Since going dairy-free about 9 months ago, I have received several requests for information. After my first Tchau Cow blog post a few days ago, I decided to follow up with a Q&A format that might be helpful for anyone curious or starting down this road in their journey as well.
Q: Why did you cut out dairy from your diet?
A: I cut dairy from my diet because I was/am breastfeeding my baby who has a milk protein sensitivity.
Q: How did you know that dairy was the problem?
A: My baby's symptoms were consistent with the information I read online about food sensitivity in breastfeeding babies. (Ex: extremely fussy, arching back, lots of gas (LOTS!), bubbly bowels, sleeping & waking often with painful cries)
Q: How long did it take to see results for your baby?
A: It took about 2 weeks to see full results--better sleeping, much less gas, significantly decreased unhappiness/crying/fussiness. According to KellyMom.com: "Eliminating a food for less than 2-3 weeks may not be effective—cow’s
milk protein, for example, can persist in mom’s body for 1½ – 2 weeks,
and it may be another 1½ – 2 weeks before the protein is out of baby’s
system."
Q: Does this mean your baby is lactose intolerant?
I believe that she has a milk protein sensitivity. According to KellyMom.com: "If your baby is sensitive to dairy products it is highly unlikely that the problem is lactose intolerance, although many people may tell you so."
Q: What about lactose-free products...?
A: According to KellyMom.com: "If your baby is sensitive to dairy in your diet, it will not
help to switch to lactose-free dairy products. The problem is the cow’s
milk proteins, not the lactose. Cooking dairy products may reduce but
will not eliminate the allergens."
Q: Do babies grow out of it?
A: Babies are likely to grow out of her sensitivity by age 3 (if not sooner)
Q: After 9 months being diary-free, how do you know your if baby is still sensitive?
A: Occasionally I will indulge. So far, the results are still the same--about 2 days after I consume dairy, the babe has a particularly difficult night sleeping.
Q: Do any of your other children have problems with dairy?
A: My first baby was allergic to eggs (and a few other things) but has since grown out of it (he is now 4). Food allergies & sensitivities can be genetic--and there are plenty of those on Mr. H's side of the family, so my kids are slightly more prone to these things.
Q: Do you give your other children cow's milk now?
A: No. We have enjoyed almond, rice, coconut, & soy milks. Most regularly, we have almond milk in our fridge. At first we were buying both kinds and then realized that was kind of silly.
Q: What is your favorite dairy substitute?
A:Coconut milk ice cream!
Q: Do you plan to stay dairy-free when you are finished nursing your baby?
A: I haven't decided yet. There is information that I have read that makes me feel comfortable sticking with it and even think that it is a good, healthy choice. I like the way I feel dairy-free (there is a noticeable difference in my digestion* and overall healthy feeling) and since I'm on a roll...(and Mr. H has jumped on board as well), we might just go with it!
Q: What is your advice for others who are gearing up to go dairy free?
A: While it can feel like an overwhelming challenge, it DOES get easier as you adjust to changing/altering/eliminating dairy from your diet. I know that if I can do it--YOU CAN DO IT too. People will think you are wasting your time and energy but YOU know that breastfeeding your baby (or just making a different healthy life choice) is a priority and that makes it all worth it. There are sufficient substitutes and there are awesome benefits--besides your happy baby, your waist line will thank you as well!
Q: Do you have any helpful links?
A: Why yes, yes I do!
An interesting article written by an MD about saying goodbye to cow's milk (also the problem with the food pyramid)
This is a great place to look for dairy-free substitutes as you are re-configuring your kitchen.
I'm sure you noticed from the above quotes that I love KellyMom.com--awesome information on food sensitivities in babies for breastfeeding Mamas...and really, all things breastfeeding!
Here is a really helpful dairy free site that gives lots of ideas, advice, & recipes!
I am nodding my head as I read "Six Steps To Successfully Going Dairy Free"--if this is your goal, definitely a good little article!
And of course...google is your friend!
Bonus Q: The title here is "Tchau Cow"...why do you say "tchau" instead of "ciao"?
A: My usage of the word (meaning "goodbye") is based on my experience with the Portuguese language which is spelled "tchau". You can often hear me say "tchau tchau" when I am saying goodbye on the phone (mostly with Mr. H). Your fun fact for the day! :)
*I have suffered from chronic constipation most of my life--without dairy in my diet, I no longer have this annoying problem!
