Advice needed on a diary free diet as a breastfeeding mummy

mumof1and1ontheway

I have now tried everything to soothe my 5 week old baby who has been unsettled and constantly screaming for most of the day and night since 2 weeks old. Some say it may be colic.. but I have been told so many different things it "could" be. A dairy intolerance being one if them.

So.. I am starting a diary free diet tomorrow.. as what harm can it do eh? If it doesnt help baby, then at least I gave it a go and found out.. and if it does help then perfect!

I know about the obvious things to not eat/drink.. like milk, ice cream, cheese, butter and so on.. but what other things do I need to cut out thats less obvious?

If you are on dairy free diet (for those who are).. what sort of meals do you have on a day to day basis?

Thanks in advance.

hngrymummy

Not much food advice, just wanted to send you my sympathy. A friend of mine has a young baby with reflux, and I can see the frustration and difficulties she goes through. I hope you manage to get this sorted.

Watch out for bread (I know this because I look for bread with milk added as I'm struggling to get enough calcium), and cakes.

mumof1and1ontheway

Can I ask what symptoms her baby has with reflux? As its one of the reasons I am going diary free.. as I am wondering if reflux may be one of the problems. And diary free reduces reflux apparantly.

chocdonuty

It may be best to check with your midwife before starting a diet as if you cut out dairy then obviously baby will too! She will probably have seen this sort of thing before and have the best advice for you

hngrymummy

Hi mumof1

Her baby is very uncomfortable all the time, so cries a lot and is grumpy. She can feed him, but he cries a lot ofter being fed and is sick a lot afterwards (more than another friend's baby who was fed at the same time).

She uses baby gaviscon (I think it's gaviscon) to help.

Have you spoken to your Dr and health visitor about it?

I know that when I've got reflux it's horrible, so I can't imagine how a baby must feel.

go_cat

i am on a completely milk and milk product free diet and to be honest it can be a nightmare

To begin with i just had to read avery label to check as you would be surprised how many products have milk derived products in them.

For example the only biscuits i have found i can eat are Mcvities Ginger nuts :rotfl:

I was tested for this intolerance so it may be worth seeing if they will run some tests before you change your diet.

Like others have said though you need to check with your doctor / HV due to the fact your are limiting your calcium intake by cutting these products out.
You will need to replace this some how.

mumof1and1ontheway

Tbh I have seen every HCP who deals with newborns about the issue and they all see different. He is now on baby gaviscon so will see if that helps. Just thoughts dairy free may be another thing to try as many have tried it and suceeded. On the other hand it may just be colic and I may not be able to find a solution.

Bitsy_Beans

I didn't BF but my DD was lactose intolerant. Are your LO's poos like diarrhoea with every nappy? After a feed does your LO cried as though in discomfort? Does the belly seem full of gas? Best way to check is to ask your Dr to test a stool sample.

I was told that Colief can be used for lactose intolerance and can be given to babies prior to a feed (but please check this with your HV). You can buy it yourself (for £10) or if your LO is diagnosed with lactose problems then you can get it on prescription.

Mayflower10cat

Can I ask politely, are you eating meat/fish still & just cutting our dairy??? Only asking as the Vegan Society website might be a good place to do some initial online research. If you're still eating meat & fish, many of their recipes can be adapted. Yes, there are so many milk derivatives hidden in our foods, casein springs to mind, lactose, too. Even Quorn has a dairy element, so not suitable for vegans. My sister was still a vegan when she was pregnant with her first child. She ate/drank a lot of soy/rice milk, vegan yoghurt & 'pretend cheese' (Oh yes, such things exist! Check the chiller at your local health food shop!!!!) If you don't mind cooking from scratch, some lovely ideas for meals spring to mind; oriental stir fry with bean curd and mixed vegetables. Miso soup with rice noodles. Lots of tasty Indian recipes can be dairy free or easily adaptable. Pakoras & bhajis, are made with gram flour and are dairy free. Steamed fish with seasonal veg and new potatoes..... I wish you very well and hope your new diet helps your dear babe.

danielle1977

I tried the diary free thing too while breastfeeding as it may of been the diary making my baby sick-it was really tough! I did it for a week and it didn't help. Eventually (4 months old, screamed pretty much the whole time) he was sent back to hospital and with an hour had gaviscon and ranitidine for reflux and the whole problem was fixed! Local gp had tried gaviscon and it didn't help-he needed both drugs. Hope it gets sorted for the two of you soon.

Gavisocn was mixed with water, ranitidine was a liquid, both given orally-he didn't mind taking them.

JBD

OP I can't really advise you on breastfeeding. However I can recommend https://www.mumsnet .com [sorry I don't know how to link!] however I know some of the ladies there are very expert and supportive on advising on breastfeeding.