Advice needed on a diary free diet as a breastfeeding mummy

Savvy_Sue

I was on a dairy free diet when feeding DS2, as part of a research trial to see if it helped reduce childhood eczema. He's the only one who has ever had eczema ...

However, there's no substitute for reading all the labels.

I did have a booklet which listed foods free of dairy which was quite helpful, but you still have to check in case things have changed. After Eight mints were ok, btw!

The thing I had to watch myself for was licking spoons or finishing off leftovers.

doom

Yh I know I shouldn't be cheeky but i laughed so much when reading the title of a "diary" free diet hahahaha

gratefulforhelp_2

Bravo for breastfeeding, but I seriously would not bother with the diet. There's no evidence that dairy-free will help with colic, so why restrict baby's nutrients?

Mme.Hibou

I breastfed my son and he also suffered from really bad reflux, I did go dairy free but it was on instruction from the dietician at the children's hospital. (I've since been told from a midwife friend of ours that it would not have made a difference) It didn't make much of a difference until he started confidently sitting up (around 6 months?) and it gradually started to lessen.

Now he's 18 months and is like a totally different child and when friends tell me their baby might be sick over my shoulder I realise it's probably a lot less than I was used to

Sharra

I know several people who have had similar problems, they went to see a cranial osteopath (for baby not for mum) and they found it really helped. I would really recommend it. I wish I'd known about it when I went through similar problems with my son.

elfen

Dairy-free......hmm..I am lactose intolerant, and the main things you need to watch are for the hidden ones, like milk solids or even dried milk powder in foods. You have to read every single label just in case, but there are foods that are free anyway. Goat's milk is LF, and it's a good way of getting calcium into your diet, and doesn't taste much different from cow's milk, so you won't miss anything.
Things off the top of my head that you need to check....casein, sausages (they have some milk protein in, all except The Black Farmer. Bit pricey but they are 97% pork) Mayo, the normal one is OK but Hellman's light has cream in it. If you want to cook, try goat's milk as it cooks up better and doesn't separate like soya does....coconut milk is good for curries and such (korma sauce has cream in, you need to check the others just in case)
Basically, you need to avoid any label that says "contains milk" and check the ones that were made in the same factory. Usually you would be OK, so you might be alright.
I also echo that maybe baba is the lactose intolerant one, and also suggest looking for the symptoms (diarrhoea, trapped wind, can be quite gassy - if I have milk I could pipe the sailors home!)

minimoneysaver

Just a thought, but when I trained as a nanny many moons ago, we were advised to prop up one half of the cot with books etc and sort of wedge the baby in with rolled up towels so baby doesn't move. The idea being, reflux is far worse lying down. Maybe if you can avoid laying baby down flat for a couple of days to see if it helps?
On the dairy free aspect, I no longer buy cows milk, but use alpro soya on cereal, in tea etc and it's fine. x

Jilly5

Hi, one of my sisters twins is lactose intolerant and when she was a small baby it was awful for her, eventually she was diagnosed, her reflux was terrible. She was bottle fed and had powder milk called 'nutralogen' (sp) - it stinks but she got used to it, with gaviscon in and then liquid ranitodene as well on top - she was like a different baby. When she got older she had a milk called 'lactolose' (sp) - its available in all the supermarkets so you could try having that in place of cows milk (its really nice actually). The range also includes yoghurts and cheese.

All the other advice is great on here, read labels carefully, you wouldn't believe how many things have milk products in!

Good luck x

alwayspuzzled

Well worth trying but remember the effects of a milk intolerance (rather than a allergy) can take up to 3 weeks to clear the system. We realized my BF ds2 was milk protein intolerant when he was about 8 months and found milky puddings etc made him really sick. Cut out all milk from his diet and the excessive drool that caused a red raw patch chin, neck & chest cleared up, he was much less restless and generally a more contented baby. All medical staff I spoke to insisted that cows milk protiens couldn't pass into my milk.

With my dd I realized at 2 or 3 weeks that every time I had a meal heavy in dairy products within 24hrs she was inconsolable. I tested this 3 times each 2 weeks apart with the same results which was proof enough for me and I remained dairy free for the 12 months until she self weaned.

As my children are protein rather than lactose intolerant I've found soya subsututes don't work for us (the simerality of milk and soya proteins is apparently why they taste so similar) and for me I missed tea more than chocolate which I found amazing.

alwayspuzzled

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.[/QUOTE]

Buscuits - from memory hob-nobs, party rings, most bourbons, some rich tea, some custard creams, most store brand jaffas.

Calcium - all green veg esp leafy ones like spinage have high calcium levels, tinned fish like salmon esp leaving bones in contains high calcium as well as omega 3 oils. Ds's nutritionist also told me baked beans are a good sorce of calcium.

If you do find that a dairy fee diet helps then you'd best get used to people telling you how much harm you are doing your baby/self as we have all been brain washed into believing that we need a product designed for baby cows to such as extent that you often get horrified reactions when people find out - watch out for the kindly old lady with a packet of choc buttons etc.