Showing posts with label Food Is Good. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Food Is Good. Show all posts
Friday
Tuesday
"Tchau, Cow" Part I
About 3 weeks after Miss N was born, her easy going ways walked right out the door (just about the time my parents did as well!). She started waking up during naps, arching her back--screaming in pain and then finally falling asleep again--only to be rudely awoken by the same discomforts. She started spitting up (a LOT) of her milk intake, her bowels were bubbly, and our nights together began to be exhausting.
It would start around 11pm or so...and last until about 2 or 3am. There was lots of crying, swaddling, swaying, swooshing, rocking, bouncing, cuddling...and standing upright. As soon as she would calm down, I would lay down and she was awake and screaming again. I nursed, burped, cleaned up the spit up, rocked, bounced, soothed, and on many occasions, cried along with her. I spent most of those nights in the living room--the laptop displayed shows for me to distract myself from the exhaustion, and the soft glow of white lights on our banister (left up from Christmas) helped provide glistening night in the dark, long nights. On the weekends (and weeks he was home), Mr. H would dutifully take over and I would rest as much as I could for the coming week.
I received lots of advice, tips, and encouragement from family and friends who had survived the challenges of a "colicky" baby. I talked with lactation consultants, LLL advisors, and scoured the vast resources online. I concluded that the problem was two-fold: one being a foremilk/hindmilk imbalance (and forceful let down of milk)--the second being a food sensitivity. This post is about the latter.
After several weeks of her colicky symptoms (and trying every colic/gas preventing advice out there), I decided to try the option of taking some foods out of my diet to see if that was the problem. I was hesitant, because I really did not want to eliminate anything...I like eating tasty, creamy foods!
According to KellyMom.com: A small percentage of breastfeeding mothers notice an obvious difference in their baby’s behavior and/or health when they eat certain foods. Cow’s milk products are the most common problem foods and the only foods conclusively linked by research to fussiness/gassiness in babies, but some babies do react to other foods.
After that first excruciating (for me) week without dairy and chocolate (yes. chocolate), Miss N began to sleep better, longer, and her crying at night was not nearly as dramatic. By the second week, as hard as it was for me (dairy is in every delicious dish!)--she was a new baby. She also started sucking her thumb which was wonderful for her to self-sooth (even though I dread dealing with that later). Within a month of the changes in my diet, Miss N was sleeping through the night and enjoying comfortable naps without the gassy pains that had caused her so much pain and sleeplessness.
I found many great resources online and made necessary changes in my meals. If you know me, some of the changes were a big sacrifice. (Cereal, anyone?) Some things that were on my regular shopping list that I gave up: cow's milk, cottage cheese, yogurt, string cheese, cheddar cheese, sour cream, cream cheese. Some things that cropped up over time that I had to pass on: ice cream (even many sherbets!), homemade frostings, some breads, shakes, hot chocolate, cookies with milk, some deli meats, crackers, soups, sauces, glazes, etc.
I began finding replacements for must-haves: almond milk instead of cow's milk, rice cheese instead of dairy cheese (soy cheese did not make the cut), coconut milk ice cream, to name a few. When there were no substitutes (or the didn't sound appetizing), I just made myself something different or prepared a dairy-free portion for my plate. It started out very challenging but now--almost 9 months later, it doesn't seem so hard.
There were days that I would have a bite of one of the boys' quesadillas or something...and sure enough, 2 days later we would have another long night. There were people who would ask me why I was making such drastic dietary changes when I could easily give my baby formula. For me--the sacrifice was a challenge but because breastfeeding is so important to me, it was well worth it.
The upside?
Miss N is a very happy baby whose previously frequent gassy upsets are now extremely rare. Also? The weight I gained while I was pregnant (and more!) melted off ...like butter.
All because I wasn't consuming any!
Due to several requests for information on going dairy free and questions about baby's with dairy sensitivity, I will continue this topic in a Tchau Cow Part II. Stay tuned!
It would start around 11pm or so...and last until about 2 or 3am. There was lots of crying, swaddling, swaying, swooshing, rocking, bouncing, cuddling...and standing upright. As soon as she would calm down, I would lay down and she was awake and screaming again. I nursed, burped, cleaned up the spit up, rocked, bounced, soothed, and on many occasions, cried along with her. I spent most of those nights in the living room--the laptop displayed shows for me to distract myself from the exhaustion, and the soft glow of white lights on our banister (left up from Christmas) helped provide glistening night in the dark, long nights. On the weekends (and weeks he was home), Mr. H would dutifully take over and I would rest as much as I could for the coming week.
