Can't eat anything-baby has allergies

blessedflower

Sat, Dec 26 2020, 2:10 pm

My baby is allergic to milk, soy and eggs.
Diary I find hard that I can't eat, but to bad for me. Eggs not so much. But soy is literally in everything. Pitas, soft sandwiches, pretzels, bought cookies, every kind of spread except for jam and smoked salmon.
I notices that he gained less the past weeks. He gained but not as quickly as before. My milk is also less fat Crying

What can I eat? I eat oatmeal, but I want something easy for breakfast and snacks. Cooked food is not a problem.

Success10

Sat, Dec 26 2020, 2:16 pm

I'm a big fan of nursing, but I also think your sanity and health comes first, especially if your milk isn't going to have the right nutrients for him. Are there any special formulas that he's able to take?

blessedflower

Sat, Dec 26 2020, 2:30 pm

Success10 wrote:

I really don't want to stop. I'll keep that as my very last option.

Success10

Sat, Dec 26 2020, 2:41 pm

I would visit a healthfood store, they have many things ready made, like bread and crackers. Other items, you might want to look into making yourself. I had to go off milk for one baby, and then during Pesach when soy was off the table, it was a hard time figuring out how to make a coffee.

amother

Silver

Sat, Dec 26 2020, 3:56 pm

BTDT a few times. Its HARD! The first time I was determined to nurse, no matter what. Baby starved until I switched to formula( neocate or something similar).
The second Baby with such sensitivities I was always hungry( I was off dairy,soy and wheat), but with round the clock nursing, baby was okay. And I started solids early, like 4/5 months.
My third one refused a bottle, so I was also nursing overtime. Baby was always borderline underweight, but there was nothing I could do. Once she was on solids, she gained slowly, but she still is a skinny toddler.

Teomima

Sat, Dec 26 2020, 4:01 pm

A lot of the stuff you mention it's pretty easy to make yourself, or at least reasonable alternatives.

Bake your own bread and cookies. Make popcorn instead of buying pretzels. Cook a big pot of rice and a big pot of chili or stir fry or whatever you like, then portion it out into freezable individual servings that you can microwave for a quick meal or snack. Use spreads like natural nut butters that won't have any additional soy oil or lethicin, you can always add your own sugar and salt if you prefer the flavor that way. Overnight chia pudding, made with oat or almond or coconut milk, can be an easy breakfast. Also there are soy-free non-dairy yogurts and other dairy-like products out there.

cuties' mom

Sat, Dec 26 2020, 5:41 pm

I nursed my allergic kid for 19 months. Most people who are allergic to soy can handle soy lecithin that's in most foods. Many can also handle soybean oil. Talk to your allergist about what needs to be avoided. I was told to eliminate soy flour, soy protein, and foods that the main ingredient is soy.

amother

Mint

Sat, Dec 26 2020, 6:08 pm

I did this for almost a year. It was rough, but what helped me was meal planning. I came up with lists of food I could eat and planned menus around it. I batch cooked on weekends and made sure I had leftovers from dinner for lunches.

I was off wheat and nuts for a while too, so I ate oatmeal or overnight oats with rice milk and sunbutter for breakfast. Other things I ate: different kinds of chicken, grain bowls with rice or quinoa, hummus (made my own or bought soy free), vegan meatballs, sweet potatoes and potatoes, vegan baked goods. Snacks were potato chips, corn chips, popcorn, sunflower seeds, and enjoy life or klp chocolate chips (still lost weight). Just check labels for soy.

Eta it's hard, but doable if you want to do it! Hugs!

blessedflower

Sat, Dec 26 2020, 6:39 pm

cuties' mom wrote:

thanks. This I good to know.

Sleepymama

Sat, Dec 26 2020, 6:48 pm

How did you find out your baby was allergic? What were the symptoms that made you concerned? I'm asking because my baby is a not eating well. I've cut most potential allergens out of my diet, but I don't see any improvement

HakarasHatov

Sat, Dec 26 2020, 7:19 pm

My baby is allergic to milk and eggs also, but not goat milk or eggs from other birds (quail, turkey,etc).

