian style food since they don't include much dairy. I also find that we are eating a lot healthier and more home made food to accommodate. Good luck! Search Pinterest for MSPI recipes. MSPI Mama has a lot of ideas, recipes, and how to's on going dairy and soy free.
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  • I just wanted to add that if I were you,
    I'd also cut out soy. although it's not a requirement, it would suck to build a stash again only to find out she has a sensitivity to that protein as well.
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  • I just wanted to add that you don't have to supplement if you don't want to.
    I nursed a baby with a dairy allergy for 18 months.
    I changed my diet. It wasn't easy to cut out all dairy from my diet, but it was important to me to keep nursing so I did it. It takes more planning as to what you can eat, but it's very doable.
    We saw a GI specialist and that MD never pressured me to stop nursing or give formula.
    She also had reflux and took meds twice a day.
    My daughter outgrew the allergy and is totally fine eating dairy now (she's almost 3).
  • Dealing with allergies can be frustrating. Like others said I also had to cut out soy as well as a host of other things. My LO is on nutramigen at the moment and I am pumping to keep up supply in order to go back to BFing once all the allergens are cleared from my system bc he is allergic to many things and it took is a while to figure it out. It was hard to make that choice but DS is doing better. I also now have a huge freezer stash I do not know what to do with as I can't give it to DS. I am looking into donating to a milk bank. It is tough but has forced me into really clean eating, no processed foods because many have hidden dairy / soy in the ingredients just meat, veggies and fruit. It has been a struggle but if you really want to keep BFing you can do it. Also with only a dairy allergy I don't see any reason you should stop BFing or supplement as long as your LO is gaining well and having enough wet diapers.
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  • I'm sorry :-(. I have not personally dealt with it but it have a close friend who's son has a severe dairy allergy (and several other severe allergies as well). She was able to keep BF him for over a year by cutting it out and she swears she felt better too... She suspects she also has dairy sensitivity. Anyway, she's been dealing with it for 6 years now and has found some awesome resources for new recipes and just general support. Her son is the rare one that did not outgrow it but for most this is a temporary issue while they are young and resolves itself. Good luck!

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  • Thank you all! I spoke with DH about everything yesterday and am feeling much more optimistic. I decided to go dairy free and continue to EBF and hopefully we will see her poop issues clear up soon. And I have thought as well, as some of you mentioned that it will force me to clean up my diet and get in good postpartum shape as well :) Healthy and fit is a pretty great bonus.

    @sandraanddrew thank you for that recommendation-I took a look at that Pinterest board and its great! Will definitely be trying some of those recipes out.

    @paulheath2012 I know you mentioned your diet is similar to Paleo. Are there any quick and easy foods you would recommend dairy free? I'm trying to think of potential lunches for work, etc. How long once you cut out dairy and soy until you saw an improvement in your LO?

    @karich are there any specific favorite foods, meals you had?

  • I'm dealing with this too. Lo broke out in a horrible rash about a week ago, face, chest, tummy, arms and legs. Her skin felt like sandpaper! Pedi diagnosed her with eczema and said it has to be something I'm eating. So right now I'm cutting out dairy and soy to see which is causing the allergic reaction. I just started so it has been hard these past couple days but I'm sure it'll get easier
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  • You get used to it!  Go to www.godairyfree.org, they have a lot of great info.  Their list of hidden dairy ingredients (https://www.godairyfree.org/dairy-free-grocery-shopping-guide/dairy-ingredient-list-2) was SO useful when I was first figuring out what I could and couldn't eat (DS1 had a sensitivity, so I was DF for a year; DS2 also has one, so I'm doing it again).  

    Ask in restaurants or look online for lists of ingredients so you know what sort of menu items you can eat.  I think they are required to give you a list of ingredients because of allergens.  Every where I went was super accommodating.

    Almond milk is the shit.  It's SO good.  The mocha sauce from Starbucks is vegan, so you can indulge on soy mochas (or peppermint mochas or raspberry mochas!).  Jimmy John's bread is DF.  Pork at Qdoba is the only meat that's DF; get a burrito with the pork and guac, so yummy!  Ghiradelli semi-sweet chocolate chips are DF, you can make cookies with them and with shortening instead of butter.

