Dairy is by far one of the biggest offenders when it comes
to food sensitivities. Its typically one of the first food items suggested to a
mom who has a baby who seems to have a food issue. So, what do you look for
with a dairy sensitivity?
Signs of A Dairy Sensitivity:
·
Green, runny stool
·
Blood tinged stool
·
Skin rashes
·
Chronic nasal stuffiness
·
Vomiting
·
Diarrhea
·
Excessive abdominal discomfort
·
Cramping
·
Coughing
·
Mimic of GER (gastroesophageal reflux) symptoms
·
Heartburn
·
Spitting up
·
Gassiness
·
Constipation
Note: it is very normal for babies in the first months of
life to have gas and spit up. These would be an issue if the baby is screaming
in pain when spitting up or loosing weight. A baby who is a happy spitter is
not a problem. Newborn gas that does not cause hours of colic like symptoms is
also normal.
If you are seeing a variety of the symptoms listed above,
you probably want to consider eliminating dairy from your diet. One key to
remember is with dairy it can take a full 2 weeks before the proteins are fully
removed from both your and your Los systems. For this reason it is important to
dedicate yourself to a fully dairy free diet for at least one month. You may
see 0 changes in the first 3 weeks, and this can be normal, especially if you
were eating a lot of dairy products to begin with.
It is important to note that with dairy it is not the
lactose that the baby reacts to, it is the proteins in dairy. For this reason
you need to ensure you read all food labels as dairy byproducts are in many
foods. While you want to stay away from
anything that contains butter, milk, or cheese you also need to avoid casein,
whey, sodium caseinate, and lactose! It may surprise you to learn that most
cold cut deli meats and hot dogs contain hidden dairy! Unless it is labeled
100% dairy free, make sure to read all food labels!
The good news is that there are a lot of dairy free options
available today. This website is a great resource with tons of suggestions and
ideas of what to eat (and what not to eat)! http://www.beanmom.com/nomilk.html
*We are mothers
sharing our experience and our research with you - not doctors or nutritional
professionals. As with any health-related matter, seek medical attention and
expertise as indicated. Any advice given here is not to be taken as medical
advice.*
Useful Links and References:
http://www.kellymom.com/store/freehandouts/hidden-dairy01.pdf