I received lots of advice, tips, and encouragement from family and friends who had survived the challenges of a "colicky" baby. I talked with lactation consultants, LLL advisors, and scoured the vast resources online. I concluded that the problem was two-fold: one being a foremilk/hindmilk imbalance (and forceful let down of milk)--the second being a food sensitivity. This post is about the latter.
After several weeks of her colicky symptoms (and trying every colic/gas preventing advice out there), I decided to try the option of taking some foods out of my diet to see if that was the problem. I was hesitant, because I really did not want to eliminate anything...I like eating tasty, creamy foods!
According to KellyMom.com: A small percentage of breastfeeding mothers notice an obvious difference in their baby’s behavior and/or health when they eat certain foods. Cow’s milk products are the most common problem foods and the only foods conclusively linked by research to fussiness/gassiness in babies, but some babies do react to other foods.
After that first excruciating (for me) week without dairy and chocolate (yes. chocolate), Miss N began to sleep better, longer, and her crying at night was not nearly as dramatic. By the second week, as hard as it was for me (dairy is in every delicious dish!)--she was a new baby. She also started sucking her thumb which was wonderful for her to self-sooth (even though I dread dealing with that later). Within a month of the changes in my diet, Miss N was sleeping through the night and enjoying comfortable naps without the gassy pains that had caused her so much pain and sleeplessness.
I found many great resources online and made necessary changes in my meals. If you know me, some of the changes were a big sacrifice. (Cereal, anyone?) Some things that were on my regular shopping list that I gave up: cow's milk, cottage cheese, yogurt, string cheese, cheddar cheese, sour cream, cream cheese. Some things that cropped up over time that I had to pass on: ice cream (even many sherbets!), homemade frostings, some breads, shakes, hot chocolate, cookies with milk, some deli meats, crackers, soups, sauces, glazes, etc.
I began finding replacements for must-haves: almond milk instead of cow's milk, rice cheese instead of dairy cheese (soy cheese did not make the cut), coconut milk ice cream, to name a few. When there were no substitutes (or the didn't sound appetizing), I just made myself something different or prepared a dairy-free portion for my plate. It started out very challenging but now--almost 9 months later, it doesn't seem so hard.
There were days that I would have a bite of one of the boys' quesadillas or something...and sure enough, 2 days later we would have another long night. There were people who would ask me why I was making such drastic dietary changes when I could easily give my baby formula. For me--the sacrifice was a challenge but because breastfeeding is so important to me, it was well worth it.
The upside?
Miss N is a very happy baby whose previously frequent gassy upsets are now extremely rare. Also? The weight I gained while I was pregnant (and more!) melted off ...like butter.
All because I wasn't consuming any!
Due to several requests for information on going dairy free and questions about baby's with dairy sensitivity, I will continue this topic in a Tchau Cow Part II. Stay tuned!
Friday
Serious About Cereal
Growing up, we had a few basic options for our morning breakfast cereal (which was a typical weekday breakfast at our house...we saved 'fancy' breakfasts for dinner...most especially Dad's awesome Sunday night waffle dinners)--as follows:
I like an occasional oatmeal breakfast, but typically started my day with a quick-and-easy cold cereal--maybe with something on top to add some pizzazz (fruit, raisins, coconut, sprinkles of sugar, mini marshmallows).
I remember we did have several months (a year?) during which we excitedly devoured boxes of Cap'n Crunch (from a big sale? storehouse?) cereal which felt like a very special splurge. Sugary cereals were not on our weekly grocery list...unless...IT WAS YOUR BIRTHDAY WEEK.
On your birthday week YOU got to pick the cereal--dubbed in our family as "birthday cereal" and it was AWESOME. Honestly, I think it was a birthday highlight...at least for me, because I LOVE cereal. It always went too fast, though. Probably because I ate 2-3 servings at a time!!
Grandmama always had special cereal boxes in her cupboards. I specifically remember Rice Krispies (snap! crackle! pop!), Golden Grahams, and Cinnamon Toast Crunch. I looked forward to these cereal options, and would enjoy a different cereal each morning we were at her house...it felt like *such* a treat!