    Don't even BOTHER with fake cheese, believe me. 

    If you want to PM me, I'll send you my jumbled mess of DF info I've given to others.  I'm really trying to compile it into something neater.

    There are tons of great DF recipes.  It's easy to modify many of them, too.  I'll give you the link to my Pinterest board, if you'd like!

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  • Firefly9Firefly9 member
    edited April 2014
    Also--it can take 2 or 3 weeks for dairy to completely leave your system, so don't get frustrated if you don't see results immediately.  Things should improve right away, but it will take time to be completely gone.  This was DH and my disagreement last time; he insisted we switch to soy formula for two weeks until the dairy was mostly out of my system, and I argued that it would get better every day (that's how we wound up EPing after going back to BM....).

    ETA: See if you can donate your milk.  I wound up doing that with my stash last time.  It was sad seeing it go, but at least it was put to good use.  It *does* get easier, but it definitely takes a few weeks to get used to what you can and can't eat, and to memorize that list of ingredients so you don't have to pull out the list every time you are at the store.

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  • karichkarich member
    edited April 2014
    Glad you are feeling more optimistic!

    I'll try to remember, but it was almost 3 years ago that I did it. I will add that you might lose some weight too....i did, and it was an unexpected bonus (being pp and all).
    Like other pp mentioned, we ate a lot of Asian dishes, since there is not dairy in the typical Asian diet.
    Do you eat seafood? I ate a ton of seafood b/c that doesn't really suffer from the lack of cheese like almost everything else does.

    Sautee mushrooms and onions and add store bought marinara then toss with pasta

    Toss halved, red potatoes with olive oil, S&P, rosemary and roast (about the only way you can have potatoes w/out butter or milk
  • I'm dealing with this too. Lo broke out in a horrible rash about a week ago, face, chest, tummy, arms and legs. Her skin felt like sandpaper! Pedi diagnosed her with eczema and said it has to be something I'm eating. So right now I'm cutting out dairy and soy to see which is causing the allergic reaction. I just started so it has been hard these past couple days but I'm sure it'll get easier
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  • My response keeps getting cut in half!

    Thai noodle bowls: https://www.grouprecipes.com/68542/shrimp-and-bok-choy-rice-noodle-soup.html
    *I don't add egg and I also add shredded carrots, scallions, baby corn, and bean sprouts. The noodles are Thai Kitchen brand and are in the asian food section. So healthy and it's an excuse to eat with chopsticks

    Grilled shrimp Ceasar Salad

    We have TONS of pita chips & bell peppers with hummus (easy to bring to-go too)

    Marinated Portobella mushrooms in balsamic vinagrette roasted in the oven. You can serve it on a grilled roll with olive oil and garlic rubbed on it (if you can eat eggs you can make a fancy mayo with basil, sundried tomato or roasted red peppers blended in it)

    Any white fish or salmon with sliced lemon, olive oil and capers on it, wrap it in a tin foil pouch and then cook for about 12 min in the oven. so easy, so good

    The frozen Margheritaville coconut shrimp (we found it at BJ's) is actually really good and all prepared.

    diced eggplant, cherry tomatoes, vidalia onion, tossed in olive oil, S&P and roast at 425 for 40 minutes...I end up eating the entire pan

    Frozen veggi spring rolls are an easy pop in the oven snack and the ones we got came with dipping sauce

    Pan sear Pork chops with homemade applesauce (peel, core and dice four apples, put in a pot with 1/2 c water and simmer for 15 minutes. Mash up the apples and add sugar and cinnamon to taste, I use Stevia instead of sugar and add a tablespoon or two depending on how sweet the apples are)

    I have a bowl of half Total cereal half blueberries with Almond Breeze Unsweetened almond milk every morning and actually prefer it to cow's milk...but I hate it in my coffee.

    I have found all of the dairy free cheese to be disgusting and wouldn't waste the $$

    ...and when all else fails there's always peanut butter and jelly
  • @karich thank you so much!! you gave me lots of great food ideas! The eggplant, tomato & onion sounds especially delicious. I went by Trader Joe's yesterday and found lots of great dairy free options, and am feeling better about things :)
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