For soy if you are dedicated to bf, then I highly suggest making your own food without soy, maybe just eat foods that are easy to make on your own, or maybe health food stores may have products without soy.

For milk low in fat, do you have enough fat in your diet? People who bf while doing keto have higher fat (and lower volume) than others. I’m not suggesting to eat a keto diet, maybe just add fat to your diet.

If you get desperate what about bf and supplementing with just a little formula? Also the Neocate has probiotics which is good for the digestive system of babies with allergies. If you give probiotics in formula, maybe ask your doctor for a quality probiotic for your dc, I think it may help him in the long run.

Signed a mother of a child with multiple allergies.

anonymrs

Sat, Dec 26 2020, 8:08 pm

I've done it and it's possible to continue nursing with these limitations. What would you normally want to eat? I can help you brainstorm.

Also, keep an eye out for changes in symptoms or for improvement followed by worsening. Sometimes when removing allergens from diet, things seen to get better but then get worse because you've started eating more of something else which could be irritating to baby.

Feel free to pm me.

blessedflower

Sun, Dec 27 2020, 2:13 am

Sleepymama wrote:

he had very smelly and jelly like diapers. And a little eczema. My dd had the same and it was an allergy to milk. I stopped eating milk and his eczema got much worse. After 5 weeks I stopped also eating eggs. I saw a big improvement but still he was getting new patches of eczema. I went to an allergist with him. He is 3 months old.
Why did you suspect allergies? What do you mean when you say baby isn't eating well?

blessedflower

Sun, Dec 27 2020, 2:24 am

anonymrs wrote:

that's very interesting. Because he was getting much better and the past 3 days his eczema is worse again. On the other hand I only stopped eating soy on Wednesdays, so I guess it can take some time to see for real.

Do you have any idea how soon after me eating allergens will I see a reaction on my baby. Is it a few hours-24h later or more like 2-3 days later?

amother

Oak

Sun, Dec 27 2020, 6:28 am

I know you are dedicated to nursing but just keep in mind that you need to be a sane, healthy, well fed mom above all. I’m talking to myself now as I struggle to nurse my newborn but if your baby has too many limitations that prevents you from being able to eat, it really might be worth considering stopping. Keep in mind the most beneficial part of nursing is the first little bit so not sure how old your baby is but keep in mind

amother

Bronze

Sun, Dec 27 2020, 7:05 am

We’re unsure if baby has allergies so we’re still in testing mode. I’ve been off gluten, dairy and soy for about a month. I’ll try to post a post of things I eat .. minus the eggs.

Oatmeal with almond milk, maple syrup and raisins, sometimes cinnamon (can add any fruits or nuts. I add egg whites for protein but obv that won’t work for you...)
Rice cake with guacamole or hummus. Sometimes I eat with Way Better chips.
Rice cake or gluten free bread with nut butter.
Cereal with almond milk
Fruit
Beef jerky (without nitrates) - I seriously eat this as a snack any random time of the day - never have to worry about not being able to eat dairy! Very high in protein.
Orgain vegan energy drinks.
Many of these foods are high in healthy fats and BH for now I seem to have enough milk and baby is gaining very nicely.
In general there are more packaged options for people with allergies than there used to be. If you’re looking for specific items you can post and I’ll see if I can think of anything that I buy. (Check out Enjoy Life cookies.) I think the hardest thing is not being able to get any takeout because as you said, soy is in everything!

Geulanow

Sun, Dec 27 2020, 8:24 am

Maybe you can make an online petition and send it to companies to make products soy free. There are probably many in your situation. Soy also can be a contributor for hormonal problems.
For your baby, stick to basics - fruit, vegetables, fish, meat. Finding bread, baked goods, mayonnaise, and other prepared food without soy is a big challenge.