When my Grandma J came to visit (or if we visited her), she would make buttered toast with freshly hot oatmeal which was delicious...but my favorite breakfast option was her fantastically scrumptious homemade granola. Seriously, people. It is the best granola ever. I learned how to make it and would occasionally make a batch or two...but it went pretty quickly, especially in our house. *YUM*
When I moved out for college, I spread my cereal-loving wings and bought whatever cereal I wanted. I don't like the over-the-top sugary cereals, nor am I interested in the chocolatey options. I really like cereal with clusters, nuts, and granola elements. My cereal standard eventually became Honey Bunches of Oats.
I like cereal so much that I remember as a newlywed, waking up just to eat some cereal in the morning and then going back to bed to catch some more sleep. I suppose cereal was/is kind of a comfort food for me. I love the crispy crunch and the blend with cold milk. So good, you can eat it anytime, really.
Things have changed, now that I have two little (but very serious-about-eating) breakfast-eaters in my house. We have a routine that we started with J and from which we rarely deviate.
The boys get hot oatmeal every single morning & they love it. Oatmeal with raisins, cinnamon, and a spoonful of no-sugar added applesauce to cool the bowl down. Cheerios, we do have, but are more of an easy snack option. We keep one or two other boxes of cold cereal...but those are for Mom & Dad. However, these have dwindled quite a bit in the last few months since the Mr. is on the road most of the time and when he is around, breakfast is not a priority for him.
I still love cereal, and I eat it a few times a week...but I'm not as serious about cereal as I used to be. It is just not as convenient when I'm fixing oatmeal for the kids, and honestly--it does add up on the grocery bill. Plus, being pregnant, I never know what will sound good to me in the morning anyway, so I play it by ear.
-cheerios
-corn/bran flakes
-corn/rice chex
-oats
I like an occasional oatmeal breakfast, but typically started my day with a quick-and-easy cold cereal--maybe with something on top to add some pizzazz (fruit, raisins, coconut, sprinkles of sugar, mini marshmallows).
I remember we did have several months (a year?) during which we excitedly devoured boxes of Cap'n Crunch (from a big sale? storehouse?) cereal which felt like a very special splurge. Sugary cereals were not on our weekly grocery list...unless...IT WAS YOUR BIRTHDAY WEEK.
On your birthday week YOU got to pick the cereal--dubbed in our family as "birthday cereal" and it was AWESOME. Honestly, I think it was a birthday highlight...at least for me, because I LOVE cereal. It always went too fast, though. Probably because I ate 2-3 servings at a time!!
Both of my grandmothers provided delicious options for my cereal cravings.
Grandmama always had special cereal boxes in her cupboards. I specifically remember Rice Krispies (snap! crackle! pop!), Golden Grahams, and Cinnamon Toast Crunch. I looked forward to these cereal options, and would enjoy a different cereal each morning we were at her house...it felt like *such* a treat!
When my Grandma J came to visit (or if we visited her), she would make buttered toast with freshly hot oatmeal which was delicious...but my favorite breakfast option was her fantastically scrumptious homemade granola. Seriously, people. It is the best granola ever. I learned how to make it and would occasionally make a batch or two...but it went pretty quickly, especially in our house. *YUM*
When I moved out for college, I spread my cereal-loving wings and bought whatever cereal I wanted. I don't like the over-the-top sugary cereals, nor am I interested in the chocolatey options. I really like cereal with clusters, nuts, and granola elements. My cereal standard eventually became Honey Bunches of Oats.
I like cereal so much that I remember as a newlywed, waking up just to eat some cereal in the morning and then going back to bed to catch some more sleep. I suppose cereal was/is kind of a comfort food for me. I love the crispy crunch and the blend with cold milk. So good, you can eat it anytime, really.
Why limit the good stuff just for breakfast?
And, guess what.
It does NOT include cold cereal!
I still love cereal, and I eat it a few times a week...but I'm not as serious about cereal as I used to be. It is just not as convenient when I'm fixing oatmeal for the kids, and honestly--it does add up on the grocery bill. Plus, being pregnant, I never know what will sound good to me in the morning anyway, so I play it by ear.
The thing is...
...if I do eat oats.
I still like the cold cereal taste,
so I eat them raw.
You can take the cold cereal out of my pantry,
but you can't take my love for a bowl of grain with cold milk.
What's your breakfast routine?
How much is it influenced by your childhood breakfasts?
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