I Love My Daughter More than Ice Cream. What is Cow's Milk Protein Allergy?
If giving up Dairy Queen cookie dough blizzards, macaroni and cheese, and pizza would make your infant stop crying all day long, would you do it?
Food allergies and environmental allergies are increasingly more common. Why is that? Some theorize that in the developed world, we are way too hygienic and thus exposed to less germs to enhance our immune system. My daughter had been increasingly more fussy during her fourth and fifth weeks of life. She was also starting to have green mucousy stools. I thought her fussiness was normal. Perhaps, she was becoming more alert and aware of her world, and her fussiness was due to her fighting sleep. However, the more research I did on green poop, I thought maybe she was not getting enough hindmilk. The first part of a feed during breastfeeding is the fore milk which has less calories and more fluid, while the second part is the higher fat hind milk.
Upon arrival at the pediatrician's office for her one month visit, she had another green mucousy stool. When I showed the doctor, she said it could mean bloody stools and tested it for presence of heme. It came back positive for blood. After ruling out other causes of bloody stools, we decided a food allergy (cows' milk and soy being the top offenders in infants) could be the culprit. To diagnose and treat suspected cows' milk protein allergy or intolerance (CMPA), the breastfeeding mother must abstain from dairy (butter, milk, cheese, yogurt, etc.) for one to two weeks and observe any changes in her infant's behavior. Since almost 30-50% of infants with a cows' milk allergy also experience sensitivity to soy, I tried to abstain from both dairy and soy. Abstaining from dairy or products with milk is easier than abstaining from soy. Soy is in EVERYTHING!
When I first heard the news that I might have to give up dairy for the next year of breastfeeding, I was kind of down. Settling in to being a new mother, already feeling constricted to the house, and after early troubles with breastfeeding, I thought there was only so much more I could take! However, after a nice run one day and thinking about my sweet baby's face after nursing, I decided I could do it. There are so many benefits to continue to breastfeed even with your new stringent diet.
What causes CMPA? There is no clear cut answer. Many longitudinal studies have been done (studying infants and mothers over time) which showed some correlation between maternal antibiotic use during pregnancy and family history of food allergies. There are also some theories suggesting children may be allergic to a food their mother consumed in large quantities during pregnancy. This has not been proven, so do NOT beat yourself up! I know I consumed dairy as if it were going out of style and I beat myself up about it. Your child will most likely outgrow their intolerance or allergy.
How do you eat dairy and soy free?
You eat clean!
Foods you can eat:
Typical Day:
Breakfast for me consists of fruit, almond milk, and an Enjoy Life Bar. For lunch, I'll have a large salad or Amy's Organic black bean soup with chips and guacamole. I love snacking on Boom Chicka Pop popcorn or Enjoy Life chocolate chunks. For dinner, I will have grass-fed beef burgers, grilled chicken or fish with roasted veggies brushed in olive oil, sea salt, and balsamic vinegar. I also really love to make spaghetti squash bolognese!
You will need to read the labels of all packaged food you buy and look for http://www.godairyfree.org/dairy-free-grocery-shopping-guide/dairy-ingredient-list-2.
Other Resources:
http://www.godairyfree.org/
http://www.milkallergymom.com/
I will post updates including how my daughter's symptoms and behavior improves on a dairy-free/soy-free diet, how my daughter does when she starts solid foods, and new dairy-free/soy-free recipes I make.
Food allergies and environmental allergies are increasingly more common. Why is that? Some theorize that in the developed world, we are way too hygienic and thus exposed to less germs to enhance our immune system. My daughter had been increasingly more fussy during her fourth and fifth weeks of life. She was also starting to have green mucousy stools. I thought her fussiness was normal. Perhaps, she was becoming more alert and aware of her world, and her fussiness was due to her fighting sleep. However, the more research I did on green poop, I thought maybe she was not getting enough hindmilk. The first part of a feed during breastfeeding is the fore milk which has less calories and more fluid, while the second part is the higher fat hind milk.
Upon arrival at the pediatrician's office for her one month visit, she had another green mucousy stool. When I showed the doctor, she said it could mean bloody stools and tested it for presence of heme. It came back positive for blood. After ruling out other causes of bloody stools, we decided a food allergy (cows' milk and soy being the top offenders in infants) could be the culprit. To diagnose and treat suspected cows' milk protein allergy or intolerance (CMPA), the breastfeeding mother must abstain from dairy (butter, milk, cheese, yogurt, etc.) for one to two weeks and observe any changes in her infant's behavior. Since almost 30-50% of infants with a cows' milk allergy also experience sensitivity to soy, I tried to abstain from both dairy and soy. Abstaining from dairy or products with milk is easier than abstaining from soy. Soy is in EVERYTHING!
When I first heard the news that I might have to give up dairy for the next year of breastfeeding, I was kind of down. Settling in to being a new mother, already feeling constricted to the house, and after early troubles with breastfeeding, I thought there was only so much more I could take! However, after a nice run one day and thinking about my sweet baby's face after nursing, I decided I could do it. There are so many benefits to continue to breastfeed even with your new stringent diet.
- It will decrease the severity and length of the intolerance/allergy if you continue to breastfeed. This means the sooner you and your little one can enjoy ice cream and mac n'cheese together :)
- It's cheaper than formula. Some of the special hypoallergenic formulas are $30/16 ounces!
- The breastfeed bond between you and your child is amazing. If your baby can't enjoy dairy for the time being dammit, then you will not be able to either.
- You will lose your baby weight faster and feel better! (Eating a ton of fruits and veggies never hurt anyone!)
What causes CMPA? There is no clear cut answer. Many longitudinal studies have been done (studying infants and mothers over time) which showed some correlation between maternal antibiotic use during pregnancy and family history of food allergies. There are also some theories suggesting children may be allergic to a food their mother consumed in large quantities during pregnancy. This has not been proven, so do NOT beat yourself up! I know I consumed dairy as if it were going out of style and I beat myself up about it. Your child will most likely outgrow their intolerance or allergy.
How do you eat dairy and soy free?
You eat clean!
Foods you can eat:
- Fruits
- Vegetables
- Meats (check the ingredient list for milk, soy, whey, casein)
- Grains made without butter or soy (Rudi's Bread)
- Rice, Almond, Coconut Milk
- Earth Balance Dairy Free/Soy Free Butter Spread
- Bertoli's pasta sauce
- Garden of Eatin' Tortilla Chips
- Boom Chicka Pop
- Enjoy Life products (http://enjoylifefoods.com/) I LOVE their chocolate chunks, their bars, and their chocolate chip cookies :)
- Dining out: be careful as EVERYTHING is cooked in soybean oil. Eat veggies, fruits, meats without added oil/sauces or ask the chef before you eat anything.
Typical Day:
Breakfast for me consists of fruit, almond milk, and an Enjoy Life Bar. For lunch, I'll have a large salad or Amy's Organic black bean soup with chips and guacamole. I love snacking on Boom Chicka Pop popcorn or Enjoy Life chocolate chunks. For dinner, I will have grass-fed beef burgers, grilled chicken or fish with roasted veggies brushed in olive oil, sea salt, and balsamic vinegar. I also really love to make spaghetti squash bolognese!
You will need to read the labels of all packaged food you buy and look for http://www.godairyfree.org/dairy-free-grocery-shopping-guide/dairy-ingredient-list-2.
Other Resources:
http://www.godairyfree.org/
http://www.milkallergymom.com/
I will post updates including how my daughter's symptoms and behavior improves on a dairy-free/soy-free diet, how my daughter does when she starts solid foods, and new dairy-free/soy-free recipes I make.
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